THE CARS
Alpine A110
As much as Alfa disappointed with the 4C, Alpine has delivered with its A110, a lightweight sports car that thrills without intimidating. With everything else at 2018’s SCGT boasting at least 150bhp more, it’s a deft reminder that reducing weight instead of raising power is still
a route to greatness.
Price | £51,805 Engine | 1798cc 16v turbocharged 4-cyl, 248bhp @ 6000rpm, 236lb ft @ 2000rpm
Transmission | 7-speed twin-clutch auto, rear-wheel drive
Performance | 4.5sec 0 62mph, 155mph (limited), 44.1mpg, 144g/ km CO2 Suspension | Double wishbones front and rear
Weight | 1103kg
BMW M2 Competition
An M2 with the straight-six out of the M3/M4, meaning an extra turbo and an extra 40bhp. Suspension tweaks and a new exhaust complete the makeover that renders its bigger brothers superluous. The opposite of the Alpine, but what’s not to like about a 404bhp coupe that only
drives its rear axle?
Price | £51,930 Engine | 2979cc 24v twin-turbo straight-six, 404bhp @ 5250rpm, 406lb ft @ 2350rpm
Transmission | 7-speed twin-clutch auto, rear-wheel drive
Performance | 4.2sec 0 62mph, 155mph (175mph derestricted), 31.3mpg, 206g/km CO2
Suspension | MacPherson strut front, multi-link rear
Weight | 1575kg
Aston Martin Vantage
Aston’s ‘entry-level’ sports car, with a lightweight aluminium chassis, clever e-di, and its own tune of Mercedes-AMG’s stonking twin-turbo V8. It’s already gone toe-to-toe with the Porsche 911 Carrera GTS this year and come out with a score draw. Vantage might just be the best car Aston has ever made.
Price | £120,900
Engine | 3982cc 32v twin-turbo V8, 503bhp @ 6500rpm, 505lb ft @ 2000rpm
Transmission | 8-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
Performance | 3.6sec 0 62mph, 195mph, 26.8mpg, 245g/km CO2
Suspension | Double-wishbone front, multi-link rear
Weight | 1630kg
Ferrari 488 Pista
A harder, faster, lighter 488, with clever aero, genius (in)-stability control and a 710bhp twin-turbo V8. More rounded than the old (and incredible) 458 Speciale, and still explosive, despite Ferrari dialling performance back a few notches from where it could’ve been so us mere mortals can exploit it.
Price | £252,765 Engine | 3902cc 32v twin-turbo V8, 710bhp @ 8000rpm, 568lb ft @ 3000rpm Transmission |
7-speed twin-clutch auto, rear-wheel drive Performance | 2.9sec 062mph, 211mph, 24.6mpg, 263g/km CO2
Suspension | Double wishbone front, multi-link rear
Weight | 1385kg
Porsche 911 GT2 RS
Essentially a 911 GT3 RS with twin turbos and another 200bhp, the GT2 RS is the rarest of fast Porsches, and the most powerful 911 ever, with 690bhp. Optional Weissach Package cuts another 30kg, thanks to magnesium wheels, carbon anti-roll bars and titanium
rollcage.
Price | £228,548
Engine | 3800cc 24v twin-turbo lat-six, 690bhp @ 7000rpm, 553lb ft @ 2500rpm
Transmission | 7-speed twin-clutch auto, rear-wheel drive
Performance | 2.8sec 062mph, 211mph, 23.9mpg, 269g/km CO2
Suspension | MacPherson front, multi-link rear
Weight | 1430kg
McLaren Senna
The Senna isn’t pretty, or probably even aware of the word pretty, but it is about as hardcore as they come. 800kg of downforce, nigh-on
800bhp and, despite a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 tucked up tight behind the driver, it’s the second lightest car here. Think McLaren P1 without the
heavy hybrid system.
Price | £750,000
Engine | 3994cc 32v twin-turbo V8, 789bhp @ 7250rpm, 590lb ft @ 5500rpm
Transmission | 7-speed twin-clutch auto, rear-wheel drive
Performance | 2.8sec 062mph, 208mph, 22.8mpg, 280g/km CO2
Suspension | Double wishbones front and rear
Weight | 1309kg