The Top New Luxury Cars in the World
From ludicrous supercars to luxurious SUVs, Alexandra Cheney picks her favorite new vehicles for the year ahead.
New Luxury Cars
At the dawn of a fresh decade, premium automakers are eagerly jostling to carve out their respective identities. Some invest in proprietary technology while others repurpose nostalgia. Once unthinkable, several share the same engine, as parent companies continue to amass once-independent coachbuilders. In this new era, differentiation arrives via bold design and bespoke possibilities. Within this crowded luxury market, manufacturers wrestle not only with brand recognition but allegiance. Providing plush, dynamic sanctuaries that transport drivers and their partners or families, each vehicle found in these pages articulates its automaker’s vision, from more nuanced offerings to long-awaited arrivals.
Lamborghini 2020 Aventador SVJ Roadster
new luxury cars
SVJ stands for SuperVeloce Jota, or super-fast special performance edition. Only 800 units will be made.
Flirting with the absurd seems a common theme running through Lamborghini. That is, until Italy’s Raging Bull recognizes the lunacy, then transforms it into a track-ready, road-eager supercar — like the Aventador SVJ Roadster.
A 6.5-liter, naturally aspirated V12 (likely one of the last) pumps 770 hp through the convertible’s all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering system. A loud, fast-moving contradiction, its gun-slit windows abut bulky A-pillars, and trapezoids and triangles swoop and squish, forming lines that pinch and pucker. Technically, all the bodywork’s shapes can be found in nature — usually not together. But that’s part of the romance, and a textbook Lamborghini design aesthetic. These features also make the car go fast.
The company derived inspiration from spaceships and jet fighters, but oddly opted for an analog roof. Two rigid panels must be hand-removed and stowed in the car’s nose for open-air accessibility. It’s a supercar capable of 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds with a roof-off top speed of 217 mph, but the driver must pull over and exit the vehicle should inclement weather occur. It’s a charming irreverence, a reminder that cars can be quick, but they should also be fun.
From $574,000, lamborghini.com
Ferrari 2020812 Superfast
new luxury cars
Reigning supreme as the most efficient ever developed by Ferrari, Brembo extreme design brakes, which previously equipped the LaFerrari, come standard on the 812 Superfast.
Whenever Ferrari updates or redesigns, the Prancing Horse consults its racing annals and previous models. The arrival of the 812 Superfast brings the premiere of a new 12-cylinder engine, the singular machine that launched Enzo Ferrari from man to brand 73 years ago. The 6.5-liter, naturally aspirated V12 produces 789 hp, which crowns the 812 Superfast as the most powerful, fastest road-bound Ferrari ever built (with the exception of the mid-rear-engined, special limited-series 12-cylinders). Continuing its legacy, Ferrari referred to the F12berlinetta and the F12tdf for inspiration, regardless of the industry-wide shift away from big internal combustion engines and toward hybridization and electrification. In an unusual but unsurprising evolution, the Italian supercar brand is capitalizing on the front-mid-mounted engine and pairing it with a rear-mounted transmission. This sophisticated transaxle architecture achieves the enviable 50:50 weight distribution.
Branded a new Berlinetta, the 812 Superfast possesses the aerodynamic footprint and stylings of a fastback. Those entrenched in Ferrari lore will merely glance at its backside and immediately envisage the 1969 365 GTB/4 Daytona. The four round tail lights and quad exhaust pipes, not to mention the diffuser, will have fans seeing double. For all of the racing intensity and tradition-bound design cues, the interior is a study in simplicity. The pared-down edit offers a bounty of negative space — so refreshing in the age of touchscreens and overwhelming infotainment systems. Analog knobs and a sleek trio of buttons alleviate complex cockpit navigation. This vehicle wants its driver’s eyes on the road.
