Best performance cars 2025 – the year’s finest driver’s picks
The last 12 months have been chock full of incredible driver’s cars from all corners of the market. We list them all
There’s a narrative that the performance car is on its last legs, with hybrid assist, downsizing and ever-tightening industry regulation squeezing the fun out of our favourite models. While this is true for the likes of the hot hatch, the last 12 months have proven that we’re far from short of entertaining driver’s cars in every other corner of the market.
From the low(er) end of the scale with models like the excellent Audi RS3, to the exciting new BMW M2 CS from Munich and even V12-powered exotica such as the Lamborghini Revuelto, Aston Martin Vanquish and Ferrari 12 Cilindri, there’s been no end to choose from. We’ve even got an SUV in the mix…
> Cars that ended production in 2025
Alpine A110 R Ultime
The A110 R Ultime costs more than a Porsche 911 GT3 RS. For a flyweight with a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine this will be, to some people, a price tag the diminutive French wonder simply can’t pull off. Surprisingly though, this is not the case.
The new suspension, aero and gearbox are only a few of the highlights, and it’s clear speaking to the accompanying engineers from Alpine that, body in white and interior architecture aside, there’s very little else carried over from the ‘regular’ A110 R to the Ultime. The attention to detail and the scrutiny applied to every individual component throughout the car demonstrate not only the expertise within Alpine, but also the passion and determination to push through a car of such wild extremes.
In the real world this is a car that goes far beyond the capabilities of even the A110 R we love, with the bespoke nature of the package permeating every element of the driving experience. It’s not just built for the track either, with its on-road performance like not much else on sale.
Aston Martin Vanquish
Aston Martin’s recent sales performance hasn’t matched the quality of its current line-up, which in 2025 saw the arrival of the new Vanquish, the V12 front-engined flagship to sit at the top of the pile ahead of the V8-engined Vantage and DB12. On first acquaintance John Barker was smitten, proclaiming it the best Aston for a generation and the clearest sign yet that the product turnaround was complete.
It’s quite a portfolio that Aston now has, and in the Vanquish it has a halo car for which no allowances need be made. It certainly looks the part, and its technical credentials leave you salivating. John Barker said: ‘The scale of performance in the Vanquish is so epic, so monumental, it’s almost irrelevant. Find a decent straight, nail it and hear the V12 roar as it accelerates with such solid determination that it feels like it’s going to keep piling on the speed at an unabated rate until you run out of nerve, or road, or hit 214mph.’ That it is one of the finest cars of 2025 is certainly beyond doubt.
Audi RS3 Sportback
Just as 2024’s evo Car of the Year test included the Mazda MX-5 and McLaren Artura, both evolutions of existing models, so Audi’s formidable RS3 hyperhatch arrived in Digne-les-Bains with a handful of updates under its box-arched bodywork. The changes were made at the tail end of 2024, so it feels like we’ve been in the RS3 all year and across multiple tests, which we have, and for good reason: it’s not only the best RS3 that Audi Sport has created but one of the best hyperhatches this side of a Civic Type R.
While the Mazda and McLaren underwent significant hardware changes, the RS3’s update was software-based, yet the results were just as impressive, including a 7min 33.123sec Nürburgring lap time, some seven-and-a-half seconds quicker than the pre-update car. Thanks to enhancements to the software that controls the RS3’s Modular Dynamic Controller, its powertrain and chassis – including the RS Torque Splitter – all work harder to quell understeer and provide the entry-level RS model with real agility and poise. And that headline-grabbing lap time that puts it ahead of the BMW M2.
BMW M2 CS
The M2 CS is the next generation of the 2020 eCoty victor, with not all of the changes potentially positive. It’s now only available with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and it’s also longer, wider and heavier than before. On the plus side, the previous straight-six engine has been swapped for the latest-generation S58 that also lives in the current M3 and M4 models, and it packs a mighty 523bhp, up from the previous CS’s 444bhp.
Raw power and performance alone rarely make an outstanding driver’s car, but it does have some of that trademark CS finesse and connection we’ve come to love. Yousuf Ashraf said: ‘...the M2 CS is exploitable and every bit as expressive as an M car should be. It takes time to trust it but once you're in tune it's a right laugh, the extra power and precision bringing out more of the M2’s character and letting you explore its balance more of the time, on a wider range of corners.’
Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
The Corvette E-Ray is far from new, but its official arrival in Europe is, and while the Z06 offers the greater firepower, it’s the more affordable E-Ray that’s expected to be the biggest seller. All things being relative of course, because it still costs north of £150,000.
It’s an intriguing car, and we’ve been impressed by this generation of Corvette since our earliest encounters. The E-Ray is American at heart with a naturally aspirated 475bhp 6.2-litre V8, but it comes with a thoroughly European-style hybrid powertrain good for an additional 160bhp, meaning near-911 Turbo S performance.
It also looks nothing like a Corvette and certainly isn’t going to trouble any list of best-designed cars. But it has proven itself to be a compelling and engaging car to drive in isolation, with a potent engine, brilliant mid-engined balance that’s as good as anything Europe has produced in recent years, and a cabin that’s on a par for quality, even if some of the switchgear does appear to have been shot from a cannon. Wind it up and you’ll feel similarly accelerated as the E-Ray reaches 62mph in 2.9 seconds, its old-school muscle-car DNA not lost in the transition to 21st-century hybrid supercar.
Ferrari 12 Cilindri
The 12 Cilindri’s mighty V12 is one of just a few naturally aspirated engines still on sale in its segment, with its lack of electric interference also putting it in a dwindling class. It’s purely 12 cylinders mixing air and high-octane fuel to generate its 819bhp. The 12 Cilindri has no fear of being outgunned. Its credentials go beyond its powerhouse of an engine, too.
All who have driven it had their eyes opened to a front-engined, V12 Ferrari that’s as delicate and finessed as the company’s mid-engined machines. If the 12 Cilindri has perhaps lost some of the alertness and sharpness of its 812 and F12 predecessors, it makes up for this when its drive modes are ramped up, at which point it feels like it’s had a triple espresso shot and is wired for action.
Lamborghini Revuelto
Supercars – or perhaps we should say hypercars in the Revuelto’s case – possibly have a tougher job than cars from other classes, bringing an expectation to deliver at the very highest level because of the riches that have been lavished on them during their development. And Lamborghini certainly hasn’t held back with its V12 flagship. It looks like a fighter jet from the outside, feels like one when you slip inside, and when that V12 fires up it sounds and goes like one too. But unlike big-hearted Lamborghinis of the past, it’s proven to be as scintillating dynamically as it is breathtaking when all or even just half of its 1001 horsepower is deployed.
Like all V12 Lamborghinis, the outlandish Revuelto is an intimidating car to be in the presence of, but unlike its predecessors, it makes its immense capabilities truly accessible, something supercars sometimes struggle with.
Land Rover Defender Octa
The Octa has intrigued us from the moment we were able to talk to those responsible for its existence, and subsequently enthralled us when we drove it. Here was a Defender that felt like the result of Porsche’s GT department being asked to create an off-road GT3. Or Land Rover’s Special Vehicle Operations being asked to create an on-road Defender with GT3 DNA. From its 6D suspension to its bespoke engine oil coolers, brakes and tyres, the Octa is a Defender in name and looks only.
It’s also an absolute blast to drive and not simply because it’s a bit of a hooligan; there’s genuine authority to the way it devours twisting tarmac that puts some supersaloons to shame. The Octa is a better car than the current M5 by many measures, and somewhat embarrassingly for the BMW, there is only a couple of hundred kilos between them when put on the scales – and only one of them could take on a WRC gravel stage and a tarmac stage and entertain and thrill in equal measure.
Maserati GT2 Stradale
The GT2 Stradale is Maserati taking a play from the Porsche book of model evolution. Blending motorsport technology inspired by the company’s involvement in GT racing and the development of the track-only MCXtrema, the GT2 Stradale largely follows the 911 GT3’s recipe but with its six-cylinder engine positioned a little further forward.
The GT2 Stradale has a chassis that offers steering on a par with the crispness and clean responses of a McLaren’s, with an equally supple ride quality too. But not at the expense of grip and feedback. It’s also a car that looks every inch the road-racer inside and out, and feels as special to be in as it does to look at.
Mercedes-AMG GT63 Pro
A decade ago, the original AMG GT arrived with high hopes and left with more questions around what it was trying to be rather than plaudits for what it was. This second-generation car, however, is such a step up from the original in almost every area that our greatest quandary was which version to include in this list.
The four-cylinder GT43 didn’t make that shortlist, but all the 4-litre V8 models did. The 63 would be our preference over the 55, but both fade when the 63 Pro and S E Performance are also in the offing. The latter was a strong contender, its hybrid powertrain contributing to an 800+bhp punch and its 4Matic all-wheel-drive chassis managing the performance brilliantly, but for this test and in this company we went for the more tightly honed Pro. It’s no GT3 or GT2 Stradale, but more attention has been paid to the engine’s cooling, while detailed upgrades to the aero reduce lift, and the brakes are beefed-up to suit the Pro’s trackday remit.
Morgan Supersport
The new Supersport is Morgan’s first step into a more modern world, with substantial chassis upgrades that required a new crash test. Lighter, stiffer and with redesigned suspension and steering, the Supersport promises to be a sizeable step on from the Plus Four and Plus Six with the same core underpinnings.
Earlier encounters showed it to be civilised enough for long drives across everyday roads, but then hugely entertaining on interesting ones. The BMW-sourced engine and eight-speed auto gearbox suit the Morgan’s character to a tee, providing enough performance without being raucous and uncouth, but equally being fully able to deliver when you want to be more expressive.
This is a more mature car in terms of steering than previous Morgan offerings, with calm dynamics that can be tweaked via the 24-way adjustable dampers. Its traditional lines might suggest a more placid driving experience but it delivers some real dynamic delights regardless of the company it’s in. In a world where bespoke sports cars are on the endangered species list, the Supersport isn’t simply on this list for nostalgic reasons; it’s here because it’s genuinely one of the best cars we’ve driven this year.
Porsche 911 GT3
The latest 911 GT3 shares an awful lot with last year’s evo Car of the Year winner, the 911 S/T, and every encounter we’ve had with it has only resulted in high praise and a nagging feeling that motoring perfection is probably 911 GT3-shaped.
The latest generation is certainly not lacking in the specification department, starting with that remarkable 4-litre flat-six that revs to 9000rpm and a six-speed manual gearbox that makes for a unique combination in this list. It also has that Porsche GT department magic running through it, leaving everyone who has driven it in awe of steering that has a clarity no EPAS system has any right to have, and a chassis setup that blends motorsport precision and reactions with an on-road compliance that simply shouldn’t be possible but which Porsche has achieved once again.
