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Best cars

Best supercars 2024

Want to go fast and make a statement whilst doing so? These are the best supercars of 2024

The supercar is a staple of the bedroom wall poster; what many of us dream to drive, and one day aspire to own. Yet, while we all know what a supercar is, there’s not really a go-to template for one in 2024 – it can be front, mid- or rear-engined, two or all-wheel drive, seat two or four people, and come with a V8, V10, V12, or even more recently hybrid or full electric powertrains. But what all supercars must do is appeal to those of us for whom the driving experience is key, with a little theatricality thrown in for good measure.

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To do this, all supercars must operate on an altogether higher plane, and in 2023 do so by representing one of two interpretations of this notion. Some operate at the leading edge of technology, while others take a more traditional path, honing familiar technology to its highest level – think Ferrari SF90 (hybridised, turbocharged, ‘the future’ as some might say) and McLaren 750S (no electrification, unashamedly turbocharged and a bit old-fashioned in some ways). Then there's Lamborghini's latest flagship, the hybrid-powered Revuelto, which combines new-age tech with old-school V12 charm.

> ​Best new performance cars 2023

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The good news is that despite less than favourable conditions putting pressure on these types of cars, there are more and more offerings joining the party, from new generation hybrids like Ferrari’s 296 GTB and the McLaren Artura to the mighty Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The supercar landscape’s under constant change, but right now things are looking good; these are our picks.

evo's ten best supercars 2024

Ferrari 296 GTB

Ferrari’s electrified generation is accelerating quickly, and after the flawed but fast SF90 comes this second hybrid supercar, the 296 GTB. This Ferrari is the first to feature a V6 engine (officially), and while it may sound like a fuel-saving exercise in conjunction with its new hybrid system, the V6 is actually the most powerful factory six-cylinder in the world, creating a combined total of 819bhp – a huge jump over previous mid-engined Ferraris at this price point.

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The best bit is not the performance, or the numbers, but how brilliant the 296 GTB is to drive. Despite power coming from different sources, it’s superbly calibrated and impressively natural, with a playful edge that uses the on-board stability, traction and slip control systems to make the car feel even more agile than you’d imagine.

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> Ferrari 296 GTB 2022 review – fewer cylinders, greater thrills

Ferrari’s Centro Stile also did a fabulous job with the 296’s design, giving it a modern look informed by plenty of retro touches. Look closely and you might notice the 250 LM-inspired haunches, the upright rear screen and delicate lighting, but it’s still modern, sharp and very desirable.

Is there a catch? Well, Ferrari’s advancements in hybrid technology have moved a tad faster than its user interfaces. While the car is practically perfect to drive, the interior is a frustrating melange of latent screens and messy menus. But who cares when the 296 GTB looks, drives and even sounds as good as it does. It might have started with a wobble, but Ferrari has proven the age of the hybrid supercar is nothing to be concerned about.

Lamborghini Huracán 

Lamborghini’s more traditional way of doing things at its Sant’Agata factory might lead you to believe that its range is unfashionably biased towards the old, but there’s nothing at all dated about the appeal of both its supercar offerings. The junior Huracán is a prime example of a model growing old gracefully, as since its 2014 introduction the V10-powered supercar has continually improved to the point where all the rear-wheel-drive variants, including the base Evo RWD, Tecnica and STO are simply brilliant. 

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The original Huracán LP610-4 was capable in many ways, but its flaws often left a more lasting impression. Behind the superlative engine and gearbox, its driving experience was let down by steering that was inconsistent and difficult to read, and a chassis balance that resolutely left the driver locked out of the driving experience. Yet with each iteration the Huracán resolved each of its undesirable aspects, leading eventually to the superb rear-drive variants.

> Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica 2022 review – analogue rival to the Ferrari 296 GTB

Each offers a slightly different experience, too. The base RWD is adjustable, approachable and comes with all the theatre you might hope for and expect from any Lamborghini. The Tecnica then takes this up a notch, with more power and more agility derived from its Performante-spec powertrain and rear-wheel steering.

With the Huracán nearing the end of its life, Lamborghini has even produced what was once unthinkable; a dune-bashing mid-engined supercar in the form of the Huracán Sterrato. Limited to 1499 units globally, it's the wildest expression of Lamborghini's V10 machine, and if you find a suitable gravel road, the most fun of all. 

On tarmac, though, the greatest experience is derived from the STO version. Its £260,000 price tag puts it into another league in terms of cost, yet with its combination of all the hardware upgrades, its lightweight mantra and bespoke carbonfibre bodywork, well, there’s nothing quite like it.

Maserati MC20

It’s been a while since Maserati’s had a car to put into a list like this, yet amongst the chaos from within its almost consistent rebirths has arrived the MC20 – a superb supercar that appeals not on its glamour or claim of the latest tech, but for a simple and pure driving experience. In fact, it's so good, we crowned it the evo Car of the Year 2022.

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Underpinning the MC20 is a carbon tub chassis that’s built down the road from Maserati’s factory in Modena by Dallara. From this basis sits a twin-turbocharged V6 of Maserati’s own design, incorporating the first road-car application of a Formula 1-derived pre-combustion chamber technology. This, plus two turbochargers, gives the MC20 all the power it needs, with no less than 621bhp.

> Maserati MC20 2022 review – a serious new talent in supercar circles

But the beauty of the MC20 isn’t just its engine, but the way Maserati has set the car up. It’s aggressive, sharp and agile, but has a definite whiff of Alpine A110 to the way its suspension set-up allows it to glide over rough road surfaces with far more delicacy and composure than you might expect. The driver modes give you plenty of scope to be more aggressive when you’re on a track or dead-smooth road, but as a driving experience it’s both immensely satisfying and distinctive from most rivals.

This unexpected nuance to the MC20 is also prevalent in its design – there’s no huge wings, intakes or complex active aero elements – just a clean, tight and purposeful look that incorporates clear Maserati design motifs with a delicate, yet still distinctive style. It’s also a Maserati supercar, which instantly makes it more of a Patek than a Rolex – the connoisseur’s supercar.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS

Ignore for a moment that Porsche emphatically calls its 911 a sports car and not a supercar, because there is no doubt that the current GT3 RS is one of the most desirable cars on sale right now. This isn’t because Porsche has turned it into a poser’s car, but because it's the most extreme iteration of a road-going 911 yet.

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The new 2023 GT3 RS is a firm-riding, loud, intense experience, with steering that’s so quick and precise that a sneeze on the motorway will have you crossing three lanes. It’s also loud inside – not from its exhaust noise, although with the right buttons and revs it, too, is intense, but the road noise its massive rear tyres create on anything other than concrete-smooth surfaces.

> Porsche 911 GT3 RS review – is this peak 911 road car?

To drive, though, there are few road cars that feel more capable of turning up to the Spa 24 Hours with the capability to not just survive, but battle for a class win. The numbers might look a little meek in this company with ‘just’ 518bhp in the RS, but we’d challenge you to want more when fully lit.

The GT3 RS really is a unique entity on this list, one that isn’t easily replicable or derivative. Its experience is something that transcends its thrust upwards into automotive fame. Even if the RS wasn’t ‘cool’ or collectable, we’d still be totally beguiled by it. 

McLaren 750S

In amongst the transition to electrification and hybrid supercars, the 750S is a refreshing hit of unadulterated turbocharged fury. The ingredients are familiar to those of the 720S that came before (and won eCoty in 2017), but there isn't a better starting point to build an exciting, usable supercar. 

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The 4-litre twin-turbo V8 now generates 740bhp, and the gearbox now has shorter ratios for an even more intense delivery. It's still a featherweight in a modern context too, weighing 1389kg, and McLaren has fine tuned the suspension and steering to offer shades of the ultra-hardcore 765LT.

> McLaren 750S review – V8 supercar primed to take on Ferrari's 296 GTB

The results are astonishing. The performance is even more eye-opening than before, with an insatiable appetite for revs at the top end. The rear tyres spin up over bumps and yet there's a calmness to the steering and the ride that defines all McLarens. It's an amazing blend of precision and savagery.

On a track it's a riot, as we found out on the international launch in Estoril. The speed is staggering, of course, but the 750S feels immersive and confidence inspiring too. It's so good that immediately following the launch, we threw it into the lions at our 2023 evo Car of the Year test, where it faced the likes of Porsche's 911 GT3 RS, the Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato and Alpine's A110 R. Find out how it stacked up by picking up a copy of evo issue 317 via our online shop

Chevrolet Corvette Z06

By switching to a mid-mounted V8 for the latest C8 Corvette, Chevrolet has created the perfect basis to tackle the supercar establishment head on. The track-focused Z06 version is by no means the first hardcore Corvette, but it is the first available in right-hand drive; better still, it's the most visceral, engaging model yet. 

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Chevrolet's engineering team makes no secret of its inspiration for the harder, sharper Z06. The newcomer's 5.5-litre flat-plane crank V8 marks a significant change in character over the standard car and recalls the response, noise and drama of the Ferrari 458's naturally-aspirated motor, rather than the rumbling big-chested nature of traditional American performance cars.

> Chevrolet Corvette Z06 2023 review

With an 8600rpm redline and 661bhp sent to the rear wheels alone, the Z06 adopts wider tracks, stiffer springs and comprehensive aero modifications to contain its raised power output and provide extra bite, and as John Barker found out from behind the wheel, the results are profound. 

‘It’s thrilling and absorbing, a challenge to keep the engine in the manic zone and exploit the enormous grip from the Michelins, the Z06 scything through long sweeps and hanging on through the tighter stuff like a conker on a string’. The Z06 is a very different kind of Corvette than anything we've seen before, but one we can certainly get behind.

Lamborghini Revuelto

There are few better ways to make a statement than a V12 Lamborghini. The Revuelto is the latest, and while it looks even more dramatic than the Aventador that came before, Lamborghini has refined the recipe to the core to conjure a thrilling, hugely competent supercar that feels like a significant step on from its predecessor. A final judgement will need to wait until we drive it on UK roads, but if our first taste at Vallelunga circuit is anything to go by, the Revuelto is a huge technical achievement. 

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The spec sheet is tantalising. Mounted transversely in the middle of the carbonfibre chassis is a new naturally-aspirated 6.5-litre V12, which in combination with three electric motors generates 1001bhp. The engine is mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox which is a world away from the Aventador's slurring, jerky single-clutch ISR unit in terms of smoothness and shift speed. 

> Lamborghini Revuelto 2023 review – a worthy successor to the Aventador?

Despite weighing 1772kg (dry), the Revuelto has sparkling response and enormous ability on a track. Where the Ferrari SF90 feels hyper alert and vibrant, the Lambo is more measured and natural to drive, with electric motors at the front axle providing torque vectoring to hook cleanly into and out of corners. 

It's also fantastically quick. The hybrid element to the powertrain provides an enormous kick before the V12 takes over and rushes to the redline at 9500rpm. Like other standout Lamborghinis of recent times – namely more focused versions of the Huracán – the Revuelto manages to combine traditional Lamborghini traits with supreme dynamic class, and we can't wait to try one on the road.

Ferrari 812

When the Ferrari F12 arrived, it moved the hyper-fast luxury GT market on in a manner few could comprehend. So when time came to replace it, Ferrari had a massive job on its hands, introducing us to the 812, initially in its Superfast coupe form, and later the targa-top GTS and limited-run Competizione.

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Like its predecessors, the 812's naturally aspirated V12 is unhinged and without restraint, with an intense character that belies its GT-like proportions. The engine note is exquisite, and provides a sense of theatre that every supercar should possess. Straight-line performance is nothing short of otherworldly, and throttle response from the V12 is beautifully quick. But despite this, the 812 is nowhere near as scary as its ‘Superfast’ moniker would suggest.

A large part of this is down to the immense traction that the 812 generates. With a new four-wheel-steering system aiding handling, the traction is initially hard to understand as the amount it is able to muster leaves you with a sense of disbelief.

> Ferrari 812 Competizione review – a front-engined V12 crescendo

The steering is quick, and after a few minutes guiding this big car from bend to bend becomes almost intuitive. However, due to this it can also come to feel disconnected – quite unnerving, and takes some getting used to. 

Despite the marginally negative aspects, we really are splitting hairs. The car is miraculous. We had no idea how the 812 Superfast could be moved on to another level to that of the F12, or if in fact there was another level at all, but Ferrari has managed it and created an all-time great supercar.

McLaren Artura

The first of McLaren’s series-production plug-in hybrids has now arrived, with the Artura having the weight of not just a new technology on its sharply sculpted shoulders, but the continued success of its maker. Fundamentally, the new Artura retains the ideological centre points of McLaren Automotive, running a carbon tub chassis with four corners of double wishbone suspension, a mid-engined twin-turbo engine and dual-clutch transmission. But the Artura’s brought a few new toys to the playground that should give it the distinction McLaren’s range so badly needs.

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First of which is its hybrid powertrain module, giving the Artura an all-electric mode as well as a useful performance boost. It’s paired with a new engine, a Ricardo-built 3-litre V6, that produces a total power figure of 671bhp and 531lb ft of torque. It’ll hit 62mph in 3.0sec and carry on to 205mph. Big numbers for a supercar that carries on from junior Sports Series models.

> McLaren Artura 2022 review – Ferrari F8 rival driven

What’s the result of all this change in the real world? It feels new. The trademark tactility that defines a modern McLaren, such as the hydraulic steering and superb driving position, have been retained, but there’s a new level of sophistication and complexity that buffs off the edges.

No, it doesn’t quite have the inherent sharpness of the 600LT, or the simply outrageous performance of Ferrari’s 296 GTB, but as a jumping-off point for McLaren’s new generation it already reveals there’s been some real progress forward.

Audi R8

In many ways the polar opposite to the McLaren above, the Audi R8 V10 is nearing the end of its successful tenure as Audi’s flagship supercar with its traditional powertrain and ethos well intact. Despite Audi’s associations with electrification, its R8 supercar is refreshingly old-school, sharing its chassis and powertrain with the Lamborghini Huracán, but packaging it up in a more demure and approachable offering.

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Without the stunning levels of control the Lamborghini has over the limit, the Audi’s more passive balance and softer chassis set-up makes it a fickle car to drive over the limit, making the extra control and compliance associated with the all-wheel-drive car the better choice in standard form. The swansong GT RWD is the exception, combining the most potent powertrain with a boost in aggression to make it the most engaging iteration yet.

> Audi R8 V10 GT RWD 2022 review

The R8's design, clearly of German origin and with little of the Italian’s flamboyance, has its own appeal – a sort of supercar Q car and one more than happy to spend most of its time on the daily commute, rather than pulling at the leash like an impatient labrador.

Yet when the space and circumstances allow, the R8 finally reveals its true character, with just as much crispness and aggression as the best cars on this list. The 611bhp V10 might lack the suppleness and baritone edge of the original 2007 V8, not to mention its open-gate gearbox, but the R8 continues to do precisely what it was designed to – combine the best bits of sensible Audi and flamboyant Lamborghini into one package.

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