ONLY THE BEST | The Very Best Of Our 2020
We are happy that this 2020 is coming to an end. If on a pure working level it has surprisingly given incredible satisfaction to us, with the release of 3 new books (Roads – Col de Turini, Drive Italy and Alpinist), without forgetting the little one designed for all driving-nerds – the Road Trip Journal – these have been months characterized by the nagging oppression of the health situation that has conditioned travel, human relationships and has upset our concept of freedom, forcing numerous changes to all of our plans, but also – outside work – causing death of many, too many people.
Despite this, we arrived at the end of December with an incredible baggage that allowed us to grow further on a human point of view, proud of the work done and even more focused for a new year for which we have equally great projects in mind. As usual, we met (albeit virtually) to establish which cars have impressed us the most during 2020 and therefore not all of them are fresh models, but – you know – we like to judge only what we really test in person.
Thanks to all the press offices that work hard with us, thanks to all our splendid team of editors, photographers and assistants, but above all thanks to our readers incredibly getting more and more as days go by. Happy holidays and may 2021 be fantastic.
Edited by the entire editorial staff
THE SUPERCAR | FERRARI F8 SPIDER
Photo by Jay Tomei
Our annual pilgrimage to Maranello has given us a stratospheric Ferrari, very yellow and with the possibility to turn the driving experience en plein air in a dozen seconds. Far fewer are needed to accelerate to supersonic speeds, making the new F8 Spider and its coupe counterpart F8 Tributo the most exciting supercar of our year. The F8 manages to combine the ballistic performances of the 488 Pista and make them more usable, even for a less aggressive customer, all with a shape that is not at all distorted, yet incredibly futuristic.
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THE SPORTS CAR | HYUNDAI i30 N PERFORMANCE
Photo by Daniél Rikkard
The i30 N Performance is one of the best cars we’ve ever driven. Fact. Nice to look at, with a self-locking differential that makes you forget that its 275 horsepower are only grounded on the front wheels, with a manual gearbox, an exhaust system as God commands and with endless grip, all seasoned with a driving involvement that is increasingly rare to find. The restyling has been recently presented, with a few more aesthetic and mechanical bits and the possibility of having it with a double clutch gearbox, but for the moment this is the ultimate hot-hatch you could ask for.
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THE ICON | LAND ROVER DEFENDER
Photo by Bruno Serra
Classics’ comeback are a thankless task, but Land Rover has succeeded in the incredible feat of making the new Defender suitable for the growing needs of the current market, keeping intact the true off-road character and smoothing out those corners that make the Best 4×4 far, finally great even on paved roads. The sense of freedom that an LR Defender offers is something unique, but with the new model there is no compromise and it can truly be the only car you will ever need.
Full article coming soon
THE CRAZIEST | AUDI RS Q8
Photo by S. Lomax
We remained undecided ‘til the very last minute about where to put Audi’s Super-SUV. But even more than the best SUV of the year, the RS Q8 is the craziest car that can end up in your garage. See it as a Lamborghini Urus that did not fight with its designers, with 600 horsepower ready to launch you into hyperspace in an ever-shocking way and with an almost total usability that will surprise even the most purists out there. Defining it as an SUV would be an understatement, since it is more correct to coin a new category, that of “supercars-killers”.
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THE SURPRISE | VW T-ROC R
Photo by Richard Montagner
If it wasn’t for the aggressive hum of the Akrapovic exhaust, the T-Roc R would pass you by without arousing the slightest suspicion. Absolutely do not think it is a Golf R with a few inches more off the ground. Despite the very close relationship that unites them, the T-Roc R has left us stunned by the very first kilometers spent behind the wheel. We are not simplistically reducing the argument to a matter of speed, acceleration or cornering, but rather to the ease with which it allows you to have everything at your fingertips, obviously without forgetting the practical side of a crossover that can be driven in Comfort mode and always represents the ideal choice for a grocery run.
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THE SUV | ASTON MARTIN DBX
Photo by Philipp Löhmann
Aston Martin is experiencing a fundamental period for its future, but in its specific case it is also having a wonderful present made up of aesthetically winning and dynamically extraordinary models. That of the DBX is a challenge launched in a segment in which every top brands are throwing themselves, but where making a false step is damn easy and equally fatal. Fortunately, the DBX soon turns out to be a trump card, starting with a daring aesthetic that however maintains the family feeling with the other Gaydon models, passing through performance worthy of an Aston Martin and off-road capabilities surprisingly similar to those of a Range Rover. The less obvious choice has never been so tasty.
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THE BEST DRIVING ROAD | GORGES DU VERDON
Photo by S. Lomax
Despite the difficulties and the numerous restrictions, we were lucky enough to drive on many breathtaking roads and the only way to dethrone the majesty of the more traditional mountain passes has been brought into the game during our road trip across the Gorges du Verdon, two asphalt strips that run around one of the deepest natural abysses on the planet, creating glimpses worthy of a science fiction film and able to tear a part of your soul just after a few kilometers in the womb of an otherworldly corner of the world.