Enjoy the Thrills of Owning a Combustion-Engined Dream Car While You Still Can.
So here we are, halfway to 2030. The decade that will mark the beginning of an entirely new chapter for automotive enthusiasts around the world, with many governments committing to phasing out the majority of internal combustion engine (ICE) sales by then completely. It will be a decade where countries increasingly turn to hybrids and EVs, and the spine-tingling roar of a throaty V12 becomes no more than a bedtime story.
If waking up to the sound of a cold start in an Aston Martin Vantage is what gets you out of bed, these changes are going to feel quite different. Granted, much can still change between now and then, taking into account elections, historic policymaking and extreme U-turns in power. But this year, 2025, is a milestone. Finding a new, combustion-led model is getting harder—with some manufacturers already now declaring an end to ICE production this year.
An electric future is coming, and, sensibly, we’re all for it. But for now, there’s still time to celebrate the beauty of an empty road drenched in golden light, with nothing but the sound of a monstrous engine for company. It’s the year to take action and just drive it. Own it. Collect it. As F1’s recently not-retired Daniel Ricciardo says, the year to “lick the stamp and send it.”
So, we’ve pulled together five of this year’s must-have combustion-powered motors, from supercars with over 1,200bhp to monstrous V8 muscle power, for you to consider driving today then buying tomorrow.
One brand committed to creating extraordinarily loud and exhilarating driving experiences for as long as possible is Aston Martin. The British marque brings its new Vanquish into this half of the decade with a merciless 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12. It’ll channel 824bhp into the rear wheels, reaching 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds and a record-high top speed of 214mph. It’s the most powerful production Aston ever made. Along with its devastating power are fiendishly good looks—suave, sophisticated, a brute in a tux. The angular rear end and quad exhausts are reminiscent of classic Aston Martins gone by, bringing class and distinction to what is a thoroughbred race car built to dominate the road.
The Vanquish is a masterpiece in automotive design, the combination of a raw, snarling V12 with muscularity, opulence, assertive elegance. A seductive side profile curved in all the right places. A longer hood that harks to GT-style cruising. A leather-clad interior with gold, silver, cashmere and titanium. Knurled dials and a “Pure Black” touchscreen, 15 speakers pumping 1,170 watts through a Bowers & Wilkins audio system, with 3D sound from headliner-mounted tweeters. Everything here is a driver’s paradise. And utterly addictive.
Meanwhile, over at Ford. . .something very special is happening to Mustang. The new Mustang came out earlier this year, followed by the Mustang Dark Horse, and much to muscle car fans’ delight is still very much using a 5.0-liter thumping V8. But it’s the Mustang GTD we’re particularly interested in this year—Ford’s road-legal, track-ready supercar. A supercharged 5.2-liter V8 will lay down over 800 horsepower, with semi-active race suspension, drag reduction and carbon fiber bodywork everywhere. A huge, dynamic race car aero spoiler casts shadows on those famous three-bar taillights. Its aggressive stance and sharp, angular nose are enough to clear roads for miles, but then a near 50/50 weight distribution gives you all the poise and balance of a ballerina for dancing around twisties like nobody’s watching. Except everyone is. Mouth agape. Unsurprisingly, these will be hard to come by with waiting lists since 2023.
Another equally lauded model returning to roads with a new look is the BMW M5, and it’s once again dividing the purists. That’s because, this time, it’s a hybrid (I know, not combustion only—but, like I said, this is getting harder). And the fact that it’s as overtly M5 as you could possibly get. Under the hood lies an enormous 4.4-liter V8, backed up by an electric motor, delivering 717bhp and a 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds. That’s supercar territory, of course, only you have four seats and a big boot. It’s 5.1m long and weighs nearly 2.5 tons, but word on the street is that this thing shifts and hides its enormity with, well, enormous power and poised performance.
The BMW M5 seems to throw its weight around with the agility of a cheetah, responding quickly and cleanly to anything you throw its way. It’s got a widebody stance that imposes itself into the rearview mirror without manners, and huge air intakes that could swallow a small bird. Great big wheel arches dominate its front and side profile, and naturally, the rear looks chunky, thick and monstrous like any fierce M5 should. Inside, of course, is more of the same new BMW tech we’ve seen over the last 24 months—big infotainment touch screens, red M buttons on the steering wheel, wraparound interior lighting and huge, huggy bolstered sports seats. Not that you’ll be paying much attention, when you’re busy throwing your head back in moments of sheer acceleration.
Back in the UK, Bentley has also been busy creating a hybrid Continental GT Speed—its most powerful production car ever, too. Gone is the W12 and in comes a 4-liter V8 and e-motor capable of 771bhp in total. So you can creep into cozy villages on full electric or open up the taps at every hairpin in the mountains. But this is a GT that still very much wafts and glides over asphalt, with a menacing throttle pedal for spirited drives when the mood suits. A cabin full of affluence and luxurious, discerning finishes in perhaps walnut, koa, oak or eucalyptus veneer awaits. Black chrome and carbon fiber. Wraparound dashes that cocoon you inside, and deep, lounge-like front seats.
Lastly, McLaren’s W1 is the successor to its heavily praised F1 and P1 models, icons in their class. You won’t be surprised to learn this is the fastest accelerating McLaren ever made, as well, using a hybrid powertrain that combines the MHP-8 V8 engine and E-module with F1-derived battery tech. The result is a McLaren that delivers a combined 1,258bhp and can reach 200km/h from stationary in only 5.8 seconds. Eye-watering.
On the outside, there is aero everywhere. With massive, F1-inspired side air intakes and an extending active rear wing which can elongate the working area of the diffuser by 300mm. Put together, the entire ground effect aero package on the car generates 1,000kg of downforce when active in Race Mode, five times that in road configuration. A total transformation at the touch of a button. Inside, a beautifully crafted wraparound interior envelops the driver, with McLaren InnoKnit—an infinitely flexible, seamlessly integrated super-light material—covering the seats, or rather what is affectionately a lightweight bathtub molded to your backside.
McLaren’s W1 is a supercar so exclusive, only 399 will ever be made, all of which have apparently been assigned. Well, there’s always hope.