From the $28 million-dollar Rolls-Royce Boat Tail to the revival of the iconic Lamborghini Countach, these are the 10 best cars of 2021.
2021 has been a spectacular year for cars. Just like the year before, this too has been a time of profound change, evolution, but with a double-dose of dynamism. Most of all, we’ve witnessed constant highs in the affairs of electrification, as every major carmaker already has their blinkers signaling a turn into electric-ville. As an annual ritual, we’re here to pick out 10 launches that captured our attention this year. These are the 10 best cars of 2021, let’s begin.
Best cars of 2021: Maybach, Rolls-Royce, BMW, Lamborghini
Virgil Abloh x Mercedes-Benz ‘Project Maybach’
The passing of Virgil Abloh was arguably the greatest loss for fashion’s current generation. To honor the icon, Mercedes-Benz showcased the ‘Project Maybach’, a collaborative concept with Abloh. This dystopian-yet-futuristic was inspired by the idea of “how one could explore nature within a uniquely luxury context with a Maybach” – Highly counter-culture of Mercedes yet so typical of Virgil Abloh. The car is an electric exhibit and will most likely be kept in a museum since it’s the last car Virgil worked on before he passed.
Hyundai Grandeur Heritage Series concept
I know most automobile purist might argue with my decision of including this Hyundai to the list, but tell me, when was the last time you saw a car brand restore an icon to its former glory in this fashion? Not a single contemporary alteration in-sight and exactly how it left the shop in 1986. As part of their Heritage Series, Hyundai revived their first-ever luxury car, the Grandeur. This Men In Black-lookin’ ride is based on the brand’s idea of ‘retro-futurism’. It’s electric, on the inside, yet 100% true to its original 80s form on the outside.
Audi Skyphere Concept
Somewhere around August of 2021, I repeatedly saw Audi make headlines with the new ultra-futuristic rides. The first of three was the Skysphere. Sure, the car’s designed for luxury grand touring, but also for, well, fun. What’s interesting is that the car’s wheelbase can be adjusted with just a touch of a button. You can stretch between lengths of 4.94-meters to 5.19-meters, depending on your choice of driving experience. The electric motor under the hood makes 623-horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. Swift, sensible and sexy. Undoubtedly one of the best cars of 2021.
Hennessey Venom F5
What you’re looking at ladies & gentlemen, is arguably the world’s fastest road-legal car. There’re three names relentlessly fighting or well, racing for the crown of having built the fastest car man has ever seen – Bugatti, Koenigsegg and Hennessey. Currently, Hennessey has taken the lead. This 1817-horsepower super-speedster can zoom at 311-mph thanks to its turbocharged 6.6-liter V-8 dubbed “Fury”. Everything about this is a car engineered for speed. Not glamour or prestige, just speed.
2022 Lamborghini Countach ‘LPI 800-4’
Every college dorm room in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, had a poster of a Lamborghini Countach. There were many reasons as to why it was the car of its generation – First, it spearheaded the 80s wedge aesthetic, it was the fastest car in the world (at its prime), and it was a Hollywood icon. Earlier this year, Lamborghini celebrated the icons 50th birthday by reviving it, with a few modern tweaks. We wrote about its debut in great detail, read it here.
Mercedes-Benz Maybach GLS 600
This is a regional launch, relax, we know it made its debut in 2019. The Mercedes-Benz Maybach GLS 600 finally made its way to India in 2021 and we even drove it around town for a bit. Only 50 of these reached the country and were all sold-out before the launch. Also, a bunch of Bollywood celebrities own this beauty. Costing Rs 2.4 crore, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS is plushed-out with the brand’s top-tier luxury trimmings, making no compromise. There’s an AMG V8 engine under the hood that produces 410-Kw of power. The SUV promises a 0-to-100 km/hour sprint in 4.9 seconds and can attain a top speed of 210 km/hour. Undoubtedly one of the best cars of 2021.
Rolls-Royce Boat Tail
This nearly six-meter-long grand tourer called the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail is an absolute treat for nautical enthusiasts and for those who prefer weekend picnicking by the lake in style. Also yes, it’s the new world’s most expensive car. After its debut, there were rumours that Jay-Z and Beyonce bespoke ordered this $28 million-dollar land-yacht. Incase you’re wondering why’s it so expensive? We have an explanation.
Ferrari 296 GTB
The Ferrari 296 GTB will be their next flagship in 2022 after all deliveries of the F8 Tributo are completed. This makes the 296 the third hybrid Ferrari after the SF90 Stradale and the LaFerrari hypercar. The 296 GTB comes powered by a bespoke 2996-cc twin-turbo V6 engine, good enough for producing 654-horsepower that is equivalent to 218-horsepower per litre, a record for a production car. The V6 engine is described as the “first six-cylinder engine installed on a road car sporting the prancing horse badge”.
BMW XM
As part of the BMW M division’s 50th birthday party, Marcus Syring, Head of design stated that the brand wanted to do something ‘unexpected’. Hence, the BMW XM concept, a performance SUV that’s capable of producing the power of 750 German horses using a plug-in hybrid SUV. All this, suaved up with cosmetic elements inspired by the 1970s M1. It’s also a chip on the ‘luxury performance SUV’ table where the Lamborghini Urus, Mercedes AMG GLC/63, and the upcoming Ferrari Purosangue already have their spots taken.
Rimac Nevera
After being in development for three years after its debut, the Rimac Nevera has finally reached production. This 1900-horsepower electric hypercar was actually formerly dubbed C_Two and is capable of catapulting from 0-60 mph in a mere 1.85 seconds. Rimac is shying away from disclosing its top speed but we’re expecting it to reach 25-mph. Only 150 of these will be built, each costing $2.4 million dollars.
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Hero and featured image: Courtesy Rolls-Royce
Mikhail Gomes
Features Editor, Lifestyle Asia India & Contributor - Augustman
A watch aficionado, Mikhail also enjoys learning about fine whiskies, and one day hopes to establish his own menswear label. At Lifestyle Asia India, he writes on watches, menswear, auto and tech.
