Top Gear's best performance car of 2025: here's the shortlist

Engine: 5.2-litre TT V12, 823bhp, 737lb ft
Gearbox: 8spd auto, RWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 3.3secs, 214mph
Weight: 1,835kg
Price: £335,545

Why it's here

Loony Vantage and spaceship Valkyrie starred in 2024 – will the mega GT live up to Aston’s rich recent form?

Most interesting feature

That barmy engine. The mightiest V12 ever put into the nose of a road car – but can it put the power down?

Most likely to

Boost Michelin’s share price to record highs by the end of lap one.

Photography: Mark Riccioni

Engine: 3.0-litre TT 6cyl, 523bhp, 479lb ft
Gearbox: 8spd auto, RWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 3.8secs, 188mph
Weight: 1,700kg
Price: £86,800

Why it's here

CS M cars veer between the spectacular and the cynical. Can a 2 Series really be worth almost 90 grand?

Most interesting feature

Is that a brutalist ducktail on the bootlid or is it just pleased to see us?

Most likely to

Cause a fist fight over what’s the optimal M1 and M2 mode setup.

Engine: 6.5-litre V12, 819bhp, 500lb ft
Gearbox: 8spd DCT, RWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 2.9secs, 211mph
Weight: 1,565kg (dry)
Price: £336,500

Why it's here

The latest V12 Ferrari is a bit more GT and a bit less psycho. Was that the right call?

Most interesting feature

Pop up rear spoilers add 50kg of downforce. They fold down again at 186mph to increase vmax – challenge accepted.

Most likely to

Get punched in the steering wheel for its idiotic touch sensitive buttons.

Engine: 6.5-litre V12 + three e-motors, 1,001bhp, n/a lb ft
Gearbox: 8spd DCT, AWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 2.5secs, 217mph
Weight: 1,892kg
Price: £450,000

Why it's here

It’s a big bad V12 Lambo. Wearing a fancy paintjob. ’Nuff said.

Most interesting feature

Ability to shoot twin flames out of its backside. Stand back, everyone.

Most likely to

Upset the noise limit police. Then outrun them.

Engine: 4.4-litre TT V8, 626bhp, 590lb ft
Gearbox: 8spd auto, AWD 
Performance: 0–62mph in 3.8secs, 155mph 
Weight: 2,585kg
Price: £145,300

Why it's here

Can Land Rover’s ultimate off roader cut it as a speed merchant? LR reckons so...

Most interesting feature

Octa mode includes launch control coded for fast getaways on a loose surface. Prepare to be pebbledashed.

Most likely to

Get stolen and stripped for parts.

Engine: 3.0-litre TT V6, 631bhp, 530lb ft
Gearbox: 8spd DCT, RWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 2.8secs, 201mph
Weight: 1,365kg (dry)
Price: £273,510

Why it's here

Only plus 10 extra horsepower, minus 60 kilos. Does Maserati’s ‘hardcore’ MC20 add up?

Most interesting feature

Weird kink in rear wing pinched from pre-2022 F1 cars. Will it be a secret downforce monster?

Most likely to

Depreciate £20k per lap.

Engine: 5.0-litre V8, 355bhp, n/a lb ft
Gearbox: 6spd sequential, AWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 2.9secs, 110mph (est)
Weight: 2,010kg
Price: £1m (est)

Why it's here

Because Ollie Marriage will not travel without a rally car in his hand luggage.

Most interesting feature

Some 350mm of Dakar proof suspension travel. That’s more than Ollie’s mountain bike.

Most likely to

Spend more time airborne than touching dry land.

Engine: Front and rear e-motors, 641bhp, 586lb ft
Gearbox: 1spd, AWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 3.2secs, 160mph
Weight: 2,200kg (est)
Price: £70,000 (est)

Why it's here

What’s the Ioniq 5 N’s synthesised yobbery like when it’s transplanted into a super saloon shape?

Most interesting feature

Drift mode now offers 10 levels of sideways customisation to coach you into holding bigger skids.

Most likely to

Be extremely popular until the range warning light comes on.

Engine: 2.1-litre turbo & supercharged 4cyl, 505bhp, 406lb ft
Gearbox: 6spd manual, RWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 3.1secs, 190mph
Weight: 1,100kg
Price: £750,000

Why it's here

Too many restomods are more about the show than the go. This one isn’t...

Most interesting feature

Where to start? The artful exhaust? The military grade ignition switch?

Most likely to

Be persistently surrounded by a puddle of drool.

Engine: 4.0-litre flat six, 503bhp, 332lb ft
Gearbox: 6spd manual, RWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 3.9secs, 194mph
Weight: 1,461kg (with rear seats)
Price: £158,200

Why it's here

Because of those lovely brown envelopes Porsche posts to car critics (not really, don’t write in).

Most interesting feature

Weird waggly lever between the seats. Might catch on!

Most likely to

Win? The 911 S/T was runner up in 2024 and Porsches rarely flunk these showdowns.

Engine: 4.0-litre flat six, 513bhp, 343lb ft
Gearbox: 7spd DCT, RWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 3.2secs, 177mph
Weight: 1,425kg (est)
Price: £292,599

Why it's here

Because a racing team has tried to make the wild GT3 RS even more extreme. Is it Nürburgring, or Nürburgwrong?

Most interesting feature

Monster aero package ups downforce from 860 to 1,000kg without increasing drag. Turn one is flat, yeah? 

Most likely to

Have lunch served on its rear wing.

Engine: 3.8-litre TT V6, 700bhp, 535lb ft
Gearbox: 6spd semi-automatic, RWD
Performance: 0–62mph in 2.3secs, 197mph
Weight: 982kg (dry)
Price: £1.32million

Why it's here

Czechia’s upstart road racer is breaking lap records, but can anyone besides The Stig survive the g-force?

Most interesting feature

It weighs 900kg more at 155mph than when it’s standing still.

Most likely to

Be mispronounced by Tom Ford. And give everyone neck ache.