Elite Traveler Fall 2024

INSPIRE TOPCARS

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TopCars On the slow march toward the sunset of internal combustion engines, automakers this year revealed varying paths toward the seemingly inevitable electric future. Supercars, EVs and surprising o ff -roaders grew more powerful, more comfortable and more packed with tech than ever — all while striving for the elusive qualities that make for enthralling design and engaging performance. That engagement seems increasingly ephemeral, but also consistently crucial for discerning buyers who prioritize the latest and greatest developments in the automotive industry. Skyrocketing classic car values and the resurgence of ‘restomods’ over the last

few years con fi rm the trend, even as new makes and models — or entirely new car companies — set new standards and constantly rede fi ne what it means to be avant-garde. Hybrid supercars represent perhaps the greatest bridge between the ways of old and the silent future, combining massively powerful gasoline engines with the undeniable force of electric motors. Plug-in hybrids can run fully on electrons, to satisfy stringent emissions standards and help keep neighbors happy; but once the full powertrain roars to life, suddenly the acceleration stats reserved for race cars become all too commonplace on public roads.

Electric vehicles also continue to improve, as manufacturers discover new ways to enhance the unique driving pleasures made possible by skateboard battery layouts, inventive interior packaging and innovative power delivery algorithms. Yet nothing reveals the true heart of automotive enthusiasm quite as much as the recent spate of retro-themed analog throwbacks that aim to celebrate the end of the internal combustion era. Even as the swan song nears its end, these overlapping years nonetheless mark the best of times for anyone who loves speed, comfort and cutting-edge tech.

By Michael Teo Van Runkle

This image Lamborghini’s long-tenured Aventador received a replacement this year, in the form of the new Revuelto plug-in hybrid