British Cars

BMW has the Lamborghini Urus and Aston Martin DBX in its sights with its new XM plug-in hybrid, which takes the Bavarian brand into hitherto uncharted territory.

The newcomer is now available to order in the UAE, with an entry price of Dh750,000 (before options and personalisation). This spend gets you a potent super-SUV that’s clothed in offbeat angular bodywork that could be viewed as futuristic or visually challenging. It all depends on your perspective.

The XM’s building blocks are essentially the same as the X5M and X6M that currently spearhead BMW’s SUV line-up. It, too, is propelled by a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine and is underpinned by the brand’s modular CLAR platform that also forms the backbone of the former two models.

However, the XM ups the ante as its V8 engine is supplemented by an electric motor and 25.7 kilowatt-hour battery pack. The petrol-electric drivetrain pushes out total outputs of 653hp and 800Nm, enabling the 2.7-tonne XM to sprint from 0-100kph in 4.3 seconds and effortlessly reach its 250kph top speed. In addition, BMW says the XM can cover up to 88km in full-electric mode, enabling it to enter zero-emission zones (this will become more relevant in years to come).

The XM is also noteworthy as it’s BMW’s first dedicated M model since the hallowed 1978 mid-engined M1 supercar. This link is brought home by the twin BMW roundels that are laser-engraved in the XM’s rear window, mimicking the pair of logos that adorned the M1’s rump.

When Lamborghini introduced the world to the Urus back in 2017, the company dubbed it the world’s first “super-SUV.” Although the term seemed frivolous at the time, it was understandable that a brand known for exotic sports car performance would want to shield itself against the inevitable accusations that it had gone soft. 

In the years since, the concept of engineering supercar capability into a high-riding, family-friendly vehicle platform has caught on with enough luxury automakers to make super-SUVs a legitimate segment of the industry. And with that, of course, comes increased competition for the hearts and wallets of well-heeled buyers. 

Much like the Aston Martin DBX707 that we recently tested, the Urus Performante builds on the already-formidable capability of the automaker’s standard sport-utility offering. But whereas Aston Martin was willing to trade some of the DBX707’s performance prowess for a more palatable driving experience in everyday use, the Italians have opted to go hardcore here.

Some of the rationale comes from the Performante designation, a moniker which has become synonymous with Lamborghini’s track-focused models like the Huracán Performante, the no-nonsense, V10-powered missile that managed to snag the Nürburgring production car lap record from Porsche’s 918 Spyder hypercar back in 2017. The Urus Performante has a record of its own to crow about as well: Last year it broke the production-SUV lap record at…

Imagine you’re at the traffic lights in a sports car, and an unassuming, old soccer mommy wagon pulls up next to you. The staring contest begins, the lights go green, and the next thing you know, the boxy wagon has gapped you and left you in its dust. Now, that is the finest way to get introduced to a sleeper, and there’s nothing out there cooler than a sleeper car with serious performance. There are many sleepers in different body styles out there if you are looking for one.

However, there are also sleeper engines that somehow found their way into non-performance-oriented cars, breadboxes, and luxury barges. How these engines ended up in unusual places still remains an automotive mystery. Nevertheless, here are the top 10 sleeper car engines ever made and the sleeper cars that featured these engines (so next time you know what you’re up against):

10 Toyota 2JZ Straight-6

The 2JZ needs no introduction whatsoever. If we had to name an engine that is so iconic, bulletproof, and tuneable, it has to be this Toyota twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six motor. Famed for its robust underpinnings and a strong block that can take horsepower numbers into four figures, the 2JZ is undoubtedly the most tuner-friendly engine in the world. However, it found its way into unusual cars such as the Toyota Crown, Progres, Origin, Brevis, and other performance models such as Altezza, Chaser, etc.

9 Chevrolet LS V8

If the…

Most car enthusiasts dream about owning supercars one day, whether it be it a Ferrari LaFerrari, a Lamborghini Huracan, or possibly a McLaren 600LT. With a bit of luck and hard work, that dream can become a reality.

However, with supercar ownership, maintaining these vehicles can become more of a headache than you might expect. In a new video by YouTube channel Vehicle Virgins, Parker takes his McLaren 600LT into service for some minor maintenance – brake pads, air filter, fresh oil and just a regular checkup. This results in a $5,000 bill that catches Parker off guard.

Read on the find out why Parker’s McLaren is so expensive to maintain.

This McLaren 600LT Is Reliable, But Not Cheap

While the Vehicle Virgins YouTube channel began as an informative source of what to look out for when buying a first car, it has quickly evolved into a supercar future owner video manual. Parker posts a lot of videos about him and his friends hooning about in the latest BMW M4 GTS or Porsche 911 Turbo S, but many of his videos lift the curtain on what’s really behind the glamorous supercar ownership.

As Parker makes his way to the AGX (Avant-Garde-Xotics) to have his McLaren 600LT serviced and prepared for a track day, he notices how reliable the 600LT has been so far. After 20,000 miles, he had no major issues with the vehicle at all. While his McLaren seems to be pretty reliable, he soon finds out that it is not so cheap to run.

RELATED: Watch This McLaren 600LT Get…

Celebrities often have a penchant for expensive, luxury cars that make a statement and reflect their style. Owning flashy possessions can be a way for them to reinforce their status and image and show off their wealth and success. Still, some celebrities simply have a passion for expensive, luxury cars and enjoy collecting them as a hobby. For them, it may be less about showing off and more about appreciating the craftsmanship and design of these high-end vehicles.RELATED: 23 Celebrity Car Collections You Need To See To Believe

Previously, we’ve covered many top celebrity car collections, some worth up to eight figures. Celebrity car collectors span from comedians like Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld to fashion moguls like Ralph Lauren and famous sports individuals like Cristiano Ronaldo. While each collection is impressive in its rights, some boast highly exclusive toys that compete for the most expensive celebrity car bragging rights.

10 Aston Martin One-77 – $1.8M: Samuel Eto’o

Aston Martin only introduced its first supercar, the One-77, in 2008. It featured a sleek, aerodynamic design with a long hood, sharp lines, and a low-slung profile on a lightweight carbon fiber monocoque chassis.

Under the hood lies a beastly 7.3-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine pushing 750 ponies. It was a limited production-run car with just 77 units that weren’t cheap, with a sticker price of about $1.87 million. Former footballer Samuel Eto’o…

Photo: John Dagys

Inception Racing will give the new McLaren 720S GT3 Evo its competition debut in this weekend’s Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring, with the British squad’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship contender having been upgraded to the latest generation.

The Brendan Iribe, Frederik Schandorff and Ollie Millroy-driven car started the season at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in previous specification, recording a third place finish in the GTD class alongside McLaren factory driver Marvin Kirchhofer.

Team manager Bas Leinders explained to Sportscar365 that the upgrade kit had only become available from McLaren on March 1, thus leading to an in-season debut for the new package.

“There’s a little more front aero because it’s two flaps instead of one,” Leinders explained of the changes to Evo specification. “The main thing is that the front bumper fittings are quick release.

“Before if we needed to change the front bumper it was 20 minutes where now we can do it relatively quickly, depending on how much damage there is.

“The rear wing now has a quick adjuster, so we can now quickly adjust the rear wing. It’s the same [design] it’s just you can adjust it quicker during sessions. Before it took quite a lot of time.

“The dampers are new but it’s similar spec. There’s also some pickup points in the front suspension that are slightly different, which won’t change much on Michelins but…