Author: Adam Weller

It’s safe to say that a majority of motoring enthusiasts love speed. However, it is reckless, unsafe and illegal to scratch the itch for fast driving on the road.

Thankfully for us, there are plenty of ways to drive quickly that are fully above board, both in your own car and purpose-built speed machines.

Here are five examples of how you can go fast with no legal ramifications.

Track day

Almost all racing circuits in the UK host track day events, where you can drive your own road car in anger.

At your average track day, you’re just as likely to encounter full-fat race cars as you are fellow enthusiasts looking for a speed fix.

Don’t be intimidated; on-track behaviour is closely monitored to ensure that the professionals don’t get too boisterous, and all rules are carefully explained before you hit the track.

Autosolo/Autotest

At Autosolo and Autotest events, you drive technical courses typically found in car parks or fields, and even the odd quarry dirt track. Entry fees are usually exceedingly cheap – all you’ll need is a helmet, and sometimes those can be hired from the club too.

As with track days, there will likely be some drivers with purpose-built cars, but also plenty of like-minded individuals ragging their daily drivers!

Driving experiences

If you don’t like the idea of pushing your own car’s limits, there are driving experience days available at circuits across the country.

With these driving experiences, you will be allowed to drive anything from supercars to single-seater racing cars, and other experiences allow you to try driving on skidpans, off-roading and rallying.

German roadtrip

In Germany, certain sections of their Autobahn network feature no speed limits, making it an ideal place to see what your car can do. Of course, you should still ensure the safety of yourself and others, so do not exceed your own personal speed limit – if you no longer feel like you’re in comfortable control, slow down.

If you want a proper speed freak holiday, perhaps you could drive to the iconic Nurburgring, which is often open to the public, via the Autobahn.

‘Run What Ya Brung’

At the Santa Pod drag strip, ‘Run What Ya Brung’ events are a regular occurrence. At these events, you can take to the quarter-mile drag strip in your own car, testing the mettle of both you and your metal in a straight-line dash.

With a large turnout practically guaranteed, it’s also a great place to meet fellow car enthusiasts, and an opportunity to see some interesting vehicles.

With a second United States Formula One Grand Prix being discussed among the sport’s hierarchy, and the championship in the midst of a summer break, Red Bull decided to make the most of this holiday by taking its 2011 world championship winning car on an American road trip.

In a new video, featuring race winner Daniel Ricciardo in the hot seat, the Red Bull RB7 F1 car is depicted driving across the US, starting with the famous Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

Ricciardo says that he feels like Steve McQueen as he slides the car through the streets made famous in Bullitt, before making a ‘pitstop’ on San Francisco’s other crossing of the bay, the aptly-named Bay Bridge.

Monument Valley, Utah is the second destination for the film. A second stop and a pass on an RV owner and his dog leads to the next locale, Las Vegas, Nevada. Here we see a Formula One car with lights for the first time as Ricciardo darts along the Strip at night.

One encounter with Elvis and a piece of subtle product placement for team title sponsor Aston Martin later, and Ricciardo pulls up to hit the casinos, asking his team if he can start late the next day.

This is just the first 1,339 miles of a 4,187-mile trip. A video covering the second part of this nationwide adventure is expected to arrive soon.

The tragic loss of Sergio Marchionne ends an era for Fiat, bidding farewell to a man who changed its fortunes so thoroughly that it could afford to save the failing Chrysler brand by the end of the 2000’s.

First and foremost, Marchionne was there to make the best business possible, and some cars in this list reflect that.

However, that’s not to say that Fiat Chrysler brands haven’t also had the opportunity to produce some of the most unique, convention-burning cars on the market.

For both the sensible decisions and the eccentric moments, here are some of FCA’s greatest hits under Sergio Marchionne.

Fiat 500

The re-introduction of the 500 could well be Marchionne’s greatest achievement. Releasing this new-retro model when such cars were at their peak was a brilliant move, and the car continues to sell almost a dozen years after its introduction.

Ferrari 458 Speciale

The last of a magnificent era, the 458 Speciale will likely be the last of the naturally-aspirated V8 supercars from Ferrari. This car is going to be priceless someday.

Alfa Romeo MiTo

Based on the Fiat 500, the MiTo takes the faux-retro Fiat and turns it into a new breed of car to wear the Alfa badge. It’s an extremely pretty supermini, and a good choice if you want to separate yourself from the hoards of 500 owners.

Dodge Challenger Hellcat

The Chrysler brands – especially Dodge – seem to have been empowered to go slightly mad during the Marchionne era. The 697bhp Hellcat is a truly steroidal muscle car, and things only got crazier with the 2017 Demon, which added another 100 ponies.

Abarth 695 Biposto

Imagine the Hellcat/Demon treatment being sprinkled onto a Fiat 500. Here’s the result. The 695 Biposto isn’t all about the figures, but putting a 187bhp engine into a well-sorted Italian city car is certainly something of a fever dream, and one we’re eternally glad happened.

Jeep Renegade

Jeep has certainly benefitted from Marchionne’s leadership, coming out of its shell and into the 21st century. The Renegade is a great example of that, and since reaching most markets in 2015, half a million have been sold. You can’t argue with sales!

Alfa Romeo Giulia

The day of the soul-less Alfa Romeo is over, thanks to the drivable, well-sorted Giulia. It’s a brilliant car overall, and in full-fat, 503bhp Quadrifoglio spec, it makes an incredible performance saloon too.

Ferrari LaFerrari

Since the F40, Ferrari has made a once-per-decade habit of strutting its stuff with an epic hypercar. The LaFerrari is its hypercar for the 2010’s, combining the iconic V12 with a KERS hybrid system. To put it simply, it works – and works incredibly well.

Jeep Grand Cherokee TrackHawk

There are plenty of SUV’s that stake their claim to performance, without being able to live up to it – but the TrackHawk definitely can. Not only does it house the 697bhp V8 from the Challenger Hellcat, but it also has a degree of agility it has no right to have.

Fiat Fullback

Marchionne’s Fiat has a knack for synergising with other manufacturers, and the Fullback is a great example of that. In all respects, this capable pick-up is a Mitsubishi L200 with an Italian badge.

Ferrari SF70H

Ferrari went through the Formula One doldrums in the late-2000’s and early-2010’s. Marchionne re-structured the team when he entered the world of Ferrari in 2014, and the Mercedes-challenging 2017 car was the fruit of his labour.

Alfa 4C

Alfa knows how to make something beautiful, but its chances to work its magic on something mid-engined have been limited. The 4C is a shining example of why we need more of the ideal sportscar layout from the marque.

Dodge Durango

Based on the Grand Cherokee, sales of the third generation Durango are going up and up in the US. There’s also a 475bhp SRT version, to continue the theme of crazy SUVs!

Abarth 124 Spider

Based on Mazda’s MX-5, the 124 Spider is a brilliantly perky little sportscar. The turbocharged MultiAir engine is punchier than the MX-5’s range of motors, and its raucous exhaust note is a winning merit too!

SRT Viper

The decision to split SRT’s nameplate away from Dodge was questionable, but there was nothing bad to say about the last Viper. It didn’t sell well, but it is arguably the best of these burbling V10 brutes.

 

Ferrari FXXK

Essentially the LaFerrari Le Mans car that should have existed, the FXXK is the ultimate track day car. It serves as yet another way for Ferrari to captivate high-octane millionaires through their XX and Clienti driving programmes.

Chrysler Pacifica

The SUV is taking over America just like everywhere else. However, the minivan isn’t giving up the fight, and the Pacifica has sold a shade under 200,000 units in less than two years.

Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale

The GranTurismo is a very effective grand tourer. Amplify its strengths with the addition of lightness and race car bravado, and you’re onto a winner.

Alfa 8C

Named as a tribute to the iconic 8C racing car, this should have been an epic European sportscar. In reality, it was more of a muscle car with a svelte Italian coupe shape – but that’s more than enough for us, and the 500 owners.

Ferrari 812 Superfast

Name most other cars ‘Superfast’ and you’d be laughed out of civilised society. Ferrari’s 812 is one of very few cars on this earth deserving of the title, housing a 6.5-Litre V12 with 789bhp; powerful naturally-aspirated production car of all-time.

Ever dreamt of getting behind the wheel of a car equipped with the kind of futuristic technology we marvelled at in the 1980s television show Knight Rider?

Tesla could soon make that a reality if a recent Twitter post from Elon Musk is anything to go by.

The founder of the electric car company answered one Twitter user’s question of “Will we get KITT like AI [artificial intelligence] in @Tesla cars any time soon?” with a simple “Yes”.

Yes

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 29, 2018

For those unfamiliar, KITT – an acronym for ‘Knight Industries Two Thousand’ – was the name of the very communicative Pontiac Firebird driven by David Hasselhoff’s character Michael Knight in the original Knight Rider TV series.

The muscle car featured a distinctive strip of red lights on its front bumper and was able to talk to Hasselhoff and obey his every command as the pair fought crime together.

We doubt we’ll see a Tesla with the same black paint job and lighting accessories as KITT anytime soon, but Musk’s response does indicate that a form of communicative AI technology will make its way to Teslas at some point in the future.

Musk has made a habit of revealing the latest plans for his businesses through Twitter rather than issuing news releases or making announcements at press conferences.

Back in May, the South African billionaire revealed that an in-development performance version of the Model 3 hit 60mph in 3.5 seconds, and also claimed that it could out-perform BMW’s M3.

Cost of all options, wheels, paint, etc is included (apart from Autopilot). Cost is $78k. About same as BMW M3, but 15% quicker & with better handling. Will beat anything in its class on the track.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 20, 2018

Musk also sent team members from his Space X and Boring Company ventures to assist with the recent Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand after Twitter exchanges, and regularly airs musings and little pieces of information regarding Tesla online.

In recent times, Musk has stirred up controversy on the social media platform, criticising negative press coverage of Tesla products and making an offensive comment towards one of the rescue workers who saved children from the Tham Luang cave.

Some people are never satisfied. Most prospective car buyers are okay with knowing that their car will serve its intended purpose of driving on or off-road. Others, however, demand more.

It is those demanding customers that have led to some companies introducing cars that have a second purpose – here are five examples of cars that can multi-task.

Rinspeed sQuba

If you’re bored of the land, there’s a chance you might also be bored of the sea – the surface of it, that is. That’s where this comes in…

This is the sQuba, a Lotus Elise-based project from perennial automotive madmen Rinspeed. Introduced in 2008, the sQuba can do what James Bond’s Lotus Esprit from ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’ never achieved: actual underwater ability.

The concept never became a purchasable reality, likely because the type of customer who would consider investing in a swimming Lotus saw their bank account float down a creek with no paddle upon the looming recession.

Amphicar

As far as amphibious cars go, it’s fair to say that the Amphicar Model 770 is the most iconic example of the breed.

With a surprisingly high production run of nearly 4,000 cars being produced between 1960-1965, your opinion likely depends on whether you see it as quirky 60’s madness or a vehicle that fails as both a boat and a car.

With a 1147cc Triumph four-cylinder engine producing a meagre 38bhp, it wasn’t exactly the last word in dynamic breadth of ability. It also had a maximum speed of 6mph on the water, while construction from rust-prone steel quickly killed most models. The few survivors command impressive prices.

VW Schwimmwagen

The Schwimmwagen was used extensively in military exercises during the Second World War, and was built in droves. 14,000 were built between 1942 and 1944.

In the water, a propeller could be lowered, allowing for forward propulsion once you were door handle deep in the wet stuff. ‘Reversing’ was handled by an oar.

Astonishingly, less than 200 of these Beetle-based, nautical people’s cars remain today.

Terrafugia Transition

The world’s fascination with flying cars is arguably a little worrying. Sure, it sounds like paradise – but some people can barely handle the road. Would you really want them dealing with the power of flight?

The Terrafugia Transition is one of the more explicitly plane-based examples of the flying car – in road-going mode, it looks more like the aerospace equivalent of a fold-up bicycle than a car.

According to Terrafugia, which is owned by Volvo, the first production examples of its flying car will go on sale in 2019.

Gibbs Aquada

The Gibbs Aquada looks rather like a Mazda MX-5, but don’t be fooled, it shares nothing with the Japanese sportscar bar the front headlights.

The Aquada is powered by a mid-rear mounted 2.5-Litre Rover V6 with 175bhp. By all accounts, the car actually a rather impressive achievement, having proven its boating capabilities with a record-setting, sub-2 hour channel crossing in the hands of Sir Richard Branson.

In addition, the motoring press that drove it when it was the new hot thing in 2004 all seemed to agree that it actually did a good job as a sportscar too.

Aside from the actual production of the car, the testing phase is perhaps the most important part of a cars’ development. Making use of a professional driver, manufacturers will spend months developing a car through on-track trial and error.

The industry is rather spoilt for choice when it comes to testing facilities – here are some of the best, most impressive and most popular test tracks on the planet.

Nardò Ring

Built in 1975, the impressively vast Nardò facility has played host to high-speed tests by most of the major hypercars that preceded Bugatti’s all-conquering Veyron.

The banked, 7.5-mile Italian track cuts through land close to the coast west of Lecce, and nestled within the infield of the main track are various other facilities including a handling track.

Porsche purchased the venue in 2012.

Ehra-Lessien

Volkswagen’s Ehra-Lessien track has a straight so long that if you stand at one end of it, the curvature of the earth means you can’t see the other.

This impressive facility is the tool that allows VW to test the sheer pace of their Bugatti hypercars. And sadly, while they were happy to allow McLaren and their 240mph F1 to try their luck at the facility before they purchased Bugatti, the likes of Koenigsegg will never be able to have a go on the track so long as the German brand has a stake in the race to a road-going 300mph.

Nürburgring

The iconic Nürburgring circuit in the German Eifel mountains is a world-renowned race track, but as the world of motorsport has gradually turned away from the original Nordschleife in favour of the more modern, safer GP-Strecke layout, the world’s road car manufacturers have swept in.

The arms race to lap the 12.93-mile Nordschleife in the quickest time possible is near-continuous, with marques from all over the world arriving at the track with pre-production vehicles in search of improvements and bragging rights.

The track was originally constructed with road vehicle testing as one of the primary purposes when it was completed in 1927.

Lingotto

 

When Fiat opened its Lingotto, Turin factory in 1923, they decided that a test track should be built on the roof, and we think it’s a massive shame that other companies didn’t follow suit.

The small oval circuit was the final hurdle for newly-built Fiat’s to clear, after going through the production line which led them up the five-storey facility.

The factory became outdated by the late-70’s, and was ultimately closed in 1982; thankfully, the building and the track still remain.

Idiada Proving Ground

Idiada is, in fact, the name of a very successful company which works across many of the world’s top motoring markets. However, its company name has become shorthand for their proving ground in Santa Oliva, Spain.

Built in 1994, this facility is younger than many of its peers. As is often the case, this venue features an oval for high-speed testing, as well as a plethora of other facilities including skidpans and test tracks.

One such test track was designed to put maximum stress on the brakes, tyres and powertrain of a car, and sees regular use from racing teams looking to push the limits of their machinery.

Fiorano

For many years, Modena Autodrome was the home of Ferrari testing. However, it became clear that, by the early-70’s, the aging location was rather behind founder Enzo’s first priority, his Formula One team.

And thus, in 1972, Ferrari opened its own private test track, Fiorano.

Enzo lived on the edge of the circuit, and from the point of it opening until his death in 1988, he would spend many days keeping tabs on the development of his road and race cars from the comfort of his own home.

The 1.8-mile circuit only sees occasional use for modern Formula One cars today, due to heavy testing restrictions. However, the track is still used almost daily one way or another.

Leipzig

Porsche’s Leipzig circuit is their Fiorano – a private test track for them to test their latest work, moments after it leaves the production line. The Leipzig track is, however, more open to the public than its Italian equivalent, with driving experiences and ‘racing taxi’ rides available.

The 2.2-mile track plays host to Porsche’s road and race cars, while an off-road area is also present for the company to test the likes of the Cayenne and Macan.

Millbrook

Millbrook Proving Ground was originally built by General Motors for the benefit of its Bedford Trucks and Vauxhall subsidiaries. However, before long, the impressive facility was in demand, and under new ownership in 1988, the floodgates opened.

With a speed bowl and the infamous B-Road-esque alpine course, Millbrook is used by most top manufacturers producing cars in the UK.

Ascari Race Resort

Ascari Race Resort is the pet project of Dutch billionaire Klaas Zwart, who races Formula One cars for a hobby. Zwart has raced at many of the world’s top tracks and decided that he would amalgamate all the highlights of those circuits to produce his motorsport-themed resort.

While the luxurious on-site accommodation and Mr. Zwart’s fleet of F1 and Le Mans cars are among the first thoughts on the track for many, it is a prime location for car testing thanks to its large variety of corners and its open nature.

There aren’t many circuits where you could develop a car, film all the pretty footage for an advert, and then launch it to the media – but Ascari is definitely one of the circuits on that exclusive list.

There are very few car manufacturers with models that appeal to every type of motorist – more often than not, they find a customer base and stick to it without straying into new territory.

However, there have been occasions when manufacturers make a radical leap towards an entirely different sector . These are nine of the cars we never expected to see from the companies that built them.

Vauxhall VX220

In spite of occasionally making hot VXR and GSi versions of its hatchbacks and saloons, it’s fair to say that Vauxhall wasn’t a company you’d have expected to launch a mid-engine sportscar in the late-90’s. It’s probably also fair to say that we can’t imagine it happening today either.

However, in 2001, the Vauxhall VX220 was born. The car was developed by Lotus on the same chassis as its S2 Elise, and was rather potent as a result. With just 7,000 cars sold between three then GM-owned brands, the VX220/Speedster is rather more rare than its Lotus cousin, though sadly no more desirable.

Kia Stinger

While the Stinger represents a natural progression for Kia after dabbling in performance-oriented cars – think GT versions of the Cee’d – it’s still surprising to see a full-on sports car from the Korean manufacturer.

By all accounts, the brand’s engineers have made a very solid first attempt with the Stinger. Hopefully, it points towards a bold new future for the firm, with practical models sharing the spotlight with some exciting new prospects.

Lotus Elan (M100)

The original Elan was a wonderful example of the philosophy held by Lotus – it was simple and low on power, but made up for that with lightness and handling prowess.

The 1989 Elan revival was a rather different proposition. The handling was still great, and at 997kg it was pretty light. However, one bizarre choice put the car in a bad light from the start – it was front-wheel drive.

While the car wasn’t bad, it came out in the same year as the legendary Mazda MX-5, which was far more loyal to the original Elan recipe. For that reason alone, it was doomed from the start.

Mercedes CLK-GTR

The late 90s bred several extreme hypercars due to the existence of the GT1 racing regulations. These loophole-filled rules gave manufacturers cause to build prototype race cars, make a handful with licence plates and then enter them as ‘production-based’ cars at Le Mans — and the Mercedes CLK-GTR might just be the best of them.

While styling from the standard CLK was just about evident, a V12 engine sat in the middle of the car, and overall, the shape was certainly more low-slung hypercar than anything in every sense aside from the familiar Mercedes grille.

Mercedes had made teases in the direction of supercar and hypercar production in the past, but actually seeing it come to fruition was a welcome surprise.

Porsche Cayenne

A firm that had so long been known for producing class-leading sports cars and extremely successful race cars had no right to build an SUV, surely? Well, that’s exactly what Porsche did.

The Cayenne has since found a secure home in the German manufacturer’s range, but it was a surprise to see Porsche produce it at all. It proved a seriously good move for them though, sparking a trend of sports-focused SUVs that remains stronger than ever today.

Aston Martin Cygnet

By 2011, Aston Martin had firmly carved out a reputation for grand tourers and front-engined sportscars. As such, there were more than a few raised eyebrows when the Cygnet went on sale.

A Toyota iQ with the looks and interior of an Aston Martin, the Cygnet was a stark contrast from the rest of the manufacturer’s range.

The car was a way for the luxury firm to comply with 2012 average fleet emissions regulations imposed by the EU, and owning one would set you back more than £30,000 — three times the cost of a regular iQ.

Unsurprisingly, the Cygnet’s production run only lasted two and a half years and Aston Martin refuses to divulge overall sales figures.

MG XPower SV

The final years of MG and Rover were a strange time. Money was in short supply, and the majority of its models were approaching a decade on the market — if they hadn’t already surpassed that milestone.

However, there did seem to be a lot of ambition left in the workshops even if there wasn’t a lot of capital in the accounts.

The SV was supposed to be an MG supercar, though in reality was closer to a muscle car — mostly thanks to a Ford Mustang engine under the bonnet. The car was based on the Italian Qvale Mangusta, and despite aping the rest of the MG range for its front-end styling, we think it was a pretty good-looking car.

Ultimately, the money ran out for MG, but only after they put out a car no one ever expected to see from them and very few people bought…

Volkswagen Phaeton

Volkswagen made some slightly odd choices during the 2000s. Despite owning Lamborghini and Porsche, its luxury brand Audi began making supercars, for example.

However, what was potentially even more puzzling was the decision to produce an upmarket luxury saloon under the VW marque, despite the long-term ownership of Audi and the recent purchase of Bentley.

The result was the admittedly highly impressive Phaeton. Its top-end 6.0-litre W12 engine was nothing short of phenomenal, though quite obviously identical to the engine found in Bentley’s Continental GT and Flying Spur, as well as the Audi A8.

Ultimately, the Phaeton failed to sell in the numbers Volkswagen had hoped, ending its lifespan with just over 80,000 rolling off the production line in 15 years. 

Lexus LFA

Staid and sensible Lexus had carved out a reputation for building comfortable and reliable cars, and the focus was on customer service rather than building the ultimate driving machine.

The only slightly ‘sporty’ car in its range was the SC430 – far more a boulevard cruiser than a back-road blaster.

But in 2010, that all changed with the introduction of the LFA. Here was a boldly-styled supercar with a screaming V10 engine. So exacting were the engineers, the car was totally redesigned to accommodate full carbon-fibre construction – halfway through the development process.

The LFA was a bellowing, fire-breathing car engineered to the edge of perfection; no one would have believed that Toyota’s luxury brand would have been responsible for such a thing 10 years earlier.

Be it music, movies or motoring, there’s an inevitable overlap between consumer products.

There are only so many chords, only so many types of story to tell, and perhaps, a particularly finite number of shapes you can place atop four wheels and an engine.

With this reality in mind, it’s not surprising that some cars bear a resemblance to their predecessors. This list is dedicated to the cars that, intentionally or otherwise, bear a resemblance to other models.

Porsche 924 – Mazda RX-7

The 924 has one of the more tainted reputations in the pantheon of Porsche history. It’s front-engined, and the power plant first fitted was a 2.0-litre sourced from Volkswagen, producing just 110bhp.

None of this stopped the designers at Mazda seemingly utilising a picture of the 924 and some tracing paper when designing the first RX-7.

Indeed, the first-gen RX-7 was in much the same ballpark when it came to power, with the advantage of a spectacular rotary engine soundtrack over the drone of the 924’s four-cylinder.

Of course, the RX-7 evolved considerably over its life and became an icon; you wouldn’t begrudge those who designed the relatively unloved 924 for feeling a little cheated.

Mitsubishi i – Tata Nano

Mitsubishi’s ‘i’ kei car was an odd-looking beast – slender, small and quintessentially Japanese, it was a car that was always going to struggle to find purpose in foreign markets.

While the car was sold in many countries, perhaps it missed a trick in not marketing to India, as Tata clearly saw an opportunity at hand.

In swept the Nano, with similar proportions and a similar concept, right down to the engine sitting in the rear of the car. The Nano was marketed in something of a different manner, being an unquestionably budget option; unfortunately, it still went over-budget, as Tata was making a loss on every car sold.

Mini – Nissan Micra

The second-generation Micra was a simple, honest car, with unobjectionable styling and a compact, lightweight frame. It also held a fairly obvious inspiration – the original Mini.

The little Micra is obviously a newer shape, having been revealed some 32 years after the original Mini, but the cues are certainly there.

However, the Micra would soon be copied itself…

Nissan Micra – Perodua Kelisa

If the Micra was inspired by the Mini, the Kelisa is simply a smudged photocopy of the Micra.

From the near-cloned rear-end, to the twin-entry styling on the grille, the Kelisa is impressively dedicated to simply being a second-generation Micra.

The Kelisa also shares some visual lineage with the Mini, and former Top Gear star James May even likened it to the iconic British car during a roadtest.

Ultimately, the Kelisa did well for Perodua, helping the company – which was less than a decade old when the car was launched in 2001 – become the largest car brand in its home nation of Malaysia.

Aston Martin DB9 – Jaguar XK

Here are two British, front-engined sports cars which were both designed by Ian Callum at a time when the same company owned both marques. If we’re being honest, this one is as forgivable as it is obvious.

But indeed, the DB9 and the XK do in fact look rather alike, despite one housing a 12-cylinder engine, and the other settling for just 8.

The two brands have since become more separate in their style, as neither are owned by Ford any longer, but for a little while, the common ground between Jaguar and Aston Martin’s sports car offerings was rather noticeable.

 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona – Rover SD1

Yes, this one is a little bit of a stretch, but the resemblance is there at the front end of Rover’s SD1.

And, as it turns out, this is by design rather than happy accident, as creator David Beche acknowledged the Ferrari Daytona as an inspiration for his model.

From every other angle, it’s simply not true, ‘but just pay attention to the front’, as we’re sure some Rover owners felt compelled to say.

Morgan Aero 8 – Wiesmann

Wiesmann’s range was inspired by British cars, and the German firm made no secret of that – the plan was to take classic British styling and match it with modern German performance, aided by BMW engines.

If we had to nail down a car that it most resembles, it would be the Morgan Aero 8. There is plenty of Jaguar C-Type there too, but its modernised retro feel brings it closer to the Aero 8 in our eyes.

Fiat 500 – Nissan Micra

Trying to claim that the current day Fiat 500 copied any other car, given its namesake and inspiration from several decades prior is slightly tenuous.

However, there is something to be said for those who claim that the rear-end of the 500 shares a lot with the third-generation Nissan Micra.

While there’s a more pronounced curve on the Micra, the headlights and general positioning of all the key features on the 500 is certainly similar.

Suzuki Swift – Jaguar E-Pace

 

This last one is almost certainly accidental, but the Jaguar E-Pace and the Suzuki Swift are – from the right angle – not too dissimilar. The grille of the Swift is rather similar to Jaguar’s current signature front-end jewellery, and both the side vents and the headlight shape only add to the similarities.

It’s a stretch, yes, but we’re not the first to notice, and we’re sure Suzuki won’t mind the comparison too much!

If you’re a fan of the automobile, chances are you pay some attention to the cars that are around you on seemingly never-ending motorway journeys. You’ll enjoy seeing an old 70’s run-around on the roads just as much as modern day exotica, purely for the rarity factor.

Sometimes, we look at the bootlid of a car and wonder how companies came to give it its model name, and what the word in question means, if it’s even a word at all.

This list looks at the stories behind the model names of cars – some we see on the roads everyday, and others that are rather less common.

Toyota Yaris

Contrary to our hopes, the Yaris hasn’t been named after the French capital, albeit with an upside down Eiffel Tower replacing the ‘P’ in Paris.

Yaris is a combination of words from Greek mythology and German. In Greek mythology, ‘Charis’ is a singular form of Charites, which is a term applying to goddesses representing qualities such as charm and beauty.

Toyota swapped the ‘Ch’ with ‘Ya’ – German for ‘yes’ – a nod to the reaction they expected to receive for the compact hatchback’s styling.

Kia Cee’d

The Kia Cee’d – or ‘Cee-apostrophe-D’ as it was known during its run as Top Gear’s reasonably priced car – is actually an acronym.

The European market exclusive hatchback was the first built at Kia’s first (and so far only) manufacturing plant in the continent, located in Žilina, Slovakia. As such, the decision was to amalgamate the abbreviations for the European Economic Community, known as CEE in some areas, and European Design.

After realising that three ‘E’s was one too many, they switched out the final ‘E’ for an apostrophe. All punctuation is to be removed from the car’s title on the upcoming third generation model.

Bentley Bentayga

The Bentayga moniker is one that feels as though it should be made up, especially when the company naming a car that is called Bentley. However, the Bentley SUV actually owes its identity to the ‘Roque Bentayga’, a rocky peak near the village of Tejeda on Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands.

Chevrolet Camaro

Unlike many cars on this list, the name Camaro was chosen for precisely one reason; it sounds great.

However, Chevrolet had previously attempted to pass it off as a word found in a French-English dictionary, which meant ‘friend’. Some claimed that a Spanish definition was ‘A small, shrimp-like creature’, while a journalist managed to conjure up a translation to ‘loose bowels’.

Eventually, after touting that the Camaro was ‘a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs’, Chevrolet owned up to the obvious truth of the matter; the word was of their own making.

Hyundai Ioniq

The Hyundai Ioniq is a very good name for a produc that only comes with electrification to some degree, be it as a hybrid or an all-electric car.

The first part of the name is derived from ion, as per the lithium-ion polymer battery utilised in the Korean ‘liftback’ compact car. The name of the molecule was blended with unique, and thus, the Ioniq was born.

Nissan Juke

Duke’s across the land will be disappointed to learn that Nissan’s compact crossover was not named in honour of their title. In fact, the Juke name is derived from ‘jukebox’; this is because the Jukebox became synonymous with ‘youthful freedom and daring’, according to one South African Nissan retailer.

So, in an attempt to place a similar synonymy upon their new car, it became known as the Juke.

We look forward to the launch of the Nissan Text when the times comes for our generation to have their youths cultivated for the naming of a small car.

Renault Kadjar

When it comes to making up words for car names, this Renault crossover certainly wins points for its complicated backstory.

Supposedly, ‘Kad’ is derived from ‘quad’, and acts as an acknowledgement of the car’s four-wheel drive look and (optional) all-wheel drive system. As for ‘Jar’? That comes from the French words ‘agile’ and ‘jaillir’. Agile means what you’d expect it to mean, and ‘jaillir’ means ‘suddenly emerging from somewhere’.

That’s a big process to go through to facilitate such an odd-sounding name.

Ssangyong Rexton

The SssangYong name has an intriguing origin story itself, as it is the Korean translation of ‘Double Dragons’.

Their flagship SUV, the Rexton, is an amalgamation of English and Latin. The Latin ‘rex’ and English ‘tone’ are the words combined to make the name Rexton, which is intended to mean ‘the ruler’s tone’.

We sincerely hope that a movie entitled ‘Double Dragons: The Ruler’s Tone’ will soon be available to view in cinemas.

Vauxhall Adam

The scorn of all car enthusiasts named Adam, the name of this supermini holds its roots with Vauxhall’s stablemate Opel. The origin story in this instance is simple; the founder of Opel was named Adam.

We’re assuming that any attempts to name the car the Vauxhall Alexander Wilson for the UK market were scuppered.

More often than not, some cars you drive leave you with a memory – even if that memory is one of boredom, discomfort or disgust.

However, some cars have left a mark of people the world over due to affiliation with tragedy or controversy. In this list, we look at nine of the most infamous cars to ever hit the roads.

O.J Simpson’s Ford Bronco

When O.J Simpson became implicated in the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson, his image of smiling American hero began to burn away. His public image continued to suffer when he was listed as a fugitive after failing to turn himself in to police, and he was soon located on Interstate 405, being driven by friend Al ‘A.C’ Cowlings.

The vehicle used for the low-speed chase, which was broadcast live across the United States, was a now infamous white Ford Bronco.

The chase eventually ended at his Brentwood home after 50 miles of driving, with 20 police cars in tow.

John F. Kennedy’s Lincoln Continental SS-100-X

The presidential limousine codenamed SS-100-X started life as a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible. When it became clear that this car was not going to lead an ordinary life, it was extensively modified at the proving grounds of Lincoln’s parent company, Ford.

It was delivered to the White House on June 15, 1961, with some 41 inches added to its length.

It led a relatively normal life until November 21, 1963. John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding through Dallas, Texas in the backseat of SS-100-X.

Surprisingly, the car continued service for the White House until 1978, after undergoing extensive modifications in the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination. 

Tupac Shakur’s BMW 7-Series

The relatively unassuming Mid-90’s 7-Series featured on newscasts and publications the world over after the drive-by shooting which took the life of rapper Tupac Shakur.

The vehicle the musician was in at the time of the fatal incident, a V12 750il, was leased by Tupac’s record label, whose co-founder was behind the wheel of the vehicle when the shooting took place.

The car recently re-emerged with a for sale sticker at Celebrity Cars Las Vegas, complete with a £1.2m price tag.

James Dean’s Porsche 550 Spyder

The Porsche 550 Spyder is an accomplished vehicle in its own right, but thanks to a tragic incident at a junction in Cholame, California, it will forever own the moniker ‘Little Bastard’.

The brief cinematic career of James Dean ran in parallel with a strong ambition to be a racing driver, with a particular target being the Indianapolis 500.

After taking part in several club races, Dean purchased a 550 Spyder, and was set to race it in Salinas, California.

Dean crashed his 550 Spyder into the side of a turning Ford Tudor saloon car. The Porsche bounced across the road and off to the side of the highway.

Dean sustained fatal injuries in the crash, and cemented his pet name for the car as an alternative moniker that would stand the test of time.

Adolf Hitler’s Mercedes Grosser 770

If you’ve seen a photo of Adolf Hitler in a car, there’s a good chance that the car in question was a Mercedes Grosser 770.

The drop-top version of the 770 was built between 1938 and 1943, during which time just 88 were built; seven of them were used by Hitler.

The luxurious Mercedes was used by many high-ranking officials in Nazi Germany, and was one of the most expensive cars available in the country at the time.

Ted Bundy’s Volkswagen Beetle

While the Beetle’s life began in Nazi Germany, the car was better known as ‘The Love Bug’ by 1974. However, another sinister footnote in the long history of the Beetle came into being that year, after a spree of murders in Colorado, Utah and Washington all featured one of the rear-engined vehicles.

The vehicle in question was owned by serial killer Ted Bundy, and featured in every attack he performed.

He was pulled over for an ordinary traffic offence in 1975, at which point, handcuffs, masks, gloves and more were discovered. Bundy was eventually jailed, though he escaped twice, stealing a second VW Beetle on the latter occasion.

Jack Sears’ 185mph AC Cobra Coupe

The sleek lines of the AC Cobra Coupe were designed with Le Mans in mind, and to beat the Shelby equivalent pictured above. The problem with designing a car for Le Mans is a lack of places to test the car that share the circuit’s high-speed nature.

However, the then-unrestricted M1 motorway presented the perfect opportunity for UK based teams, and it was one that many took.

The Cobra, driven by legendary racer Jack Sears, hit 185mph on the public roads in the early hours of June 11 1964. As this was not illegal, no consequences occurred initially, however, national newspapers soon caught word.

It quickly became front-page news, and the story became the catalyst for the introduction of a motorway speed limit.

Paul Walker’s Porsche Carrera GT

With a V10 engine intended for a Le Mans racer, and a top speed of 205mph, the Porsche Carrera GT is not a car for the faint of heart. It earned a reputation as one of the most extreme Porsche’s ever.

Tragically, the car came to prominence once more some ten years after its launch, on November 30, 2013.

Fast & Furious star Paul Walker was in the passenger’s seat of a Carrera GT, alongside close friend and avid amateur racer Roger Rodas. On Hercules Street in Santa Clarita, California, the car left the road at a speed between 80mph and 93mph; the ensuing crash cost both men their lives.

Princess Diana’s Mercedes S-Class

On the August 30 1997, a 1994 Mercedes-Benz S280 crashed in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris.

The Mercedes carried Diana, Princess of Wales, who was being pursued by paparazzi.

In the tunnel, the car collided with a pillar at 65mph. Henri Paul of the Ritz Hotel was driving the car, with Diana and Dodi Fayed sitting in the rear passenger seats.

Diana was still conscious after the crash, but would later pass away as a result of serious internal injuries.