There is nothing like a hypercar to set pulses racing and fire the imagination, and as manufacturers compete to produce the most beautiful and powerful cars on the planet here is our choice of the most spectacular.

• Aston Martin Valkyrie

  The Aston Martin Valkyrie is a totemic example of the direction this historic car company is being taken by new president Andy Palmer. The antecedent DB10, made for James Bond, was a beautiful, and seductive supercar, but the Valkyrie is on a whole new level. A product of collaboration with Red Bull Racing’s Adrian Newey, the Valkyrie showcases a newly invented aerodynamic scheme, features a 6.5-litre, naturally aspirated v12 engine, and a perfect 1:1 power-to-weight ratio.

• La Ferrari Aperta

  An open top version of Ferrari’s fastest ever production car, the La Ferrari Aperta was unveiled at the 2016 Paris Auto Show. The Aperta boasts the same engine and features as the hard top La Ferrari such as the top mid-rear mounted 6.3-litre Ferrari F140 V12 and the Formula 1 HY-KERS kinetic energy recapture system. Aside from the lack of a roof, the Aperta introduces some critical new design elements to optimise what was already spectacular performance.

• Bugatti Chiron

  Handmade in a studio, the Chiron is Bugatti’s successor to the Veyron. Even more powerful and more expensive, the Chiron features an 8.0-litre quad-turbocharged W-16 engine, that can produce 1,500 horsepower. Although this hypercar’s speed has been limited to 420kmh on the road, its top speed has apparently not yet been tested. But looking at the dashboard and seeing 500kmh is as spectacular as it gets.

• Lykan Hyper Sport

  The Lykan Hyper Sport is the first hypercar brought to market by a middle eastern manufacturer. Built by W Motors, a company operating out of Lebanon, the Hyper Sport is spectacular in its opulence. When you turn on the headlights of this vehicle, the road in front will be illuminated by titanium LED blades that have been embedded with 420 15-karat diamonds. Performance wise the Lykan is powered by a mid-rear mounted, twin-turbo 3.8-litre engine and can hit a top speed of 386kmh.

With temperatures averaging 36°C, the climate in the United Arab Emirates can be inhospitable at times. Despite thriving infrastructure and some of the best irrigation engineering in the world, swathes of the country are naturally characterised by an unrelentingly arid desert climate which is subjected to searing heat in the daytime and severe temperature drops in the evening.

When it comes to long-distance transportation in UAE, it’s important to choose a car that offers reliability, off-road capabilities, plenty of storage space and a great air conditioning system in order to make the hours spent in the vehicle that little bit more enjoyable.

With these criteria in mind, we’ve selected our favorite models for UAE car buyers to traverse the climate in style and comfort:

Subaru Forester

For decades, Subaru has long had a good reputation for offering powerful performance and exceptional traction in all conditions, and the Forester is no exception. The latest model features a 6-speed manual transmission coupled with an all-wheel drive system. Despite having plenty to offer in terms of sheer brute force, the Subaru Forester is surprisingly light, and with nearly 9 inches of ground clearance, it’s perfect for rocky terrains.

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited 2016

This Wrangler is perfect – almost like it’s been specifically designed for a desert adventure. Featuring an extra-long wheelbase, large axles, a removable front sway bar and locking differentials, it’s more than equipped for what the terrain of the UAE can throw at it. With an extra-large interior and four doors, it’s fair to say that Jeep has created a truly family-friendly vehicle here.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Don’t be fooled by the idea that the G-Class is the preserve of parents in the Hollywood Hills doing the school run; it’s actually a competent sports utility vehicle. Of course, the prowess of the G-Class has long been cemented across the UAE, where car buyers have been impressed by its distance-running capabilities, even in rough terrain. Perhaps the only downfall is that the G-Class tends to use a lot of fuel – so bring a jerry can to avoid getting caught out.

As we have already discussed in previous blogs, the 2017 Geneva Motor Show looks set to be one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the year. Not only will DS be rolling out their new models, Porsche will be displaying their 2018 Panamera and Mercedes are expected to reveal their latest AMG GT concept.

The images and details we do have on the latest AMG offering suggests that it will almost certainly be targeted at buyers of the Porsche Panamera and perhaps the BMW 6 series, but a road version of this GT concept is unlikely to be with us until 2019. The question is will new luxury car buyers be tempted by a vehicle they will not be able to purchase for another two years?

The GT concept is certainly a handsome beast, indeed it would need to be when sized up against the Panamera; the classic coupe shaped four door chassis and shapely rounded rear certainly looks moody enough. As to whether it will stand up against the F1 styled GT hypercar announced not long ago is perhaps a debate that will surface some time soon.

The 4 litre V8 engine and huge diffuser at the rear of the GT concept is suggestive that performance will be a key selling point of the model, while the increased use of aluminium and high strength steel is likely to considerably reduce the overall weight of the car. We can therefore expect improved handling and drive quality as well as economy. There is expected to be a choice between two engine models including the S 4matic+ and the E63 S 4matic+, which was capable of kicking out over 600bhp.

The AMG is expected to have the V8 engine run alongside an ISG (integrated starter engine) allowing an increase of 20bhp in short bursts and a seamless ability to stop-start. The ISG contains a 48V system that is likely to be accompanied by a lithium ion battery which, if this is the case, would represent some interesting developments within that field.

AMG seem to be able to do nothing wrong right now, their sales figures show that they are taking a considerable bite out of the sales of similar cars such as Porsche and BMW. Their existing 31 different models are set to increase to 48, but with that rate of expansion comes a risk of taking their eyes off the ball. The AMG GT concept is an exciting looking car at this stage, but whether it will help keep AMG ahead of the game remains to be seen. We should know a lot more after the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.

Picture Credits : Mercedes Benz

Having only separated from Citroen about two years ago, there has been a lot of discussion surrounding what exactly DS planned on doing with their new-found autonomy and how long it would take them. Well, DS have just released details of four new SUVs and a brand-new hybrid supercar which might well send a few shivers down the spines of some big players such as Mercedes, BMW and Audi.

DS 7 Crossback

The DS 7 Crossback is the first of the models and will get its official debut at the upcoming 2017 Geneva Motor Show this month. The few details that have emerged, as well as photographs circulating the internet, suggest that it is a visually stunning SUV with a remarkably well-designed interior which will essentially challenge existing models such as the popular Audi Q5 in the luxury SUV marketplace.

DS 3 Crossback

The DS 3 Crossback, the slightly less aggressive-looking little sister of the DS 7, displays many of the high-end qualities of the DS 7 but will be a less expensive model. It is also going to be featured at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show with both models expected to go on sale early next year.

DS 5

The DS 5 is a handsome if not slightly more conservative-looking hatchback, proudly displaying its original Citroen DS heritage. Part coupe, part sports estate, perhaps even part family saloon, it is slightly difficult to pin down but that is not an inherently bad thing. The vehicle looks to be impeccably designed and thought out, however, and whilst it might not be quite the giant-killer the DS 7 is, it remains unique and certainly packs a good punch for its price.

DS Hybrid Supercar

The DS hybrid supercar, however, is another kettle of fish altogether. It is perhaps comparable to the BMW i8 and is no doubt part E-Tense, the DS concept car that sent jaws to the ground at the Geneva Motor Show two years ago. It features 600bhp hybrid plug-in technology, autonomous capabilities and is so devastatingly handsome it risks reducing everything else that happens this year to a footnote.

There was concern and doubt as to how serious a contender DS would be once they had decided to go it alone. Their concepts, however, have been beautifully brought together, married with up-to-date technology and with more than enough reasons to tempt car buyers of BMWs, Audis and Mercedes.

It’s around this time of the year, prior to the highly anticipated Geneva Motor Show, that car buyers with an eye on luxury cars find their pulses racing. This year Porsche are expected to debut their new Panamera Turbo and there is an understandable buzz surrounding it right now. The 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid appears to be once again upping the ante in the world of hybrid technology. The pace of progress in hybrid super-cars has been pretty outstanding in recent years, yet Porsche’s new offering could set another new benchmark.

Building on the success of previous Panamera E-Hybrid models the 2018 model now packs a fierce new and smaller 4 litre V8 engine with a 136 hp electric motor that churns out an impressive 680 hp (up from the 2016 model’s 416 hp) and 626 pound-feet of torque. This is a more powerful, lighter engine than previous models and due to some design tweeking is considerably more efficient.

The Porsche developed ZF 8DB Eight Speed PDK transmission is now standard on all Panamera models, replacing the previous seven speed version with an improved gear ratio spread and a taller top gear. Power loss has been reduced by over a quarter due to reduced friction provided by the improved lubrication system creating what will be noticeably improved performance.

The 14.1kw thirteen prismatic lithium-ion battery cells on two levels with it’s own dedicated cooling circuit allows the Panamera to travel roughly 31 miles on electricity alone with a low end torque capable of propelling it to 96mph in roughly 3.2 seconds. If you were to keep your foot down you could expect to reach a top speed of over 305kmph.

The specifications beneath the hood do indeed suggest that the new Panamera is something quite special, even in the fast-paced world of luxury hybrid cars. Inside the vehicle is equally impressive with a 12.3 inch touchscreen incorporating the Porsche Communication System, air suspension, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus and a composite ceramic breaking system.

Visually however, very little has changed as the improvements to the new 2018 Panamera are predominantly technologically geared towards increased power and superior efficiency. Porsche continue to punch above their weight and many people expect the 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid to be a success and help further propel the evolution of luxury hybrid cars.