Amreetam Basu

In 2002, Porsche took a huge gamble by launching the Cayenne, an SUV based on the Volkswagen Touareg, which left many purists sneering. Despite the criticisms, Porsche’s gamble paid off as the years progressed - big time. Much to the surprise of many, the Cayenne became a runaway success, bringing in more money for Porsche than ever.

Introduced in 2014, the first generation Mercedes-AMG GT aimed to fill the void left by the iconic SLS AMG, a more expensive, ferocious beast. While the GT carved its own niche with its sleek design and incredible performance, that, too, went on to bid farewell in 2021, leaving a passionate fan base yearning for its return.

In 1996, Porsche made a bold move, transitioning from its iconic rear-engine layout to a mid-engine design with the Boxster. This sleek roadster, named after the combination of "boxer" engine and "roadster" body, introduced a new era of open-air thrills for the brand. Two decades later, in 2016, the 718 Boxster was born, inheriting the spirit of its predecessor but injecting a dose of modern performance and technology.

Remember 2002? Britney Spears dominated the airwaves, flip phones were all the rage, and Porsche took a bold leap into uncharted territory - the SUV market. The Cayenne became an instant success with its sculpted curves and undeniable Porsche spirit. It proved that luxury and practicality could coexist while redefining the SUV landscape and injecting much-needed cash into the iconic German brand, securing its future for generations to come.

Porsche is giving the Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe lineup a mid-cycle refresh for 2024, strengthening its position in the midsize premium sport SUV category. Both variants now feature a refined, sleek design, including a redesigned front with arched wings, an updated hood, and larger air intakes. The Cayenne Coupe goes further with a wider and sloping rear end.

The Chevy Corvette’s history in the American muscle car world is significant, and the eighth-generation model is just a serious step up from what the car used to be. Debuted in 2019, the C8 Corvette transitioned to a rear-mid engine layout, reminiscent of those pesky Italians, giving Chevy the ticket to enter the supercar realm.

Gone are the days when Porsche purists criticized the idea of a Porsche SUV. If there’s still a skeptic out there, a spin in the 2024 Porsche Cayenne should change their tune. Two decades in, the Cayenne has morphed from a bold experiment into a jewel in Porsche’s crown - the vehicle that made Porsche dive into a pool of money.

The Audi SQ8 debuted as the performance variant of Audi’s flagship SUV, the Q8, which Audi released in 2018 as a rival to the BMW X6. The X6 was introduced in 2008 and was the first coupe SUV. Though its styling elicited some controversy due to the reduction in rear passenger and cargo space when compared to the comparably-equipped BMW X5, it made a success as BMW sold 4,548 units in the U.S. alone in 2008. As a result, Mercedes-Benz followed suit in 2015 with the GLE-Class Coupe seven years after the release of the X6. Audi took a long time to enter the segment by introducing the Q8 in 2018, 10 years after the X6, and one year after the Lamborghini Urus, which came out in 2017.

In the halcyon days of the 1980s, the Porsche 959, with its 2.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six engine, roared onto the automotive scene, making its claim as the fastest supercar of its era, and the first Porsche with a twin-turbo engine. Then, as the millennium dawned, Porsche gifted the world with the Carrera GT. It vroomed with a highly symphonic V10, a heart borrowed from motorsports, reminding many that it was perhaps the final analog supercar. But evolution, as they say, is inevitable. Enter the Porsche 918 Spyder, the spiritual successor to the Carrera GT and the world’s first plug-in hybrid supercar with two electric motors and a naturally aspirated V8 engine.

It was not long ago when BMW wanted a piece of the pie in the full-size SUV segment, where American brands such as Ford, Cadillac, and GM have been thriving for over a decade. Joining late to the full-size sports-utility bandwagon, the BMW X7 is the most practical BMW you can buy right now.

The automotive world has seen its fair share of legends, but few can hold a candle to the illustrious Porsche Carrera GT. Born from the ashes of Porsche’s aspirations at Le Mans, the Carrera GT became Stuttgart’s answer to Maranello and Sant’Agata Bolognese.

The 2004 Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster is a topless successor to the Diablo VT Roadster. It is based on the same L140 platform as the Murcielago coupe, and aesthetically, the Murcielago Roadster is pretty similar to its hard-top sibling. The engine cover opens rearwards and is a unique feature reminiscent of the Miura. Lamborghini also strengthened the Roadster by adding a reinforced metallic grid (also available in carbon fiber) beneath the engine cover. Lamborghini added a pretty flimsy fabric soft top that is indicated for temporary use in case of sudden rain. It is something that you have to install manually and requires two people to get the job done, which is not ideal for an expensive supercar.