Supercars

We were recently invited to a private, behind-the-scenes peek at TranAm’s UK operation, with a look at some of the new products in their portfolio.

Images by Hayden Povey

There are angry SUVs and then there is the BMW XM Label. The former tends to apologise for their size by trying to look athletic or vaguely restrained. The latter makes no such effort. It arrives like it already owns the road and the minerals beneath it. Vast, square-shouldered, ostentatiously illuminated and absolutely certain of its own importance.

There was a time when an Audi RS model announced itself with little more than a swollen set of wheel arches and the faint whiff of mischief. Now it arrives armed with a charging cable, a 400-volt electrical system and enough computing power to run a modest space programme.

This is the new Audi RS 5, Audi Sport’s first high-performance plug-in hybrid and it produces a faintly ridiculous 470 kW, or 630 bhp in old money. Which is to say, quite a lot.

We were recently invited to join Harley-Davidson in Malaga to ride some of the new “Limited” range of motorcycles.

Harley-Davidson boasts a rich and fascinating history, one that elegantly interweaves a celebrated American industrial dynasty with the golden age of the open road and vital service during two World Wars. Originally conceived in a humble wooden shed in Milwaukee, the marque has blossomed into one of the world's most prominent purveyors of luxury two-wheeled travel.

In an era of relentless electronic advancement and razor-sharp, robotic aesthetics, the true joy of motorcycling often feels diluted, traded for blinding speed and digital complexity. Yet, when we speak of excellence, that sublime intersection of heritage, mechanical theatre, and modern refinement, Suzuki has delivered a masterstroke with the GSX-8T and GSX-8TT.

For me, Formula One likes to present itself as the pinnacle of global sport - and, to be fair, it makes a rather convincing case. Beneath the polished bravado lies not merely a championship contested across 24 race weekends, but a travelling circus of power, precision and very well-dressed ambition. Think theatre at 300 kilometres per hour, wrapped in carbon fibre and champagne mist, where innovation doubles as both weapon and currency, and reputations can be rebuilt - or very publicly unravelled - in the space of a single season.

Images by Hayden Povey

On the whole, cars have an extraordinary habit of encouraging somewhat unrealistic behaviour. The marketeers will almost certainly suggest that ownership could, at any moment, lead to paragliding, wakeboarding or something faintly instructional involving ropes, karabiners and a face mounted GoPro.

In the high-octane world of motorcycling, few brands have mastered the art of "the look" quite like Ruroc. Yet, with the Atlas 4.0 Track, the British marque has finally bridged the gap between aesthetic bravado and genuine, podium-ready performance.

Ruroc is a British brand, founded in 2007 and headquartered in Gloucester, England. I’ve been wearing the AT4.0 Track through 2025. It’s designed for the track and road, and mine is in the neon-drenched Nitro colour scheme. 

Taking the new Ford Capri to Brighton feels inspired, and slightly provocative. The Capri name still carries weight here, shorthand for seaside aspiration, chrome, and the vague hope that life improves if you drive south with intent. Rolling silently along the seafront in a bright yellow electric SUV bearing that storied badge, I felt the ghosts of the past watching. Some approving, some muttering.

The day began much like any other - damp, grey and fairly miserable. But things soon brightened when I spotted the Land Rover Defender sitting on the drive. It’s difficult not to smile at the sight of it because the Defender has that rare, reassuring dependability you’d associate with something 17th-century and timber-framed. Solid. Unfazed. Unmoved by the weather or the world.