Italian extravagance versus German ingenuity. We know which we would choose.
The Italians have a gift for designing beautiful cars. Vehicles that burst with attitude and raw appeal. Italy's finest offerings have a way of sneaking into our hearts and overruling our judgment. What they lack in reliability, refinement, or build quality, they make up for in looks and character—exotic indulgences like the 2022 Maserati Ghibli Trofeo adored by their owners…until they break.
After this, they get sold and replaced with a German car such as an Audi RS4 or the 2021 BMW M3 because they do everything the Italians can do without drama and the constant worry of needing to use that tow truck number saved to speed dial.
Yet sometimes, it's good to let the heart rule the head without giving in to impulses and desires life would get boring. And being a gearhead would become very mundane. Given the choice, these are 5 examples of the best Italian luxury cars out there. Plus the 5 German models we'd rather buy for a trouble-free life.
A hardcore version of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrofoglio relieved of excess weight and boasting more power., the Giulia GTA uses a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6. It's the fastest and most powerful car Alfa Romeo has ever created. Having a sonorous 533 hp under the hood.
From rest, the Giulia GTA hammers to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. It devours corners with ravenous hunger. The chassis excels at seeking out grip, ensuring the tires hook up and all the power is deployed efficiently. A stunningly agile machine, the GTA is a real credit to Alfa.
Those impressed with the Guilia GTA will get blown away by the BMW M5 CS. It harnesses everything special within the Italian and magnifies it. The M5 CS is faster in everyday driving. Keener, sharper and more fluid. It's a devastatingly agile car with enormous talent.
The BMW M5 CS also packs a bigger punch. A 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 spools out 627 hp. In a drag race, this burly German will annihilate the Italians, hitting 60 mph in 2.6 seconds. The M5 CS also feels more sophisticated.
For the SUV-loving gearhead, the Lamborghini Urus is a must-have buy. The allure and prowess of a supercar in an SUV body. This means a 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 deploying 641 hp to all four wheels. That equates to hitting 60 mph in 3.2 seconds – in a luxury SUV.
Feisty, ferociously fast, and as Italian as they come, the Lamborghini Urus is a family-oriented supercar-slaying SUV. It's gorgeous to look at and scintillating to drive. And intoxicating to listen to. It's what gearheads never thought could exist. A Lamborghini with a decent size trunk.
Peel away the pretty skin, and strip it of its glitz, and the Lamborghini gets exposed. Under all the sparkle it's an Audi. And if you're going to buy an Audi you buy the best there is. The undisputed heavyweight when it comes to daily drivers. The all-encompassing RS6 Avant.
A standard RS6 Avant is sensational. The RS Tribute is phenomenal. Gorgeous in Nogaro Blue. When fitted with an MTM performance pack it becomes a real monster. Rippling with power and presence. A tuned 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 spits out more than 700 hp.
If you're in the market for a slick-looking exotic sedan, then there can be only one choice. The Maserati Quattroporte Trofeo. Dripping with Italian style, it makes German vehicles look plain. The Trofeo gets admiring glances whenever or wherever it pulls up.
Under the hood lies a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 boasting 580 hp. The Trofeo can hit 60 mph in 4 seconds. More impressively, it will run to a top speed of 203 mph. The interior is luxuriously appointed. This is a sports sedan with big lungs and stunning looks.
Some love the styling. Some loathe it. But the Porsche Panamera Turbo S delivers a domineering package. It does everything. Exceptionally well. Refined, comfortable, and wonderful to drive, it will swallow passengers and luggage with ease.
Relying on a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 for power, the Panamera Turbo S gets 621 hp. The 0-60 mph sprint is a blink-and-miss-it event dispatched in 2.9 seconds. Planted to the road, it feels smaller than it is. Much more responsive than the Maserati could ever hope to be.
Only 99 examples of the Pagani Utopia will be built, each with a price tag of around $3 million. For that, a buyer gets one of the best-looking cars to be released in the last decade. A masterpiece of engineering. The Utopia sticks a finger up to the electrified engine trend.
Oozing with charisma, the Pagani Utopia gets a colossus of an engine – a bespoke 6.0-liter turbo-fed V12 that churns out 864 hp and 811 lb-ft of torque. Housed within a carbo-titanium monocoque, the Utopia remains light with superb handling.
Mercedes-Benz supplies the engine for the Pagani Utopia. It's an impressive unit, but one that seems stuck in the past. The future of supercar power will come in the form of hybrid units or electrification. Something the Mercedes-AMG One is set to prove with gusto.
Energy comes from a 1.6-liter V6 turbocharged and four electric motors. Horsepower stands at 1048. The bespoke V6 itself generates 565 hp. It will blitz to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and 124 mph in 5.9 seconds. It only has an electric range of 16 miles. But it covers it rapidly.
There's nothing more intoxicating than a Ferrari. The brand sits at the top as nearly every gearhead's dream car, or a lottery winner's shopping list. The F8 Tributo exemplifies the modern Ferrari image. Eye-popping styling. A fearsome power plant, plus envious lineage.
Firing up the 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8, it sounds like rolling thunder as 710 rampaging Italian ponies are waiting to play. Drop the throttle and the Tributo will hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. It will scythe through corners, obliterate straights and make a driver feel glorious.
There's only one thing cooler than a Ferrari. And that's an old Porsche. Or more accurately, an old Porsche taught a few new tricks. The RUF CTR is new. It just retains the classic look of the Porsche 993 911, mixing old-school appeal and cherry-picked modern parts.
The RUF CTR gets a 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat-six. Good for 700 hp, it will hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds., while 124 mph appears in 9 seconds. It has all the street cred of the classic but with modern firepower and components. The CTR also drives brilliantly. It's a German wonder car.
Having cut his teeth on the UK street racing scene in the late 90’s and early 00’s RJ faded from the limelight only to return 20 years later. An avid motoring enthusiast RJ especially enjoys JDM and Italian cars, and is an experienced multi-industry writer.
