Today, the Ferrari F40 celebrates its 25^th birthday and swiftly blew out its birthday candles as a group of enthusiasts celebrated by racing a convoy of F40’s. The F40 was released in 1987 and since then has been the portrayal of everything that Ferrari stands for. In the present tense, Ferrari have modernised their designs, but still show signs of using ideas that helped culminate the F40. A combination of lightweight machinery, 471hp engine and a rear spoiler that cut through the air like a knife made this not just a supercar, but a superstar.

The Ferrari F40, the pinnacle of classic supercar, a truly revolutionary machine combined with a delicious design that screams awe inspiring power. Considering the actual quality of the car in terms of, a car to use regularly, then it is not the best car to be buying. The interior was basic and the quality of the paint was poor [so sources quote]. For this reason the F40 was popular. It was ‘raw’ and few cars have been able to replicate this since. However, if you value its showmanship, iconic design features and unrelenting gravitas, then the Ferrari F40 is something that ought to be on the top of your wish list.

The success of the car meant that it was only going to be a short while before it was thrown about a race course. This saw the birth of the F40 LM and Competizione’. The death of the F40 was certainly a shock to the world, at the time it was comparable to the death of a celebrity. Thankfully, many F40’s remain, therefore the machine has not entirely left our lives. We can still enjoy the F40 on special occasions where fleets of the monster congregate to entertain the masses.

To really investigate why the F40 was so popular it needs to be compared to one of its modern day equivalent, notably the 458 which I believe to be the complete opposite of the F40. This is because the 458 is a very precise and modern car compared to the F40. Computer aided and interior superior, the 458 is a much better everyday supercar. However, this entirely depends on your opinion of what defines ‘Ferrari’ to you. Buying a Ferrari should be for the enjoyment of your own, not to satisfy crowds. Therefore in my opinion there is no real need for an everyday functional Ferrari as it is something to refer to now and then to shock the system. On the other hand, Ferrari are a business and therefore need to satisfy the demands of the market and within that market are people who can afford to have their everyday car to be a Ferrari, to which I fully appreciate but would not personally do myself. Sadly, many are not in the position to have to quarrel over which Ferrari to be buying, but for those lucky few the F40 is one car that has remained a passionate favourite of the extensive range and would be my personal choice.

AF

Lamborghini are well known for manufacturing luxury super cars that populate the market with sharp, aerodynamic designs. However, a new concept SUV has emerged from the Lamborghini factory. Boasting lower C02 emissions than competitors, the concept SUV boasts the same sleek styling as its older brothers. With its brash air vents and sharp solid defining lines the Urus sets a new precedent in the SUV family.

For some, the name Lamborghini is associated with its rural beginning of a tractor factory in North Italy. For others, the name is defined by the chorus of roars that come from the fierce engines. For me, Lamborghini represent a sense of ridiculousness and impossible attractiveness. The Urus has big boots to fill with family members like the Aventador LP700-4. However, from the onset, mixed opinions have been formed. Many are perplexed by the combination of an SUV being made by Lamborghini. The Urus has been designed to fill the need for a high class everyday vehicle with luggage space providing room for various needs.

Porsche made the tricky transition from building sports cars to building SUV’s with the release of the Cayenne in 2002. Lamborghini have been fairly late in joining the SUV market in relation to their competitors. However, some would say that the move was long overdue and it has expanded their horizons to building cars that are considered to be the backbone for many large families. Lamborghini have climbed aboard the SUV bandwagon yet the Urus still remains only a concept. However, in true Lamborghini fashion, its heart beats with a v12 5.2 litre engine with the ability to reach 130mph. Comprehending the price of a Lamborghini usually leaves you feeling slightly faint, yet the Urus is set at a fairly modest price. Expected to be priced at £100k, the Urus outlines the future of the SUV market and navigates the way for future designers. In any market, recession or boom being able to buy a brand new Lamborghini for £100k is considered to be a sports car bargain. Overall I believe that the Lamborghini Urus is a game changer, something to broaden the designing mind-sets of the world. A interesting combination of sports car expertise implemented to the design of a typically boring looking class of cars has inevitably created something which is a fusion of the two. A SUV with a sports car appeal, something never seen before and something which I assure, will be seen again.

AF

Revealed at the New York Motor Show, the new Dodge Viper was launched as a high performance supercar; that is to say they stuck the letters SRT (Street and Racing Technology) on it.

We’re not entirely sure whether the acronym means that this car is suitable for racing on a track and racing in the street like Vin Diesel in a really bad film or whether it means you can race on a track and nip to Tesco’s in comfort. We suspect it’s not intended to mean the latter.

The new Viper certainly sounds every part a super car. Despite Greenpeace, the engine is a massive 8.4-litre V10 that produces 631bhp.

Thanks to a lightweight body made from aluminium and (you guessed it) carbon fibre, the new Viper is 45kg lighter than the old model. The reduced weight gets this snake from 0-62mph in just over three seconds; it will keep going until it reaches a top speed of 206mph!

The new car should handle better than the last Viper, with a new stability control system to keep you facing the right way and keep your face out of a wall. As well as the Vin Diesel SRT car, there's also a GTS version with all the stuff you will find in a Ford Mondeo, like leather, electric seats and cruise control.

According to the press release, refinement and quality have both been worked on and the new Viper is more comfortable and luxurious. According to us, it’s very unlikely this will be the case. Don’t expect ‘Audi fit and finish’. The new Viper will, in all likelihood be a fire breathing, tarmac melting, wheelie bin… admittedly a pretty cool wheelie bin.

Oh and don’t expect to be able to buy one in the UK; you’ve got more chance of finding a lump of Kryptonite in Swindon than you do a Dodge Viper in Surrey.

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Nissan revealed its plans to build a new compact car called the Invitation, at its facility in Sunderland.

The £125m investment is expected to create 2000 jobs. 400 posts will be needed at the Sunderland plant; another 1,600 jobs are to be created in the supply chain.

Naturally almost everyone from the commercial world welcomed the news, resulting in an echo of people and organisations “welcoming the news”.

Unsurprisingly, politicians also welcomed the news, especially those in government who have supported the project with a £9.3m grant.

The Sunderland plant is now the largest car factory in the UK. The manufacturer is expecting to build 100,000 units a year of the Invitation, a car that will be positioned to compete with the Ford Focus and VW Polo. The marketing blurb will undoubtedly accentuate the car’s fuel efficiency figures, but they are unlikely to be released anytime soon.

The new Nissan will have stiff competition, especially if a new Fiesta is released with styling similar to that of the Mondeo concept. Luckily, the styling is thought to be similar to the concept car from Geneva. If this stands to be true when the car is released next year, Nissan could well be onto a winner.

Oh, and as for the awful name, thankfully it’s a work in progress.

New cars, define motor shows. This is especially true of Geneva because it’s the first chance manufacturers get to show off their new models.

The Lamborghini Aventador was an imposing presence on media day, mainly because it is huge…and stunning.  The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta also drew a crowd, mainly because it’s a new Ferrari.

Land Rover confirmed that they really are serious about a convertible Evoque, even if we're not, and Jaguar launched an estate version of their XF, but gave it a silly name; the ‘XF Sportbrake’.

There were couple of surprises for the opening day. Firstly, Vauxhall won car of 2012 with their Ampera, a car that alternates between electric power and fuel depending on the speed your doing. Essentially this is a ‘proper’ hybrid car and for that reason, we don’t think it should have won. Until Hydrogen cars are brought into production, hybrids and full electric cars should be treated as a stopgap and if we’re really honest, a fad. Frankly any of the models mentioned before the Ampera could have been car of the year. (The standard Evoque came in fourth place with the VW-up taking second).

The second surprise is a car that will never be car of any year and probably won’t win any awards, ever; the Bentley EXP9F.

If the name wasn’t an indication that this car is going to awful, it’s looks should definitely do the trick.

Essentially, it’s an SUV. Bentley is trying to take a slice of the Range Rover market, but their EXP 9 F Concept is so vulgar, so uncouth, even Wayne Rooney might think this is a step too far (…ok perhaps not).

I really hope Bentley go back to the drawing board and re-think this one. It makes sense for them to have a bash at an SUV, but not in this current guise.