The electric revolution is a scary place to be if you’re a carmaker. Performance metrics have basically been crumpled up and chucked in the bin, ideas of refinement suddenly uprated to the point where some cars make you feel like you’ve gone very slightly deaf. Previous bars superseded not by margins, but miles. But there’s one place where electricity hasn’t quite nailed it yet: the art and soul of performance. Why? Because to people who like driving, ‘performance’ has turned out to be a much more nuanced argument than any set of statistics can provide. Being fast isn’t the argument ender that it once was.
Of course, change is normal and rarely without issues, the process of evolution uncomfortable and sticky. Cars and technology are not a static thing – if they were, we’d still be hand cranking grease nipples on a Model T, repairing leather drive belts and burning ourselves with pilot flames.
But the fact remains that while electric motivation is largely excellent at specific tasks, it’s not a magic bullet. And this is a problem that we must address. If electric is going to democratise pure speed, then performance EVs are going to have to quantify what else makes a good sports car.
And that question has many different answers. The truth is, human nature likes a quirk, identifies with imperfection. Just ask any Alfa enthusiast. The glossy effectiveness of electric drivetrains just seems too perfect somehow, too emotionally smooth, too cold, too slick.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 2024-Ausgabe von BBC TopGear India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 2024-Ausgabe von BBC TopGear India.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Does It Fly?
2024 TVS APACHE RR 310 ₹2.75 Lakh - ₹2.97 Lakh (ex-showroom)
Is It A Scooter? Is It A Bike? No! It Is The BMW CE 02
It is rare when you come across a moment where a company brings out a vehicle into the market without knowing who exactly they want to sell it to.
Aston Martin Valkyrie
The Aston Martin Valkyrie still looks like nothing else on four wheels. Probably because it isn’t.
ONE-MAN BAND
We are a cynical bunch of people as we try our best to narrow down our vision and focus on the things that are lacking.
CRISIS AVERTED! THE EXISTENTIAL KIND
Finally, the Yezdi Adventure won’t be suffering from an existential crisis anymore.
ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN
ALTHOUGH IT IS A PERENNIAL ORDEAL FOR ANY MOTORCYCLIST to feel sad while parting ways with a motorcycle, it became even sadder for me this time around.
TVS APACHE RTR 310
THE FIRST THING I WANT TO SAY IS - “IT IS A MENACE ON WHEELS”.
ACE OF BASE
What happens when you take Porsche's old school entry level model and give it a very not entry level upgrade? This is a 914 as you've never seen it before
MOMS KNOW BEST
Volvo's XC90 was the stereotypical Soccer Mom car. So how will the all-electric EX90 be received among the soccer pitches of Orange County?
THE THEORYOF EVOLUTION
Ridged bladder seats, an inflating steering wheel and an AI track day coach... has Lotus hit on the supercar’s future, or gone mad’?