Eagle Spyder GT

Just take a moment to gaze over the Eagle Spyder GT. Go on. We’ve caught glimpses of it before, but this is the first car that’s been built, and it’s the first time it’s been seen on the road. Gorgeous, isn’t it? But then we expect nothing less from the East Sussex-based restorer, whose Jaguar E type based creations have been delighting us for years now. There’s 330bhp and 340lb ft on offer thanks to a custom, 4.7-litre straight six. That’s enough to propel the Spyder GT from 0-60mph in less than five seconds, and on to a top speed in excess of 170mph. Which, in a drop top, should be pretty intoxicating. And loud. And blowy. But that’s only a fraction of the story. It’s the relentlessness of the car’s restoration and improvement – a process known as ‘restomodding’ – that’s almost as beautiful as the E-type’s sweeping lines. To save future repetition, let’s get this over with now – everything, and we do mean everything, is bespoke. That includes the aluminium monocoque, aluminium gearbox, aluminium engine and magnesium components, each engineered in exquisite detail. An adjustable front anti-roll bar, fully adjustable Öhlins dampers aand AP Racing brakes should ensure the 1,029kg Spyder is more than just a (very) pretty face, too. Admit it, you really want a go.

Ford GT

TG gets the full inside track on Ford's 638bhp, 216mph GT supercar However, the wing is not the GT’s only party piece. The active aero is clever, but what makes it really special is that it works in sync with the active chassis. The GT’s normal ride height is 120mm, but rotate the five-mode driving-style dial (more about that in a minute) to VMax or Race mode, and the car drops like it’s falling in a vacuum on its Multimatic DSSV dampers to 70mm. It also jumps instantly back up to 120mm like it has been electrocuted when the dial is turned the other way. When a few millimetres difference in ride height can mean a second’s improvement in lap time on a racer, you start to get the idea how this 50mm drop, along with all the other aero bits, could completely change the GT’s performance.

Volkswagen W12

What you’re looking at here is a Volkswagen supercar. And while that’s brave enough in itself (just think about how dismal the sales figures were for the otherwise brilliant Phaeton), it’s so much more than that. This is the car that finally debuted Volkswagen’s most ambitious engine project, ever – the W-shaped (twin-V) engines. Of course, they’d been hinted at with a mock-up in the Audi Avus concept of 1991, but this was the first time a working Volkswagen W engine had burst on to the scene.

Honda Civic

The new Honda Civic will be familiar to fans of the old one, as Honda takes a leaf out of Volkswagen’s design handbook and goes for evolution rather than revolution. Because of this, the five-door only Civic (a Honda Civic Tourer is also available) remains an unusual looker, with the pyramidal outline spiced up this time round by a set of flowing wave-like creases along the sides. There’s no missing the beak-like black grille surround either. Oh, and it finally gets a rear wiper too.

Big news for 2013 was the launch of a long-awaited 1.6 diesel for the new Honda Civic. It followed that up last year with a chassis retune, and now Honda’s finally facelifted the rest of it, giving the Civic a sharp new nose and much more attitude. At last, it’s the real deal. And not before time. Total Price   £18,180 – £32,295

Highlights from the range

Highlights from the range

Title	0–62	CO2	MPG	BHP	Price
THE FASTEST 2.0 i-VTEC Type R 5dr	5.7s	170g/km	38.7	310	£29,645
THE CHEAPEST 1.0 VTEC Turbo S 5dr	10.4s	110g/km	58.9	129	£18,180
THE GREENEST 1.6 i-DTEC SE Plus 5dr [Nav]	10.5s	94g/km	78.5	120	£21,900

Honda NSX

An AWD V6 hyper-hybrid that’s been a decade in the making – and the revival of a nameplate not seen since 2005, when the Aytron Senna-developed original ceased production. Why have we waited so long? The NSX’s gestation was somewhat troubled, with Honda considering a N/A V10 before settling on a V6, and then deciding to add twin-turbos and rotate it through 90 degrees for better weight distribution. 

Developed in the USA and built as a showcase for Honda’s engineering might, the NSX is a horn in the side of the Audi R8, Ferrari 488 and McLaren 570S.