Who doesn’t love a homegrown hero? Here at GRR, we’re very quick to champion the very best of British on road and on track, and not just when it comes to classics. Today, British brands are still cranking out some brilliant road cars. Opulent limos, searing supercars, tough-off roaders and increasingly electrified items are beginning to arrive from British brands And while we don’t quite do cars for the masses anymore, we still get the job done when it comes to lightweight, back-to-basics performance machines too. Here are our top nine British cars for 2023.
The nine best British cars to buy in 2023
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McLaren Artura
Probably the most important Mclaren and, in fact, probably one of the most important British cars of the moment, is the Artura. While not exactly a consumer item, this is a plug-in hybrid vehicle that will be sold at relative volume, having been built in the UK. For McLaren, it also signifies the arrival of in-house chassis construction and an all-new V6, as well as hybridisation. It drops numbers for a proper name, it debuts a new platform and, truthfully, it sets the tone for McLaren going forward. A good job then that it’s pretty damn good, save for some delays and reliability issues. We’re confident when they get underway with this thing, it’s going to be a great buy indeed.
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Morgan Super 3
On the other end of the scale is the Morgan Super 3, proof that even the most antiquated of concepts can be overhauled for the 2020s. A new aluminium structure and Ford three-cylinder engine have done nothing to dull the delights the Three-Wheeler was always famous for. This is grass-roots, back-to-basics driving, in a quirky, steampunk-style package that’s more usable than ever before. If you don’t love a three-wheeled Moggy, it’s a red flag, as that’s tantamount to simply not liking fun.
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Jaguar F-Type
Speaking of manual transmissions, the updated Jaguar F-Type we drove sadly no longer offers a three-pedal option which is perhaps unsurprising, although the supercharged V6 with a six-speed manual was always our pick of the first generation. Thankfully the F-Type does remain delightfully old school in one respect by offering a vocal V8 driving just the rear wheels, although it does mean settling for a mere 450PS (331kW) rather than the 575PS (423kW) offered in the all-wheel-drive F-Type R. The restyle is perhaps a bit less characterful around the front end but the rear is as attractive as ever and it is still capable of leaving many other drivers with that view receding into the distance.
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Rolls-Royce Spectre
If any car could be undeniably suited to electrification, it’s a Rolls-Royce. Inimitable timeless style that doesn’t need adjusting to reflect its change of heart, truly silent effortless power, what’s not to like? Well, the fact the new Spectre weighs almost three tonnes is a touch alarming. Then again, it’s not like Rolls has ever been the last authority in Superleggera motoring. With near-on 600PS (441kW) and with over 300 miles of range, this successor to both the Wraith and Phantom Coupes will define what we expect from Rolls-Royce going forward, knowing that in the past, Rolls-Royce has offered nothing but the best.
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Aston Martin DBX707
‘When to go SUV’ is a dilemma faced by all sportscar manufacturers in recent times and, given the profitability of the segment, did famous loss maker Aston Martin play it wrong by dragging its feet? On the evidence of the DBX and, indeed, the hot DBX707 version that went on sale in 2022, not a bit of it. This is a fantastic performance SUV that blends genuine fun, outrageous capability, luxury, comfort and style into one package. Save for the slightly garish updates to the looks, this thing is a boon. We’re o-so glad Aston took the time to build its own factory and develop its own platform, rather than borrow someone else’s and make a thin attempt at ‘Astoning’ it. It looks like the investment is paying off too.
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Land Rover Defender
Has there been a more eagerly anticipated and also argued over launch in recent times? Not even the new Toyota Supra had as many people rage-quitting owners’ club forums. Well, if you want an old car, go and buy one as the new Defender is thankfully night and day in terms of dynamics, performance, comfort and safety compared to its venerable forebear. Looks are of course subjective but thankfully the new car more than matches the off (and weirdly on) road prowess of its predecessor, as we found out recently.
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Lotus Emira
The 2,000PS all-electric Evija might have been Lotus’s big statement car to be a halo for its comeback, but it’s the Lotus Emira thus far that’s actually bringing home the bacon. Selling more cars in 12 months than they did in the previous six years, the Emira takes what was great about the Evora and drags it into the 2020s in terms of design, quality and technology. The result is a car you could genuinely recommend to someone in the market for a sportscar and not have to make too many apologies for deficits in appeal compared to a Porsche. The few thousand that got their orders in early are lucky, given Lotus is fighting to keep up with demand, and for good reason.
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Bentley Flying Spur
The Bentley Flying Spur might be the definitive Bentley of the moment, seamlessly marrying the implied luxury of the Flying B with serious performance and driver engagement. It entirely fits the remit of a rival to Rolls-Royce that’s a joy to drive as well as be driven in. Any one of the current Spurs is worth a look, though the Plug-in Hybrid, W12-engined Speed and V8S are a cut above. Choose per your individual needs and desires and enjoy one of the finest all-round motorcars money can buy.
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Gordon Murray T.33
We’ll spare you the 11,000rpm V12 manual hyperbole. All that stuff is fairly common knowledge when it comes to what Gordon Murray offers. It’s the back-to-basics ethos, the emphasis on lightweighting and the pride of agility in what GMA does that’s exciting. This is a small company with an unwavering vision, that through ingenuity and efficiency can achieve things the bean counters at enormous automotive conglomerates simply don’t think is possible. As for the GMA T.33 itself, well, it’s final proof that as a supercar maker, GMA is out from under the shadow of the McLaren F1, instead deferring to the timeless style of ‘60s racers, while still offering that incredible engine and a stick shift. What’s more, there should be more of them too, with the 100 T.33s already spoken for being joined by two further 100-car runs of yet-to-be-revealed T.33 derivations. We’re excited for the T.33 along with everything else that GMA has done and will do.
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