Who doesn’t love something shiny and new?
When we were kids, a shiny quarter from grandma did just the trick to make us feel like we had just won a million bucks. As adults, well, our desires for something new and shiny go just a bit further than grandma’s quarter.
We’re hardcore car enthusiasts at Xtreme Xperience and one of the perks (trust us, there’s plenty) get to see some truly incredible vehicles roll through our facility every single season, but even our crack team of car buyers can’t nab all the newest and best sports cars for 2022. I mean, we did grab the ultimate sports car 2022, the Porsche GT3 (which you can read about here) but there are still plenty of other cars out there that slip through our enthusiast fingers.
Rather than lament, we think it’s best to celebrate these missed opportunities and tell you why we’re so excited that these rides are hitting the streets for 2022.
Let’s get into it!
2022 Aston Martin Valkyrie
Okay, so let’s just start out by saying that the 2022 Valkyrie is insane. How insane? How about 1160 horsepower insane!
We don’t know what they put in the water over at Aston Martin these days, but we’re not complaining because these crazy people have produced the Viking raid equivalent of a car. Much like the Ferrari 296GTB, the Valkyrie is a Formula 1 inspired mad machine that utilizes a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V-12, hooked up to a hybrid powertrain. This vehicle goes beyond the designation of a sports car, right past a supercar, and on up the tower of mad machines known as hypercars.
The engine spins to over 10,000 RPM and a 7-speed sequential gearbox provides a brutal, racecar-like experience that’s sure to make the uninitiated check their drawers once they hop on out of this machine. Everything about it is racecar inspired, and this barely street-legal creation easily screams to the top of the list for the most fanciful, most insane sporting cars to be hitting the street in 2022. Oh, and it’s going to sell for north of $3 million dollars. Gulp.
Will any of us normal types get our hands on it? Probably not, but hey, we can dream, right?
2023 Corvette Z06
It’s hard to imagine that the C8 Corvette could get any better, but that’s exactly what Chevrolet did with the 2023 Corvette Z06. (Yes, we know technically it’s a 2023, but fingers crossed we get to see one this year!)
When the launch videos started to hit the internet for this monster, there was so much buzz that car enthusiasts like us couldn’t get away from seeing, hearing, and experiencing this soon-to-be monster Corvette. GM took everything fantastic about the C8 platform and dialed everything up another notch, making it competitive with the best vehicles from Europe and beyond.
It all starts with the engine on a proper sports car, and Chevrolet has broken every expectation with the Z06 by stuffing in a DOHC flat-plane crank V-8 that shrieks to 8600 (!!!) RPM and cranks out 670 horsepower. All without the aid of forced induction. To us, this really just seemed like it couldn’t be real, but sure enough, GM pulled this off and somehow will offer the Z06 at a price that undercuts its competition by tens of thousands of dollars.
We’re excited about this version of the Corvette because, well, we love our C8 and this track-focused machine (complete with massive brakes, aerodynamic goodies, and a dynamic suspension) is sure to thrill anyone within 5 miles of this shrieking monster.
This remarkable machine is only the beginning of a long line of ultra-performance Corvette’s that will likely also blow the doors off European competition.
2022 Ferrari 296GTB
If you happen to love racing as much as we do, then you no doubt know that the enthusiasts at Ferrari compete in just about every racing series on the planet.
Most notable is Ferrari’s long (and dramatic) foray into the world of Formula 1. When you think of Formula 1, one of the first places your mind likely goes is right to the team that dons the Rosso Red from Maranello. Why does this all matter for 2022 sports cars? Well, because the new 2022 Ferrari 296GTB has a heart and soul that’s a direct descendent of the Formula 1 Hybrid era.
Let’s just start with the power: 819 BHP. Yes, you read that right, the Ferrari 296GTB produces over 800 horsepower from a hybrid powerplant. No, this isn’t your college friend’s Prius here. This is a relatively tiny 3.0L twin-turbo V-6 engine with a dizzying 8500 RPM redline, augmented by a powerful electric motor and 7.5-kWh battery pack.
Proportions on this new Ferrari are tidy, and Ferrari claims that the 296GTB will be light, tossable, and offer a fun-to-drive factor that wipes the floor with just about everything else on the market. They’ve worked in an active rear spoiler and a bespoke style cabin into the mix that promises more luxury than ever from the intrepid Italian’s.
Count us in! We can’t wait to see what type of power and panache this thing produces when it hits the streets in 2022.
2022 Nissan Z
Sure, the Z06 and the Ferrari get all the press because of their prodigious power, insane handling, and super exclusivity – but what about cars for those of us that can’t mortgage our home to put a supercar in the driveway?
There are few cars that have the sports car pedigree of the Nissan Z, and lucky for us enthusiasts who may not have a mansion in the hills or a private island named after our cat, they’ve brought the humble Z back in grand fashion. Sexy retro styling, proper rear-driven balance, and a stout 400 horsepower hooked up to a short-throw 6-speed manual are just some of the highlights.
Let’s be honest here, the 350Z and 370Z have formed the backbone of the true enthusiast community for nearly 20 years now and that’s precisely why the 2022 Nissan Z is so important to the enthusiast community. This is a car that most people can actually afford, and it comes with an excellent twin-turbo V-6 that will blow the doors off anything in its price range.
We know looks are subjective, but come on now. Just look at this thing and tell us you don’t want to slide behind that wheel and blast through the gears on your favorite windy road.
2022 992 Porsche 911 GT3
We’re particularly excited about this one because wait for it, we’re getting one delivered soon!
Yes, for the 2022 season, you will be able to pilot a legendary Porsche GT3 with the tutelage of the best driving instructors in the country, on the best tracks near you! We recently did a full write-up on the 992 GT3 (you can read that here) that covers all the details.
The short and sweet of it is that Porsche 911 GT3 is arguably the most focused track car on the planet, but it does so without being insane (like the Valkyrie) and without involving massive, 800, or 1000 horsepower engines. What Porsche has created is a true, track-ready sports car that offers all of the Porsche rear-engined goodness, a shrieking (and we do mean shrieking) naturally aspirated flat-six and chassis that was honed from the handling Gods.
We can’t wait to get people behind the wheel of this remarkable driving machine. Some will laugh, some will cry, but everyone will have a damn good time!
What Supercar Do You Want To Drive?
So, which one of these sporting machines do you want to drive the most? Is it the all-American meets Italy compilation that is the Corvette Z06? How about the classically styled, every man’s sports car that is the Nissan Z?
Whatever you dream of, you can grab a slice of the joy that is driving a bespoke supercar or sports car and join us at a track or Open Road event near you.
So, what are you waiting for? See you on the track!