An electric car and a combustion sports car parked side by side on a mountain road
driving tours

Electric vs. Combustion — the Driving-Tour Debate

This isn’t a hypothetical debate for this fleet — it’s one this series has actually tested, repeatedly, with real results rather than assumptions.

Where electric has already won

The Rolls-Royce Spectre won its own comparison specifically on silence and instant torque — not a marginal win, a genuine difference in kind from either combustion rival in that test. There’s no engine note to isolate against because there’s no engine, and 900 Nm arrives the instant a foot moves rather than building through a rev range. That’s a real, measurable advantage on a specific set of terms, not a hypothetical one.

1EV win, on silence and instant torque
2+hybrid wins, on throttle response and balance
3+pure-combustion wins, on character and engagement

Where hybrids have already won

The McLaren Artura beat two pure-combustion McLarens on throttle response specifically — the electric motor’s instant torque-fill closing a gap neither turbocharged nor naturally aspirated engines could fully match on a road built entirely out of corners. The Ferrari 296 GTB has also won on all-round balance against both a pure-combustion V8 and a more powerful hybrid rival. The pattern isn’t “hybrids are simply better” — it’s that hybrid assistance solves a specific, real problem (throttle lag) better than either pure alternative in the right conditions.

Where pure combustion still wins

Naturally aspirated engines have made and won real arguments too — the naturally aspirated V10 shared by the Audi R8 and Lamborghini Huracán has come up repeatedly as the emotional and character-driven pick even against more powerful hybrid and turbocharged rivals, and it’s won outright on more than one occasion. The case isn’t nostalgia. It’s that some drivers, on some roads, genuinely value the directness of unassisted throttle response over a faster spec sheet.

The honest conclusion

This series hasn’t settled the debate, and it isn’t going to — because the actual answer depends on what specific thing is being measured. Silence and instant response: electric wins. Closing the gap on outright responsiveness without losing power: hybrids win. Raw, unfiltered character: pure combustion still has a real case. All three approaches are represented across this fleet, and all three have won something.

Curious which approach fits a specific trip? Get in touch and we’ll talk through it honestly, not with a predetermined answer.

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Frequently asked questions

Has this fleet's electric car actually won a road test?

Yes — the Rolls-Royce Spectre won its own comparison on silence and instant torque, arguing something no combustion car in this fleet can fully match on that specific metric.

Have hybrids beaten pure combustion cars in this series?

Yes, more than once — the McLaren Artura won on throttle response against two pure-combustion McLarens, and several V6/V8 hybrids have won or placed well against naturally aspirated and turbocharged rivals.

Is pure combustion actually losing this debate across the series?

No — naturally aspirated engines have won on character and driver engagement in several tests, including against hybrid rivals. The real pattern is that each approach wins on a different specific metric, not that one has settled the argument.