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Many car brands choose to go one of two ways when naming their new or updated models: simple and alpha-numeric, or completely creative (and arguably, somewhat bonkers). In the lead-up to Halloween, we found some of the most ghoulish vehicle monikers of 2025.
We all know the only way to get rid of a demon, monster or vampire is to vanquish them. Or, you could try showing them the price of the Aston Martin Vanquish, and they may just disintegrate on the spot.
"Okay, deep breath. The 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish will cost $737,000 before options and on-road costs when it arrives in Australia. Given you really must tick a few boxes on the Q by Aston Martin bespoke personalisation sheet to give it your own flair, and that the tax department does not consider a two-seat, V12 Aston Martin to be a primary producer car, you’ll be pushing close to a seven-figure invoice to see your Vanquish on the road."
Still, he gave it an eight out of 10, rating its performance most favourably among the criteria at a 9.3 out of 10.
"The 2025 Aston Martin Vanquish is both beauty and beast, a sumptuous, sonorous and stylish tourer that will turn heads wherever you go," he wrote.
Steven Spielberg's classic film Jaws (which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year) is enough proof that sharks are indeed scary – even for those who choose to stay out of the water.
Though not so scary, like 'Bruce' the mechanical shark from Jaws, the BYD Shark 6 is not laden with bells and whistles, but it gets the job done.
When Drive off-road editor Sam Purcell reviewed the Shark 6 earlier this year, he commended its value for money – giving it an 8.5 for that criteria and a score of 7.4 out of 10 overall.
"For those who do want to get into a Shark 6, the only other thing they really need to think about is colour (and there aren't many of those either). There are no range trim levels to worry about, and the single offering comes with an impressive range of standard kit for the $57,900 plus on-road costs asking price," he wrote.
"When you compare this fact alone against what similar money gets you in a D-Max, HiLux or Ranger, the value-for-money quotient in the Shark 6 is mighty impressive."
It's no coincidence the spider has featured in horror films for decades. From 1955's Tarantula to 2024's Sting – our fear of the eight-legged creepy crawlies is alive and kicking (and perhaps screaming).
The name 'Spider' (or sometimes 'Spyder') is not unique to Ferrari's convertibles. It is actually named for the eight-spoked, 'spider-like' wheels of the original sports car – a roofless, horse-drawn carriage called a Phaeton.
The name stuck, and car makers including Alfa Romeo, McLaren, Porsche and others have used the moniker for its sports cars and roadsters for about 70 years.
Ferrari's latest version, the Roma Spider, received an 8.7 out of 10 rating from James Ward when he tested it in 2023.
"Ferrari has managed to blend a supermodel, with a movie star, and a rock god to create a car that may not excel in any one way, but offers a sublime and mature combination of all three," he wrote at the time.
In Greek mythology, Scorpius was the scorpion that killed Orion after the latter boasted he could kill every animal. According to the myth, Zeus put each in the sky as a constellation as a reminder of their story. The two constellations are never seen in the sky at the same time – Orion sets as Scorpius rises.
The star-sign 'Scorpio' is named for Scorpius, and those born under the sign are said to exhibit more ruthless and somewhat terrifying personality traits than most other signs. Sorry, Scorpios (also, happy birthday!).
The Mahindra Scorpio is a bit less complex than its namesake star sign. The four-wheel-drive wagon was put through its paces by Sam Purcell in 2023, and one thing in particular stood out.
"The value of the Scorpio is far and away its strongest asset, and Mahindra has come to the market with a properly competitive drive-away price to entice buyers into consideration," he wrote at the time.
I don't believe in ghosts, but I can't resist a good ghost story. Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights and even Dickens's A Christmas Carol are favourites.
I think I'm drawn to the ones set in grand houses, steeped in history. The kind of homes where you might find a Rolls-Royce in the driveway – maybe even a Ghost.
The stately sedan is said to be "the driver's Rolls-Royce" owing to its slightly more compact size to a typical, likely chauffeur-driven model.
Still, it's not small by any stretch of the imagination, at 5.5 metres in length and almost two metres wide, there's nothing ghostly about its presence on the road.
When Drive tested the 2022 Black Badge model, reviewer Justin Narayan gave it an 8.6 out of 10, rating it most highly for its interior comfort at a 9.8 out of 10.
Owned by royals, celebrities and the exceedingly rich – yet usually not driven by them – 'Phantom' is an apt name for this luxury chariot; there only when summoned, elusive to all but a select few.
"The Phantom remains at the top of its rarefied segment," he wrote. "It’s more than just a range-topper, it’s also a manifesto for the whole future of the Rolls-Royce brand."
* Manufacturer’s recommended list price, subject to change, provided for indicative purposes only.
Jemimah is Drive's Consumer Editor. She has more than a decade of editorial experience and has previously worked in property and lifestyle journalism for Domain, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald and REA Group, among many other publications.
