Our Britain's Best Driver's Car (BBDC) contest has been a highlight of the Autocar calendar for more than three decades. It's always memorable - although for every classic moment, there are a few more conspicuous moments.
We asked some of our BBDC stalwarts to pick their best and worst moments.
MATT SAUNDERS
Highs We've had some very competitive fields at BBDC over the years, and the one we assembled for the 30th anniversary of the competition in 2019, won by the brilliant Ariel Atom 4, will take a lot of beating. But, for me at least, it can be done.
Many will remember that we crowned the Toyota GT86 our BBDC champion the year it was launched in the UK, in 2012. But can you bring to mind some of the cars it beat? The 987-generation Porsche Cayman R; the first sixcylinder Lotus Exige, the S; the glorious second-generation Aston Martin Vanquish. And then there was one of my personal favourite German performance cars of all time: the 6.2-litre atmo V8 Mercedes C63 AMG Black Series Coupé.
What a field - maybe the very best vintage we've ever had. As I remember, the Lotus was fast but monumentally physical. The returning-champion Porsche was utterly delectable for its steering and handling balance, if a little too adhesive at times. And the Mercedes? Not so adhesive: its rear tyres were cooked within half an hour of the pitlane opening.
But it's the GT86 that I remember going back to time and again for another hilarious few laps around Bedford Autodrome's West Circuit.
For a tester who was still learning his trade, it was just so indulgent and benign through the track's longer, tighter, skiddable bends and so light on its tyres that it didn't matter if I needed three runs to nail my input timing.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 01, 2023-Ausgabe von Autocar UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 01, 2023-Ausgabe von Autocar UK.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
THE DRAMATIC ITALIAN THAT MARKED THE END OF AN ERA
When the Huracán bowed out, the curtain fell forever on Lambo's V10
HOW EV MAKERS CAN WIN THE RACE TO 5.0MPKWH
Manufacturers are honing every detail to close in on big efficiency goal
MASERATI MC20
We bid a sad farewell to a handsome supercar that was easy to live with
The quickening
Instant acceleration is part of the appeal of an EV, but is it all getting a bit much for unwary and inexperienced drivers? JOHN EVANS investigates
Inside track
Watching an F1 race with live access to engineers and telemetry is the stuff of dreams for racing fans. ALEX WOLSTENHOLME makes a day of it
WHOLE IN ONE
The Volkswagen Golf has been all things to all motorists for half a century. At the wheel of a classic Mk1, VICKY PARROTT charts the eight-generation history of one of the world's most successful cars
DACIA DUSTER
Mk3 model gains digital tech, ADAS, slicker looks... Is this mission creep?
MAZDA CX-80 PHEV
Another look at Mazda's hefty SUV, this time in plug-in hybrid form
VAUXHALL GRANDLAND ELECTRIC
Newcomer looks to ease the average family SUV driver into EV motoring
BMW X3 20 XDRIVE
Fourth generation of brand's best-seller arrives with base petrol engine