35 YEARS OF BBDC
Autocar UK|November 01, 2023
There have been plenty of changes to 'Handling Day' since 1989 - although in some ways, not much has changed at all. Illya Verpraet takes a look back
35 YEARS OF BBDC

The fundamentals of Autocar's BBDC event have never changed: we assemble a field as varied as possible of that year's best driver's cars and then decide which is the most fun.

However, making the field varied is a more difficult exercise now than it was 34 years ago, because the bottom has fallen out of the performance car market.

In 1989, the cheapest contender was the £9350 Renault 5 GT Turbo and the most expensive the £47,697 Ferrari 328 GTB. In 2023, the most affordable, the Honda Civic Type R, costs more than the Ferrari did back in the day. Even with inflation in mind, that's a sobering statistic.

We've also brought science and democracy to the process over the years. In 1989, there were no scores, no lap times, not even a basic factfile on the contenders.

"The original motivation behind this rare gathering of contemporary handling greats, and we make no bones about it, was to have a good time," David Vivian explained.

One thing that hasn't changed is Porsches doing well. Rather than arriving with a brown envelope in the glovebox, they're just incredibly consistently good. Is the following sentence about the winning 1989 944 S2 or this year's 911 GT3 RS? "The [Porsche's] limits were very high, yet it approached them with such grace and easy confidence, it was virtually impossible not to be seduced." It could be either.

HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE

'Handling Day' was conceived for us to see how road cars would behave when pushed to the limit on a track, so it remained a track-only event for years, with just a mention here and there about a car's behaviour on the road. It took us until 2004 to include a score for road driving. Not that it made a massive difference to the overall result: the Noble M400 was simply brilliant wherever you drove it.

Esta historia es de la edición November 01, 2023 de Autocar UK.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición November 01, 2023 de Autocar UK.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE AUTOCAR UKVer todo
Poster car that went from rusty to trusty
Autocar UK

Poster car that went from rusty to trusty

One evening, two years ago, George Pappas was being driven down his local high street by a mate and mulling over whether to replace his Mk4 Golf diesel, a recent purchase that was boring him to death, when his girlfriend, also in the car, spotted an old BMW 3 Series at the side of the road with a 'for sale' sign in the window.

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 13, 2024
THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF
Autocar UK

THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF

The current-gen XC90 has been on sale since 2015 for good reason

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 13, 2024
GENESIS ELECTRIFIED G80
Autocar UK

GENESIS ELECTRIFIED G80

Where the story begins, in the Hyundai premium marque’s luxury saloon

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 13, 2024
LEXUSLBX
Autocar UK

LEXUSLBX

Can you shrink premium quality to fit an SUV this small? We now know

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 13, 2024
Rolls boss ready to 'define the next chapter'
Autocar UK

Rolls boss ready to 'define the next chapter'

Nine months into the job, Rolls-Royce CEO and car guy Chris Brownridge tells STEVE CROPLEY what he's learned and where the firm's heading

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 13, 2024
Once more, with feeling
Autocar UK

Once more, with feeling

AC Cars' recreation of the classic MkII Cobra is at first glance a faithful facsimile of a 1960s performance benchmark. SIMON HUCKNALL drives it

time-read
7 minutos  |
November 13, 2024
MERCEDES-BENZ CLE
Autocar UK

MERCEDES-BENZ CLE

Does a PHEV set-up work in a coupé that exudes such old-school vibes?

time-read
9 minutos  |
November 13, 2024
ANALOGUE SUPERSPORT
Autocar UK

ANALOGUE SUPERSPORT

Lotus Elise specialist uprates 1990s icon with an eye on track days

time-read
4 minutos  |
November 13, 2024
ALPINE A290
Autocar UK

ALPINE A290

The hot hatch is alive and well, and living in France. On both road and track, there's much to savour`

time-read
5 minutos  |
November 13, 2024
UK HANGS ON TO OLD CARS
Autocar UK

UK HANGS ON TO OLD CARS

Average car age climbs as high prices dampen demand for new models

time-read
2 minutos  |
November 13, 2024