My Car of the Year 1960-2019 (Part 6: The 2010s)
- Dylan Draper
- Jul 22, 2020
- 3 min read
2010: Lexus LFA
The LFA is the only really brilliant car released in 2010, so it easily takes the award. The LFA is Lexus's first attempt at a true high performance car and based on its perfection, they haven't needed to bother again since. Featuring a 550hp V10 and a CFRP monocoque, critics such as Jay Leno, Chris Harris and Jeremy Clarkson loved the car, with Clarkson going as far to say it is his all time favourite car.
2011: McLaren 12C
There was another Porsche 911 in 2011, as well as the Lamborghini Aventador, but I'll go with another first time supercar- the McLaren 12C. Despite having a name from a photocopier, the 12C was technical perfection. It was a good drive too, and was faster around the Top Gear track than both the Ferrari 458 and Lamborghini Gallardo.
2012: Toyota 86
This was the car that made fun performance motoring affordable again. The 86 (or, in some circles, the Subaru BRZ or Scion FRS) was a peppy little car with a turbo four cylinder engine and Prius rear tyres. These tyres were deliberate; they gave the car a hilariously loose rear end, letting it slide all over the place and making it critically lauded as a performance car.
2013: McLaren P1
2013 was a good year;Corvette C7, LaFerrari, McLaren P1, Mercedes G63 6x6, Porsche 918 and Rimac. Ultimately in a year with the hypercar trinity, I have to go with one of them, and my favourite is the McLaren P1. The Porsche is technical perfection, but the McLaren is just a mad car- while it isn't the fastest (as Jeremy Clarkson's house abruptly found out), it has mad handling and insane levels of power that make it a legend of the performance car scene.
2014: Ford Mustang
2014 was just as good as the last year; BMW i8 and M4, Ford Mustang, Lamborghini Huracan and Mercedes-AMG GT. I'll go for the Mustang simply because it brought the muscle car to the masses in the same way the 86 brought back the affordable performance car two years earlier. Featuring all the muscle car staples- big V8, drift mode button and affordable price- it proved to be a sales hit.
2015: Audi R8
2015 was pretty good too: Aston Martin Vulcan, Audi R8, Chevy Camaro, Ferrari 488, Koenigsegg Regera, Mazda MX5 and McLaren 570S. While the Vulcan is my favourite, it isn't road legal and technically illegal for this list. With that gone, I'll go with the R8. It's the perfect everyday supercar, featuring a big V10 and brilliant dynamics.
2016: BMW M2
As it has been for the last few years, 2016 had a ton of interesting cars. Aston DB11, BMW M2, Bugatti Chiron, Porsche 718 Boxster, Skoda Kodiaq and Volvo S90. AS incredible as the Chiron is, I'll go with the M2 as it was, as most critics say, the closest anyone has got to the legendary E30 M3. Featuring a turbo V6 and joyful chassis dunamics, it's significantly cheaper and better than the modern M4.
2017: McLaren 720S
Let's see... Ferrari 812, Jeep JL Wrangler, Lamborghini Urus, McLaren 720S, Polestar One, and Range Rover Velar. I'll go with the 720S just above the Urus. The McLaren is a truly brilliant super car. The car features new innovations in brakes and suspension, as well as one of the most aerodynamically efficient shapes in recent years, mated to a twin turbo V8.
2018: McLaren Senna
The contenders this year were the Aston DBS Superleggera, BMW Z4, Brabham BT62 (AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE), Ford Focus, McLaren Senna and Speedtail, and Porsche 992. McLaren have been on fire lately and I have to give this one to the brilliant McLaren Senna. The Senna is a brilliant track car; it's one of the fastest road legal cars every with its truly massive aero package, as well as the same engine as last year's winner, the 720S. Also, I've seen one in real life!
2019: Porsche Taycan
In the most recent completed year, as well as the final in this series, cars that stood out included the Corvette C8, Ferrari F8 Tributo and SF90 Stradale, Koenigsegg Jesko, Lamborghini Sian, Land Rover Defender, McLaren GT, Pininfarina Battista and Porsche Taycan. While a honorable mention goes to the C8 (which is NOT as bad as some say), I have to give this to the Taycan. The Taycan has revolutionised the electric car scene; while Tesla has had straights perfected for a long time, this is an electric car that can really handle. Maybe we'll see a lot more of them soon.
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