EVO Magazines 100 Greatest Drivers Cars...

[ScratchNSniff]

Countdown 100-91

From Ferrari to Ford to Lotus, from 250 GTO to Focus RS to 340R, we count down the 100 most inspiring cars to drive from the last 50 years. Will yours be on the list?



100 TOYOTA MR2 MK1
Go on, let your imagination rip. it’s a baby Ferrari 328. Well, no it isn’t. But if you like the feel of a well-sorted mid-engined chassis and the sound of an urgent multi-cam engine less than a foot from your head, the first generation MR2 is just the ticket. It’s zippy, economical, comfortable, fairly refined and loves to go sideways in the wet. What’s not to like?

Two little-known facts about the MR2. The chassis development team included racing god Dan Gurney. And in France they dropped the ‘2’ because MR2 sounded like ‘merde’.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1587cc Power: 124bhp Top speed: 121mph 0-60mph: 8.9sec Years: 1984 -89



99 FORD PUMA 1.7
Forget the hairdresser associations and Fiesta underpinnings (actually a big plus). Plain fact is, the Puma is one of the world’s most underrated drivers’ cars, delivering seat-of-the-pants finesse and drivetrain sweetness that are usually the preserve of far more exotic machinery. If you can’t have fun on a twisty road in this car see a doctor. The only Ford coupe that ever really nailed it.

Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1679cc Power: 123bhp Top speed: 122mph 0-60: 8.6sec Years: 1997-02



98 VOLKSWAGEN CORRADO VR6
By bunging a massaged version of the wonderful 2.8 V6 from the Golf VR6 into the prettier, lighter Corrado coupe, VW created an instant, Porsche 944-eating, classic. There was something about the shape and size, a leanness that hinted at keen responses and exceptional performance. It was no illusion. The Corrado flew to 60mph in 6.4sec and handled more engagingly than many rear-drive rivals.

Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: V6, 2861cc Power: 190bhp Top speed: 143mph 0-60: 6.2sec Years: 1992-96



97 FORD SIERRA COSWORTH
Flying the flag for all Sierra Cossies, the four-door four-wheel-drive Sapphire feels a bit crude today – the interior was cheap and plasticky even in the early ’90s despite leather Recaros – but an unmolested one still has a certain cool, and more to the point delivers an unadulterated hit of honest turbocharged thrust combined with secure but totally engaging handling. A true working class hero.

Layout: Front-engine, 4wd Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1993cc, turbo Power: 220bhp Top speed: 144mph 0-60: 6.6sec Years: 1990-93



96 TVR CERBERA SPEED SIX
Less raw and savage than the earlier Cerberas, the Speed Six is nevertheless constructed from the right stuff and, so long as you don’t take too many liberties, will happily blow any junior-to-middle-ranking Ferrari into the weeds. Question is, just how brave are you feeling? Fast and uncompromisingly furious, prepare for the oversteer and it might just be the thrill of your life.

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 6-cyl, 3966cc Power: 350bhp Top speed: 170mph 0-60: 5.0sec Years: 1998-04



95 JAGUAR XKR
The XKR presents a compelling argument for being the best pound-for-pound GT in the real world. Its combination of genuine luxury, continent-traversing speed, whispering noise levels and pile-driver punch between 100mph and 150mph is a bit special. And its chassis always manages to strike an uncanny balance between precision and pliancy that makes the miles melt engagingly away.

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 5000cc Power: 503bhp Top speed: 155mph 0-60: 4.6sec Years: 2009-



94 BMW E60 M5
You can treat the M5 as a luxury saloon or you can run down an F430. It’s not just the 500bhp V10 but the way any type of tarmac is dispatched without a barrage of bumps and tyre roar. And when the need arises, it can call on reserves of grip that seem surreal in such a bulky car. While it never feels truly nimble, neither do you ever get the impression it won’t rise to the occasion.

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V10, 4999cc Power: 500bhp Top speed: 155mph 0-60: 4.7sec Years: 2005-



93 FERRARI F355 F1 BERLINETTA
An urgently needed return to form after the woeful 348, the 355 introduced five valves per cylinder to Ferrari’s stalwart V8, not to mention dry sump lubrication, titanium conrods and six-speed gearbox. It is also significant for being the first Ferrari to be offered with the F1-derived paddle controlled electronic shift system. Arguably, never has such a blend of Pininfarina beauty, scintillating V8 music and exquisite handling been poured into an entry-level Ferrari.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 3496cc Power: 375bhp Top speed: 183mph 0-60: 4.7sec Years: 1997-99

<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="810"><tbody><tr><tr><td align="center">


</td></tr></tr></tbody></table>92 ASTON MARTIN VANQUISH S
If the regular Vanquish had a problem it was that its V12 engine didn't have the shove – huge and cleanly delivered as it was – to match the scalp-tingling magnificence of the sound it made. The more muscular and tautly-suspended ‘S’ takes care of that, the 60bhp hike in output rendering the momentum of the big car’s mass during a sustained banzai charge less obvious. The beefier brakes that come with the optional Sports Dynamic Pack are a must-have, too. A truly convincing Aston supercar.

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V12, 5935cc Power: 520bhp Top speed: 200mph 0-60: 4.9sec Years: 2005-07



91 BUGATTI EB110
The real point about the conceptual forerunner of the Veyron wasn’t its speed (fast but not that fast) but its outstanding usability. Not until the Honda NSX was there a supercar so user-friendly and exploitable. A contemporary of the XJ220, it doesn’t go or corner as hard, but it ends up being faster point-to-point because its performance is so much more useable. Extraordinary in every way.

Layout: Mid-engine, 4wd Engine: V12, 3500cc, quad-turbo Power: 552bhp Top speed: 212mph 0-60: 3.4sec Years: 1991-95[/QUOTE]

<!-- Header -->
September 2009

90 FORD ESCORT COSWORTH
Everything that was good about the Sierra Cossie condensed into a more compact, agile and accelerative all-drive package. Straight-line speed isn’t a match for today’s Focus RS but turbo-massaged torque and all-drive traction still endow it with formidable cross-country pace. Chassis balance on the limit is superb and there’s no torque steer, however hard you stamp on the throttle.

Layout: Front-engine, 4wd Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1993cc, turbo Power: 227bhp Top speed: 143mph 0-60: 5.8sec Years: 1992-96





89 VW GOLF GTI (MK1 & 2)
The mk1 GTI changed our world in the late-70s, and the mk2 of 1984 simply refined the concept (alas, the lardier mk3 rather lost the plot). It’s not really quick, but it’s a perfectly judged package: punchy, rev-happy 16-valve engine; a chassis that blends keenness and agility with a degree of suppleness, and all wrapped up in a timeless and perfectly proportioned hatchback body. The definitive GTI.

Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1781cc Power: 112bhp Top speed: 112mph 0-60: 8.1sec Years: 1979-84


<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="810"><tbody><tr><tr><td align="center">

</td></tr></tr></tbody></table>88 JAGUAR XJ220
Jaguar’s only supercar was briefly the world’s fastest, and its raw-sounding but awesomely potent twin-turbo V6 still delivers an absolute haymaker of accelerative punch. Okay, it’s too wide for threading down your average back-road, but then most supercars are. Find the right road, however, and the XJ220 rewards with precise steering and a benignly adjustable handling balance.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V6, 3498cc, twin-turbo Power: 542bhp Top speed: 213mph 0-60: 3.7sec Years: 1992-94





87 VAUXHALL VX220
The VX220 has never quite had the same cachet as its Lotus siblings-under-the-skin, partly due to its slightly workaday Ecotec four-pot motor, but it fully deserves its own entry in our evo 100. It’s that broad-tracked chassis’ fluent, fussless way of stringing together combinations of bends. And in turbocharged form it really can convince you that you’re driving a junior supercar.



Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 2198cc Power: 145bhp Top speed: 136mph 0-60: 5.6sec Years: 2000-04

 

[ScratchNSniff]

86 NISSAN 350Z
The 350Z – and its 370Z successor – is a genuine character, and a bit of a throwback. A thumping great normally aspirated V6 engine, manual gearbox, two seats and rear-wheel drive. Not the last word in refinement, but that’s kind of the point. It’s a hairy-arsed drivers’ car in the best possible way, with a real propensity for power-induced oversteer – rare qualities these days, more’s the pity. 370Z brings Synchro Rev Control to the party – perfectly timed throttle-blips when you downshift. You can turn it off…

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V6 3498cc Power: 276bhp Top speed: 155mph 0-60: 6.1sec Years: 2003-06





85 AUDI QUATTRO
The Ur-Quattro’s combo of four-wheel drive and turbocharging might seem old hat today, but in 1980 it was a sensation, and the years have done little to diminish its powers, especially if you drive one of the later 20v cars (or even better, a Sport). The engine’s got real soul, and of course there’s bags of all-weather traction, while the pace of the thing feels barely dimmed. A true original.

Layout: Front-engine, 4wd Engine: In-line 5-cyl, 2226cc, turbo Power: 220bhp Top speed: 143mph 0-60: 6.2sec Years: 1980-91





84 LANCIA INTEGRALE
The car that eclipsed the Quattro, both on the road and WRC stage, the Integrale is the five-door hatchback with supercar levels of charisma. Power delivery is conspicuously turbocharged – real lag followed by a sweet rush of force-fed hurry-up – while the chassis, pliant and almost soft by today’s standards, manages to combine tiptoe agility with prodigious four-square grip. Still so desirable.


Layout: Front-engine, 4wd Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1995cc, turbo Power: 215bhp Top speed: 137mph 0-60: 6.4sec Years: 1988-93





83 ASTON V8 VANTAGE N400
The pert V8 Vantage is one of our favourite Astons and in limited-edition N400 form (to celebrate success in the Ring 24hrs) it fully realises its potential. It’s taut, tight, precision-damped; a touch more responsive, the feedback more detailed. The robotised paddle-shift manual feels intuitive, and the bigger hit from the mildly reworked 4.3-litre V8 is accompanied by the full Brian Blessed. Glorious.


Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 4281cc Power: 400bhp Top speed: 177mph 0-60: 4.9sec Years: 2007-08





82 BMW E34 M5
A handsome, sharply cut saloon from an era when BMW M-cars were truly made of the right stuff. Few four-doors have ever offered such wonderfully pure interaction – every move telegraphed, beautifully balanced and supremely indulgent. Honestly, just how many luxury four-seaters give you the option of exiting a roundabout with 30 yards of opposite lock, straight-six howling?

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 6-cyl, 3795cc Power: 340bhp Top speed: 155mph 0-60: 5.9sec Years: 1992-95





81 BUGATTI VEYRON
Awesome speed, awesome grip, awesome composure (in the dry, at least. Veyrons don’t like the wet). And it's all so absurdly accessible, in a way you'd never dream possible from looking at the bare stats. For a car that weighs 2022kg it feels unfathomably manageable, gripping, changing direction and stopping with a sense of unlimited resolve that gives you a huge shot of confidence.
So why doesn’t it finish higher? Because beyond the speed and the crushing ability, it lacks the kind of detailed interaction that fully engages the senses and slowly gets right under your skin. That doesn’t make it any less of an event. It’s just that you tend to remember the car rather than the drive…

Layout: Mid-engine, 4wd Engine: W16, 7993cc, quad-turbo Power: 1000bhp Top speed: 253mph 0-60: 2.8sec Years: 2005-[/QUOTE]

80 FORD ESCORT RS2000
Rear-drive Escorts are easy to understand, and utterly faithful with simple suspension and sublime steering. Add a super-slick gearchange and light weight and you have the ideal old-school entertainer, as any 1970s rally driver will tell you. The mk1 saw the crude but undoubtedly torquey 2-litre engine replace the highly-strung dohc 1.6 from the RS1600 for pace without pain. Valuable today, a joy forever. The mk2 version (shown here) had the iconic slanting nose and quad headlamps.



Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1993cc Power: 110bhp Top speed: 110mph 0-60: 8.9sec Years: 1975-80





79 FERRARI 612 SCAGLIETTI
It’s huge: 16ft long, 6ft 5in wide. It’s heavy: 1840kg. Few would call it beautiful. But the 612 is the incredible shrinking car, its epic V12 shrugging off the mass with a saxophonic wail, its steering precise and quick once past the rubberiness, the nose hooking into corners, the tail powering through as the F1 paddle-shift disguises the forces at work below. Curiously addictive.


Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V12, 5748cc Power: 533bhp Top speed: 199mph 0-60: 4.3sec Years: 2003-



78 LANCIA FULVIA HF
Along with the Cooper S, a 1960s powerhouse of front-wheel-drive fun, with a snorty, revvy, narrow-angle V4, five gears and discs all round. Feels nose-heavy at low speeds; becomes fabulously poised at speed as understeer vanishes and feel floods through the steering. It’s wonderfully benign when you lift off, astonishingly adhesive for its time. No wonder it kept winning rallies.

Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: V4, 1584cc Power: 115bhp Top speed: 112mph 0-60: 9.2sec Years: 1968-72



77 WIESMANN GT MF5
It’s the quality of intereaction between driver and machine that gets under your skin. The savagely loud BMW M5 V10 is real edge-of-madness stuff. As is the acceleration it unleashes in such a light car. The Wiesmann feels fantastically nimble and, mostly thanks to its terrific body control, is dynamite to hustle down a challenging road. The way it feels both sharp and supple is very classy.



Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V10, 4999cc Power: 500bhp Top speed: 193mph 0-60: 3.8sec Years: 2007-




76 MINI COOPER S
The mk1 version of the New Mini is our choice. It’s not as BMW as Germany would have you believe, being engineered almost entirely in the UK. The supercharger, whining like the original Mini’s geartrain, is the making of the crude Chrysler-descended four-pot, and gives the Mini the muscle to match its chuckability and directness. Mini GP version is a total hoot, and both are somehow purer than today’s S.

Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1598cc, supercharged Power: 163bhp Top speed: 135mph 0-60: 7.1sec Years: 2001-06



75 PEUGEOT 106 RALLYE
God, what a laugh… a tiny terror with a manically revvy 1.3, seemingly no weight, absolutely no luxuries and a tail waggier than a puppy-dog’s. Aim at bend, brake, chuck at corner, catch tail in an instant, revel in the sheer immediacy of the thing. Every learner driver should have a lesson in a Rallye, preferably a mk1 because it’s lighter. Makes today’s 500 Abarth seem stolid.


Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1294cc Power: 100bhp Top speed: 118mph 0-60: 9.3sec Years: 1994-96



74 BMW E39 M5
Musclepower massively enhanced over the previous, straight-six M5, with V8 power installed to create an addictively understated hot-rod. Glorious sound, sublimely driftable handling, a proper manual gearbox, and you can take the whole family with you for the ride. Most people wouldn’t even know what it is, so you can be discreet with your indulgences too.

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 4941cc Power: 400bhp Top speed: 155mph 0-60: 4.9sec Years: 1999-03



73 PORSCHE 959
It looks a strange mutant today but this, with the F40, was the state of the mid-80s supercar art. Twin sequential turbos, four-wheel drive with electronic torque-split and active dampers make it a technofest of efficiency; all the 911 virtues of traction and pointability with none of the vices. Well, that’s the theory; in reality it’s not as well composed nor as tactile as more recent generations of 911s. Still massively quick, of course, easily as fast as a modern Turbo… but maybe that cleverness gets in the way of real thrills.

Layout: Rear-engine, 4wd Engine: Flat-6, 2850cc, twin-turbo Power: 450bhp Top speed: 197mph 0-60: 3.7sec Years: 1987-90



72 TVR TUSCAN MK2
This is the post-2005 Tuscan with minor tweaks to calm the chassis, but it’s still an engagingly fierce beast with an explosive straight-six engine and massive oversteer potential. Power is easy to modulate, the gearshift is meaty, the steering is ultra-quick but smooth in its responses. The Tuscan is about sound, vision (it’s almost surreal, outside and in), thrust and feel. A heady mix. And a special mention for the Convertible, which felt almost like an updated Griffith, it was that good.


Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 6-cyl, 3996cc Power: 400bhp Top speed: 185mph 0-60: 4.0sec Years: 2005-07



71 MCLAREN F1
Still the most single-minded, uncompromising supercar ever built, and blessed with almost certainly the greatest engine ever fitted to a road car. Gordon Murray, hater of excess weight, lover of efficiency and creator of the F1, said at the time that it was the best drivers’ car ever. It’s not quite – the steering’s too heavy, the brakes too dead-feeling, and it can be quite an intimidating car to drive quickly. But with 627bhp to hurtle a ton, a perfectly central driving position and minimal dimensions, it is still an utterly fabulous thing.


Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V12, 6064cc Power: 627bhp Top speed: 240mph 0-60: 3.2sec Years: 1994-98

70 NISSAN SKYLINE R33 GT-R
Slightly softer-edged and less aggressive than the subsequent R34, and none the worse for that, the R33 Skyline takes no prisoners. Considerable raw power drives a chassis that shares many characteristics with the current GT-R. Through a compelling mixture of prodigious push and PlayStation-esque all-drive chassis wizardry, it conjures blinding cross-country pace.



Layout: Front-engine, 4wd engine: In-line 6-cyl, 2568cc, turbo Power: 276bhp Top speed: 155mph 0-60: 5.4sec Years: 1997-99



69 KOENIGSEGG CCX
Full-bore acceleration in second and third is a torque and fury fest that would lay waste to a Murciélago LP-640. Phenomenal brakes, too. The chassis has mighty grip and good basic balance but it’s trickier. You don’t have to dig too deeply into your reserves of car control to snap the tail back from a small slide but drifting isn’t advisable. One of the most exciting cars a great deal of money can buy.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive engine: V8, 4700cc, s/c Power: 806bhp Top speed: 241mph 0-60: 3.9sec Years: 2006-

 

[ScratchNSniff]

68 TVR SAGARIS
That the Sagaris has eye-watering acceleration is no surprise. The quality of its chassis, on the other hand, is. The Sagaris is actually less sensitive to camber changes under braking than the T-350 it’s based on, and less physical effort is required to hustle it along a poorly surfaced country road. Yet the ride, although a little harsher and ‘more obvious’, hasn’t fallen apart. With the Sagaris, TVR nailed it.


Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 6-cyl, 3996cc Power: 406bhp Top speed: 185mph 0-60: 3.7sec Years: 2005-07



67 MINI COOPER S
The original ’60s Cooper S would no longer be considered fast against the clock but, subjectively, it feels as if it’s running on Tabasco. There’s a sense that there is no lost motion between your hands and the front wheels. The ride is hopeless, the driving position worse, but the Cooper’s hair-trigger sensitivity to small steering inputs can’t be matched by today’s front drivers. Modest grip but massive fun.



Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1071cc Power: 70bhp Top speed: 99mph 0-60: 13sec Years: 1963-64





66 FERRARI 250 GTO
This is where Ferrari got serious about road cars. The 250 GTO upped the ante on all fronts, but especially performance, handling and, well it’s impossible to ignore, drop-dead gorgeousness. Designed to win races, the GTO packed a 3-litre V12, an all-syncro 5-speed gearbox and disc brakes all round. It did win, too, taking its class at Le Mans in ’62 and the Nürburgring in ’63 among others.



Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V12, 2953cc Power: 300bhp Top speed: 170mph 0-60: 6.0sec Years: 1962-64



65 PORSCHE 993 GT2
Representing the 993 iteration of the 911, the GT2 weighs just 1290kg, 210kg less than the contemporary all-drive Turbo. So it’s seriously quick, wth 0-60 in 3.9sec. But it’s the way the GT2 marries the light, responsive feel of the RS with Turbo-plus-afterburner grunt that’s so delicious and compelling. It’s both extreme and addictive. You marvel at the speed but you revel in the feel of the thing.



Layout: Rear-engine, rear-drive Engine: Flat-six, 3600cc, twin-turbo Power: 430bhp Top speed: 184mph 0-60: 3.9sec Years: 1996-99



64 AUDI RS4
It isn’t so much the way the RS4 hits its savage accelerative stride as the way it sustains it gear after gear – huge, linear thrust meets an intoxicating V8 bellow from the exhausts. Impressive, too, the way the RS4 carries speed through bends, and with so little roll. It steers precisely but isn’t edgy. For once, the 4wd isn’t intrusive, it just seems to extend the reach of the remarkable performance.


Layout: Front-engine, 4wd Engine: V8, 4163cc Power: 414bhp Top speed: 155mph 0-60: 4.5sec Years: 2006-08





63 PEUGEOT 306 RALLYE
The combined force of the 306 Rallye’s simplicity, handling, ride, slick six-speed gearbox and zesty engine far outweigh its few shortcomings. As an everyday proposition, it’s fast, fun and, thanks to a great ride and decent refinement, easy to live with. But it’s also one of the great drives, irrespective of price. Six-speed zip with attitude meets a front-drive chassis of extraordinary quality. Brilliant.


Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1998cc Power: 167bhp Top speed: 137mph 0-60: 6.9sec Years: 1998-99





62 BMW E92 M3
It’s the sheer depth of the M3’s talent that’s so remarkable. Its point-to-point pace is dazzling but, more than that, it makes the process feel special. Partly it’s down to the free-revving fury of its V8. But it’s also the accurate, agile, finely balanced and biddable chassis. Faint echos of the original (E30) M3’s precisely adjustable cornering balance can be detected. And if calling the angles with the tail seems a bit gratuitous, the M3’s body control is so remarkably flab-free, it’s hard not to indulge.



Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 3999cc Power: 414bhp Top speed: 155mph 0-60: 4.8sec Years: 2007-





61 RENAULTSPORT CLIO 200 CUP
It’s when the road starts asking questions that would cool the pace of lesser hatches that the Clio 200 Cup comes into its own, remaining unfazed and continuing to cover the ground at an astonishing lick while maintaining a fine balance between sheer speed and throttle-induced entertainment. The now genuinely punchy Renault has a lithe, sinewy athleticism and a renewed sense of fun.

Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1998cc Power: 197bhp Top speed: 141mph 0-60: 6.6sec Years: 2009-[/QUOTE]

50 PORSCHE 968 CLUB SPORT
The end of the line for Porsche’s enduring front-engined family. By this time, the 968 (formerly 944) had been honed to something approaching dynamic perfection and, in stripped-down Club Sport guise, it’s better still. If any transaxle Porsche deserves its place in the hall of fame, this is surely the one. Not as desirable as a 911, but there may never be a better handling Porsche.

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 2990cc Power: 240bhp Top speed: 149mph 0-60: 6.1sec Years: 1993-95



49 PORSCHE CARRERA GT
From the moment you depress the clutch pedal, slot first and feed in the power, you immediately sense its intensity, its focus. The V10 is so responsive to throttle inputs, you don’t so much drive the CGT as play it like an instrument. It jiggles over bumps, but when you ask everything of the front-end the distractions fade, leaving you with an explicit flow of information. Bites at the limit, mind…

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V10, 5733cc Power: 604bhp Top speed: 205mph 0-60: 3.8sec Years: 2004-06



48 HONDA NSX
Provided you can get comfortable in the NSX (not guaranteed if you’re over six foot or object to having the steering wheel in your lap) you’re in for a good time. Perfectly reflecting the two sides of Honda’s character, it melds hardcore driving virtues with ease of use and impeccable engineering. The frenzied VTEC and brilliantly crisp dynamics more than offset the slightly inert electric power steering.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V6, 3179cc Power: 276bhp Top speed: 168mph 0-60: 5.5sec Years: 1990-2005



47 NOBLE M400
Here representing all of the M12-generation Nobles, the M400 drives like a high-energy Esprit. Seismic power delivers a gale-force rush of boost from behind and yet even if deployed mid-corner it never threatens to understeer, the front end maintaining grip and sensitivity despite the forces acting on it. Amazingly friendly at the back given the midships engine location and pared-back, whip-crack chassis. Flawed driving position, but enough pace and ability to embarrass exotics.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V6, 2968cc, twin-turbo Power: 425bhp Top speed: 185mph 0-60: 3.5sec Years: 2004-06

 

[ScratchNSniff]

46 PORSCHE 911 TURBO
The 911 Turbo has always been a special car in the 911 range, with a unique set of talents and characterisics. Representing the breed, we’ve selected the 993 version, which has almost all of the speed and ability of the later iterations, but with a shot more character and sex appeal.
The real joy of the 993 Turbo is the astonishing reach of its ability; the relentless neck-twanging acceleration, the inimitably hungry and hollow exhaust note and the almost spookily communicative steering. And it remains one of the finest examples of precision engineering on four driven wheels. Peerless all-weather point-to-point ability. Formidable and beautiful, and still dropping jaws to the floor.

Layout: Rear-engine, 4wd Engine: Flat-6, 3600cc Power: 408bhp Top speed: 180mph 0-60: 4.3sec Years: 1995-98



45 MERCEDES CLK63 BLACK
Quite simply the most thrilling and involving Merc in years (and no, we haven’t forgotten the SLR McLaren). The Black is owner of one of the most playful and placeable rear ends ever. Just turn in and, when you’re ready, give the throttle a nudge. A tight LSD, super-stiff frame and taut suspension means an armful of oppo is yours for the taking. It’s pretty fine in a straight line, too, and can even be driven neatly and precisely. But not in the wet. Oh yes, and it’s got great Recaros, and sounds wicked too.

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 6208cc Power: 500bhp Top speed: 186mph 0-60: 4.2sec Years: 2007-



44 ASTON VANTAGE V12
We were beginning to doubt Aston had the know-how to deliver an absolutely solid-gold drivers’ car. And then along came the V12 Vantage. The small body, big engine combo is tempting enough, but it’s the way the V12V rewards so richly on so many levels – communicative steering, indulgent handing balance, feelful brakes – that makes it the most memorable Aston of the current generation.

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V12, 5935cc Power: 510bhp Top speed: 190mph 0-60: 4.4sec Years: 2009-



43 TOYOTA MR2 ROADSTER
Everything a Toyota isn’t (usually). Impractical, fluid and fun, it’s enormously playful and exploitable close to the limit without ever becoming intimidating. That’s chiefly because, at 975kg, it weighs bugger all, so 138bhp is adequate and the chassis has a lightness of touch that not even the mk2 MX-5 can match. Want to find out about mid-engine/rear-drive handling? The MR2 Roadster drives like a slightly more civilised Elise, and praise doesn’t come much higher than that.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1794cc Power:
138bhp Top speed: 130mph 0-60: 7.2sec Years: 2000-06



42 TVR GRIFFITH
A big engine in a small, light car is always an exciting mix (any wheelspin on a wet road can be a little too exciting). In the dry and provided you’ve opted for the sensible 50 front/55 profile rear tyre option, it’s hugely entertaining, involving and fast. Front engine balance means you can indulge in primeval tyre-smoking power-slides out of roundabouts without too much trouble…

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 4988cc Power: 320bhp Top speed: 167mph 0-60: 4.8sec Years: 1993-2001



41 PORSCHE CAYMAN S
Perhaps even more so than the Boxster, the Cayman is arguably the sweetest handling of all current Porsches if not the most beguiling or exciting. Sat centrally in the wheelbase, you’re perfectly placed to make the most of the mid-engined layout and charismatic, torque-rich flat-six engine. Sweet, sweet steering allied to a forgiving chassis and supple suspension make it hugely exploitable. The way it takes the sting out of rough roads has to be experienced to be believed.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: Flat-6, 3436cc Power: 315bhp Top speed: 172mph 0-60: 5.2sec Years: 2006-[/QUOTE]

40 ARIEL ATOM
It feels instantly, overwhelmingly, paralysingly rapid, insane supercharger thrust (in the 300) and seemingly zero inertia piling on speed so quickly your brain scrambles to keep up. It has a much more softly sprung and reactive chassis than you might expect – vastly different to a Caterham’s and not so easy to tame. Grab the tiger by the tail and hang on tight, though, and you’ll have a riot.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1998cc, s/c Power: 300bhp Top speed: 155mph 0-60: 3.3sec Years: 1999-



39 FORD FOCUS RS MK2
For a car with 300bhp coursing through its front wheels, the Focus RS feels supremely well tied down, with tons of grip and vanishingly small amounts of pitch and roll. Anyone who tells you it doesn’t torque-steer is fibbing, but that’s part of the fun. The charismatic-sounding five-pot turbo motor is more than capable of serving up crushing levels of urge, but it’s the way the Focus marries grunt, grip and poise that entertains and gives it such remarkable real-world pace.

Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 5-cyl, 2522cc, turbo Power: 300bhp Top speed: 163mph 0-60: 5.9sec Years: 2009-



38 PORSCHE 997 CARRERA S
Representing all ‘regular’ Carreras, the 997 is easier to drive than earlier 911s. But it’s no less formidable for that. The steering may have shed some of the extraordinary communicative abilities of previous generations, but it’s only slightly disappointing by its own standards. Few cars offer such an invigorating and involving time behind the wheel, and those that do usually have six-figure price tags.

Layout: Rear-engine, rear-drive Engine: Flat-6, 3800cc Power: 380bhp Top speed: 188mph 0-60: 4.6sec Years: 2004-





37 PORSCHE 964 RS
Arguably the last truly ‘hard’ 911, the 964 RS has a fairly uncompromising work ethic. Take it by the scruff and it attacks roads that would make lesser cars cower. Digs hard and deep into fast bends, nose bobbing sharply but minutely as stiff suspension and sticky rubber conspire to harness the tail-heavy masses. You’ll pile on speed through sheer tenacity. And savour the fact this is an air-cooled 911. The induction roar, fan whine and cam drive scream are all part of the potent mix.

Layout: Rear-engine, rear-drive Engine: Flat-6, 3600cc Power: 260bhp Top speed: 162mph 0-60: 5.3sec Years: 1990-92




36 LOTUS EXIGE
We’d take the mk1 – flawed but rather fabulous. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it drives like a noisier and faster Elise. The power’s there all right but it’s peaky and hard to reach. Keep the engine spinning above 5000rpm and there’s shove aplenty. The chassis is quite something, too; all of the Elise’s precision and agility allied to barely believable levels of grip in the dry. Makes a brilliant trackday car.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line, 4-cyl, 1796cc Power: 192bhp Top speed: 136mph 0-60: 4.6sec Years: 2000-01



35 MITSUBISHI EVO Evo IX FQ-360
Best of the last-generation Evos is still one of the quickest ways from where you are to where you want to be. The way it fuses supercar pace with advanced all-drive traction is remarkable but to get the best out of it requires a brutally single-minded approach. The harder you drive, the more it likes it.

Layout: Front-engine, 4wd Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1997cc, turbo Power: 366bhp Top speed: 157mph 0-60: 3.9sec Years: 2005-07



34 LOTUS ESPRIT V8 SPORT 350
Criminally underrated. The V8 is super light and compact so you have the benefit of a mid-engine car without the mass of a big engine. Absolutely brilliant balance adjustable by a tweak of the foot and the merest touch of the steering makes it one of the most involving drivers’ cars ever. Light overall too, which gives it good performance. Shame there isn’t anything like it today.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 3506cc, twin-turbo Power: 350bhp Top speed: 175mph 0-60: 4.3sec Years: 1999-2000



33 LAMBORGHINI MURCIELAGO LP670-4 SV
The SV (representing all Murciélagos) is a savagely, intimidatingly fast car. It hammers so much immediacy and raw excitement into the usual supercar mix, your heart nearly leaps out of your chest. The noise, the bite, the response, the grip and braking power – all require rapid mental recalibration to make much sense of, they’re delivered with such unfiltered honesty and intensity. Awesome.

Layout: Mid-engine, 4wd Engine: V12, 6496cc Power: 661bhp Top speed: 212mph 0-60: 3.2sec Years: 2009-



32 SUBARU IMPREZA P1
There’s an honesty and coherence to the ultimate old-shape Scooby that never fails to stun. You climb in, you drive fast, you grin until your face aches. It’s all as natural as breathing. Imperturbable in its control, the P1 annihilates the sort of road that would scare you in a powerful rear-driver. Scorching ground-covering ability and everyday practicality. and fully deserves its iconic status. One of the great performance bargains of the ‘90s.

Layout: Front-engine, 4wd Engine: Flat-4, 1994cc, turbo Power: 276bhp Top speed: 150mph 0-60: 4.9sec Years: 2000-01



31 LOTUS EVORA
The most important car for Lotus – and for fans of British performance cars – since the Elise. Fortunately for all of us, it’s every bit as good as we dared hope it would be, with all of the Elise’s intimacy and abundant feel translated into a genuinely rapid and refined baby supercar. As we found in our group test (evo 132), drive an Evora after you've driven a Cayman, and it’s as if you've just taken off a 75lb rucksack. The Evora feels that light, that delicate, and the steering’s so full of feel, it’s as if layers of filtering have been stripped away. Simply irresistible.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V6, 3456cc Power: 276bhp Top speed: 162mph 0-60: 5.1sec Years: 2009-

30 RENAULT CLIO WILLIAMS
Great to drive for at least two important reasons: one, it has a 2-litre engine that’s lusty, revvy and sounds good; two, the chassis is the fully-rounded product and gives the driver just about every option save full-blooded oversteer when pressing on. Not only does the Clio Willy make gold wheels and decals look good (no mean achievement), it delivers a steer crammed with memorable moments – from a lusty thump in the back to considerable on-the-limit finesse.

Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1988cc Power: 150bhp Top speed: 121mph 0-60: 7.6sec Years: 1993-96

 

[ScratchNSniff]

29 HONDA NSX TYPE R
Lighter, harder, faster and hornier than the standard item, the NSX-R could have been the perfect riposte to the 911 GT3 and Ferrari 360 CS. Alas it never made it to the UK. Traction off the line is stunning, the rifle-bolt action of the six-speed ’box amazingly fast and accurate. Gun it – letting the green and red shift-lights set into the rev-counter alert you to the proximity of the 8000rpm red line – and you’re pressed towards the bulkhead by one sustained surge after another.
It’s hard to recall steering that resolves information about the road surface more organically than that of the NSX-R. It plays out like a relief map, just the right amount of weight and damping smoothing off the rough edges. The confidence it gives you is astonishing. Much like the car itself.


Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V6, 3179cc Power: 276bhp Top speed: 168mph 0-60: 4.4sec Years: 2002-03





28 PORSCHE 911 2.7 RS
The original and in many ways still the best. Just 210 horsepower but just 980 kilos. The light engine and light five-speed gearbox means the rearward weight bias is similar as a percentage, but a much lower overall figure. That allows lower spring rates which means the balance can be exploited via unassisted steering which is sooo sensitive. Still the most involving of the rear-engine Porsches for all these reasons.



Layout: Rear-engine, rear-drive Engine: Flat-6, 2687cc Power: 210bhp Top speed: 150mph 0-60: 5.6sec Years: 1972-73





27 BMW M3 CSL
The ultimate E46-generation M3. Thumb the CSL’s M Track button and, as with all the best sorted rear-drive chassis, its balance moves to the point where it rests on a broad line drawn between helm and throttle inputs. Then the CSL starts to flow at speed in a way you simply wouldn’t believe. And so immediate and so abundant is the CSL’s response to the throttle between 2000 and 7000rpm, so scalp-prickling its yowl and so scarce the time it takes the fully wound-up SMG to shift through the engine’s workload, it makes your regular M3 feel comparatively tame.



Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 6-cyl, 3246cc Power: 355bhp Top speed: 155mph 0-60: 5.3sec Years: 2003-04





26 BMW E30 M3
This is, quite simply, one of the best cars BMW has ever made. And that’s largely because it was genuinely a product of the Motorsport division, with a run of road cars produced to satisfy homologation requirements. Its terrific, raspy twin-cam engine revved enough to be exciting. It was also lighter than any of the models that followed and better for it – as always.
You’ll have little appreciation of how good a saloon’s steering can be – or how adjustable its cornering balance – unless you’ve driven a well-cared- for E30 M3. It’s a talented track car made good for the road, pure and simple: incisive, involving and deeply rewarding. Few cars feel as supple and naturally fluent, while balance on the limit is extraordinary. Respect.


Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 2302cc Power: 220bhp Top speed: 144mph 0-60: 6.7sec Years: 1986-90





25 RENAULT CLIO V6
The impossibly squat Clio rewards long-term relationships with real charisma and great entertainment. Handling that can bite (especially the mk1) only adds to the character. Maybe it isn’t quick enough, it aquaplanes something rotten, the gearchange is mediocre and it has only two seats. But just look and listen. It’s a miniature exotic. And once you learn to relax with the car, don’t try to over-drive it and let the engine’s fine flexibility do the work, the rewards come in torrents.



Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V6, 2946cc Power: 255bhp Top speed: 153mph 0-60: 5.8sec Years: 1999-2005





24 FERRARI 288 GTO
Right up there with the Lamborghini Miura in the all-time drool parade, the 288 GTO is a serious piece of kit, too, with a composite body and longitudinally slung proto-F40 engine. Saddled up with a brace of IHI turbos, the 2.8-litre ‘quattrovalvole’ V8 develops a tidy 400bhp (or 140bhp/litre) – enough, before the Porsche 959 came along, to make the 189mph GTO the fastest production car in the world in the mid-80s. On a really difficult stretch of road, its lithe chassis and feelful steering make it a match for any subsequent Ferrari supercar, F40, F50 and Enzo included.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 2855cc, twin-turbo Power: 400bhp Top speed: 189mph 0-60: 4.9sec Years: 1984-85





23 Peugeot 205 GTI
If you appreciate the niceties of lift-off oversteer, this is the hot hatch that keeps on giving. Just one word of warning – the wheelbase is very short, so better not let the situation develop unless you’re ready for it! When you are, the steering and engine are so quick to respond that you can indulge with confidence. Lightning gearchange and meaty steering feel add to the already high involvement factor. Extraordinarily agile, too. Not for the faint-hearted in the wet but little else from this era can claim to be a more challenging/rewarding steer, though the more composed Clio Williams runs it close. The little Pug is an all-time great and fabulous fun.

Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1905cc Power: 130bhp Top speed: 124mph 0-60: 7.9sec Years: 1988-91





22 HONDA INTEGRA
What an engine: 187bhp at 8000rpm, 8400rpm red line, scalp-prickling noise. And what a chassis. The Integra R is one of those rare cars that doesn’t have to sacrifice control for comfort. Its firmness keeps its sticky Bridgestone Potenzas planted to the tarmac but doesn’t allow sharp inputs to upset the body’s composure. And when you do breach the limit (intentionally or otherwise) the chassis stays with you rather than hanging you out to dry. Throw in steering with a surprising amount of weight and feel, and a deliciously short and precise gearshift, and it all adds up to something very special indeed. In a word: sensational.

Layout: Front-engine, front-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1797cc Power: 187bhp Top speed: 145mph 0-60: 6.2sec Years: 1996-2000





21 NISSAN GT-R
It’s the automotive Terminator, ruthless in its pursuit of speed, a brutal taker-aparter of supercar reputations (just ask the Veyron, which couldn’t catch it on testing Welsh roads, evo 134). But this is car and driver in harmony: each aware of exactly what the other is up to and able to respond accordingly. Driving it is a partnership and that’s what makes the GT-R a truly great drivers’ car.

Layout: Front-engine, 4wd Engine: V6, 3799cc, twin-turbo Power: 478bhp Top speed: 193mph 0-60: 3.9sec Years: 2008-[/QUOTE]

20 FERRARI 550 MARANELLO
Before the sublime 599 GTB Fiorano there was the 550 Maranello (later the more powerful 575) and they’re miraculous, too: so accessible, so friendly and so practical you can’t help but want one badly – especially the 550. It’s a bona fide full-fat V12 Ferrari with a superbly positive gearchange and an almost absurdly driftable chassis. All pleasure, no pain.

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V12, 5474cc Power: 485bhp Top speed: 199mph 0-60: 4.3sec Years: 1997-2002



19 LOTUS ELISE
The Elise possesses an immediacy and connectedness you simply don’t experience with other sports cars. Drive one and very few other cars will seem remotely as direct. The steering, in particular, is sublimely pure and precise. And you don’t need to drive it fast for it to feel special. That comes from the immediacy of the controls and the sensational ride, almost racer- firm yet supple. S1 is a modern classic.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: In-line 4-cyl, 1796cc Power: 118bhp Top speed: 126mph 0-60: 6.1sec Years: 1996-00



18 FERRARI 360 CHALLENGE STRADALE
It might be, in essence, a 360 with a loud exhaust, stripped- out cabin and stickier tyres, but the mods unleash the beast within. Driving the CS flat-out is an adrenalin rush like little else. The extra noise, bite, response, grip and braking power – those ceramic stoppers are immense – make an already addictive driving experience completely intoxicating. Blinding chassis, too. At speed, the steering becomes fluid and razor sharp.



Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 3586cc Power: 420bhp Top speed: 186mph 0-60: 4.1sec Years: 2003-04



17 FERRARI 599 GTB FIORANO
Immediately reassuring for a car with over 600bhp driving through the rear wheels are the sense of balance and seemingly limitless reserves of poise. This, along with weighty, communicative steering that commands genuinely fast, accurate turn-in and terrific front-end bite, makes the 599 feel more agile than seems possible for a car that weighs 1690kg. And the big Ferrari gets better the faster you go. The pace preserved through fast but tricky bends is stunning, braking power no less impressive. Best of all, switch the Manettino to its ‘all off’ setting and the 599 HGTE can be held in a long, languid power-slide.

Layout: Front-engine, rear-drive Engine: V12, 5999cc Power: 611bhp Top speed: 205mph 0-60: 3.5sec Years: 2006-



16 AUDI R8
Perhaps the R8’s greatest asset is its dynamic cohesion: the exquisite helm feel, huge grip, brilliantly judged damping and the almost vicious top-end energy of its gem-like V8 or even greater broadband slam of the V10. The bottom line is the R8 can corner at a quite ridiculous lick, all the time feeding back information about the road surface to the rim of the wheel. Its transient responses are little short of phenomenal. It scythes through challenging ess-bends with frankly amazing speed and precision. Oh yes, and it does big skids, too.

Layout: Mid-engine, 4wd Engine: V8, 4163cc Power: 414bhp Top speed: 187mph 0-60: 4.1sec Years: 2007-



15 FERRARI 430 SCUDERIA
Phenomenal: 503bhp and 347lb ft spat at the tarmac in rapid-fire chunks of nape-tingling fury just 60 milliseconds apart. The exhaust note at flat chat is loud and penetrating enough to blow chunks off nearby buildings and curdle milk. This isn’t an engine, it’s a noise weapon: extraordinary, unforgettable, dangerous. The steering is exceptionally direct and precise. There’s a little deadness at low speed, but once it sheds that it becomes decently meaty and scalpel sharp. Although the Scuderia’s handling is at least partly prescribed by chassis electronics, the dynamic proposition it presents is pure and honest, stripped of frills and peripheral distractions.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 4308cc Power: 503bhp Top speed: 198mph 0-60: 3.5sec Years: 2007-

 

[ScratchNSniff]

14 FORD GT
A Mustang-based supercharged 5.4-litre V8 doesn’t sound too promising, but 550bhp and 500lb ft of torque works very nicely, thank you, chewing up long straights, belting out a bellowing, all-American soundtrack. Thumping acceleration, massive retardation and torso-contorting cornering-g flows for mile after mile in the GT. It just eats up the road. Yet the chassis feels so composed and with you. There aren’t many supercars that feel so devastatingly rapid and yet so unerringly friendly.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 5409cc, s/c Power: 550bhp Top speed: 205mph 0-60: 3.7sec Years: 2004-06



13 SUBARU IMPREZA RB5 PPP
Pick of the early Scoobies and a dab hand at putting the frighteners on more exotic machinery, the almost magically talented RB5 is a deeply well sorted car. Partly it’s the way it flatters the driver’s skill, partly the way it engenders so much confidence and partly its faintly outrageous pace. Not the fastest Impreza ever in a straight line but certainly the one that feels most in tune with a twisty road.

Layout: Front-engine, 4wd Engine: Flat-4, 1994cc, turbo Power: 237bhp Top speed: 143mph 0-60: 5.0sec Years: 1999



12 FERRARI F40
Arguably the most thrilling, the most challenging and the most rewarding of all Ferrari road cars, shorn of pretty much everything that doesn’t add to its speed or dynamic acuity. Its explosive energy makes it both challenging and exhilarating in equal measure, and because a relatively small turbo engine is so much lighter than a big V12 the car’s weight distribution – and therefore handling balance – is so much better for that. It’s also light overall for the kind of car it is, and has unassisted steering which is fantastically informative. A true great.

Layout: Mid-engine, rear-drive Engine: V8, 2936cc, turbo Power: 478bhp Top speed: 201mph 0-60: 3.7sec Years: 1987-92



1 PORSCHE 997 GT3 RS
All hunkered-down traction, nuggety bump management and lightning responses, the S1 997 GT3 RS (the very best of all the recent 911s) attacks roads that would cripple the conviction of lesser cars, digging hard into bends, nose bobbing subtly as stiff suspension and stubby profile tyres overwhelm the tail-biased masses to pile on speed through sheer tenacity and talent. But then Porsche knows the middle ground between road car and racer perhaps better than any other car maker. It’s hard to think of another road car that nails the sweet spot between raw-edged trackday tool and everyday usability with the precision of the 997 GT3. Just the right number of comfort layers have been peeled away to reveal the harder, sharper 911 beneath. And it would have made the top ten, were it not for an earlier generation of GT3 that we like even more…

Layout: Rear-engine, rear-drive Engine: Flat-6, 3600cc Power: 409bhp Top speed: 193mph 0-60: 4.2sec Years: 2007-09[/QUOTE]

So this is it, the final ten. But what order do they finish in, and which is the greatest drivers' car of all? We took them to you favourite Welsh roads to find out.



Decisions have to be made and scores awarded. Never in all of the group tests and eCotys over the years have I seen so much agonising. Usually there might be a split, but individuals will know in their own minds which is the winner for them. This time everyone seems to have two or three cars that they want to see sharing the top step.

But it isn’t the Evo VI Tommi Makinen Edition, which ends up four-wheel drifting its way to tenth place in the top 100. ‘It’s brilliant when you’re on it, but just a bit ordinary when you’re pootling around,’ says Barker. Simister was very impressed by its ‘steering, handling and remarkably absorbent ride’ and admits that the Makinen is ‘a truly lovely Evo’, even though he ‘doesn’t really get the whole Evo cult thing’. Metcalfe sums it up with: ‘A very desirable bit of kit if you like this sort of thing, but I think greater driver rewards are to be found elsewhere.’

Ninth is the Mazda MX-5. Everyone admired the balance and accessibility of the Mazda. ‘Light, delicate, agile, adjustable, comfortable. A car that sets itself realistic targets and hits every one plumb in the middle,’ says Vivian. But as Metcalfe comments, ‘There isn’t enough fire in its belly,’ so you enjoy it rather than get excited about it.

Screaming into equal seventh place at 9000rpm is – and this might be a shock – the Ferrari F50. ‘Old school’ was a phrase used by most and ‘wide’ was another word that cropped up a lot. ‘It is very hard, noisy and mechanical, but unerringly honest and communicative,’ says Vivian, before declaring it ‘a proper, hairy-balled supercar’. Which goes some way to explaining why Hayman loved it and has it third on his list (written on the back of a packet of Lambert & Butler).

By the way, if any of the comments as we run down the final ten seem harsh or nitpicking, that’s because they are. They have to be. This is the top ten – all these cars are brilliant and wonderful to drive. Don’t be upset that your F50 has only come seventh – we’re not denigrating, merely differentiating. Now, on to the truly rubbish Clio Trophy. Only joking.

It’s equal on points with the Ferrari, but if there was a prize for enthusiasm then the Clio would win hands down. It isn’t the most pure or sophisticated car here but it is ridiculous fun. The suspension seems to have oodles of pitch and roll and what Hales describes as ‘a lot going on in the transients’ (like when changing direction), but the only time it really loses out is when people start talking about another Renault…

Time-warping into sixth place is the Elan. ‘It is a fluent joy and its small size makes it very handy on tight roads,’ says the equally diminutive Simister. ‘The mechanical grip it can create from such minuscule tyres is little short of miraculous and the liberties you can take are little short of astonishing,’ says Metcalfe. That the original showed Mazda’s modern incarnation a clean pair of heals might seem incredible, but the genius of Colin Chapman should never be underestimated.

The Mégane R26.R is the fifth greatest drivers’ car. ‘A beautifully sorted front-wheel-drive car,’ enthuses Hales. ‘The slightly larger dimensions [than the Clio] make all the difference to the way the chassis reacts and the way it puts down the power.’ Barker goes further still: ‘Magic from the moment the wheels turn to when they come to rest again. Exceptional damping and everything else matches – grip, steering feel and weight… everything.’

Which takes us into the final four. You really could make a case for any one of these cars winning, but the scores show that in fourth place it’s the Caterham Seven. Barker, Hayman and I all had it top of our lists for its purity and the fact that you can’t get any closer to actually being connected to a car when driving. But Hales best sums up its brilliance and also why it doesn’t win: ‘There’s no denying the wonderful steering, which is sharp and more direct than the thought which commands it, or the way the front points without scaring you, or the way the tail then announces the onset of a slide while inviting you to keep your foot in. However, not everybody wants to be deafened and shaken, then probably soaked as well.’

Many would have tipped the GT3 to win, but Stuttgart will have to settle for third this time. I have to confess that I love the 996 GT3 so much that I’ve spent long evenings thinking about spending what I was saving for a house deposit on a swoopy spoilered wonder instead. But as Barker says, ‘Although it is a drivers’ car for life – everyday practical, and with a depth of quality and reward that you would never tire of – it felt a bit “muffled” after the lightweights.’

If being the greatest drivers’ car meant having the world’s best steering then the Lotus 340R (or any mk1 Elise/Exige) would be standing on the top step. ‘The 340R is like an Elise turned up to 11,’ says unlikely Spinal Tap fan Metcalfe. ‘The chassis composure when really pushed is beyond brilliant; it’s close to unbelievable’. John Simister has the 340R at the top of his list ‘for its speed, purity, transparency and compactness. It provides a huge visceral buzz yet doesn’t assault you with the wrong sort of “noise”.’ ‘Sublime,’ says Barker.

And so, with a drum roll provided by art director Paul Lang via the medium of his hands and the plastic rear windows of the Mégane, it is an honour to announce the winner as… the Pagani Zonda F. Here’s how the praise stacks up. ‘A car that can comfortably live up to all the hype,’ says Metcalfe. ‘A supercar you really can drive as if it was an Elise, yet which gives you the full-scale Panavision, HD, Technicolor supercar experience. A car to melt the heart of the coldest, most stubborn supercar critic…’ says Barker, before handing over to that very critic in the form of Simister, who admits that ‘it appears to weigh nothing, it’s both visceral and forgiving and you feel in total control’. ‘Overwhelming, shattering, utterly addictive,’ concludes Vivian.

When you see a Zonda it is easy to treat it as art, something to be looked at and occasionally driven between backdrops, but next time try to look past all the carbonfibre confection because underneath is a truly, wonderfully fabulous drivers’ car. The greatest, in fact.

 

[ScratchNSniff]

***Reposted off mazdas247 by user Mikeyb...

 

[ImportFan1]

Nice list. To bad I haven't owned any of them

 

[Kswest]

Damn long, nice list.

 

[Black Magic]

I object to the Mclaren F1 being so far down the list. Great read, though!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Slickcivic]

This thread is so COOL! Should become a STICKY

 

[somejaykid]

nice article

 

[LowNotSlow]

GTR one of the best drivers cars? Everything I've read about it says you throw it into a corner and let the computers figure it out.

 

[wannabe]

oh my god my eyes hurt from reading all that. good s**t.

 

[ScratchNSniff]

Glad to see you guys enjoyed looking at this...I know I did and felt like I needed to share...

 

[el_betiyo]

Nice find man