1Toyota Supra
Toyota The Supra has a special place in Japanese car history so its comeback – 21 years after the last Supra – was always going to be one of the stories of 2019. But its all-round capabilities are what makes the Supra really stand out this year. It looks the part, has a roomy and well-equipped cabin, can switch from calm to rapid, and has just enough punch and character to be fun to drive pretty much anywhere. One of the most complete coupe packages on the road.
2Audi e-tron
Audi Audi’s first all-electric production model is kicking off a spurt of electric cars from the brand over the next few years, so it was always going to have an important job in setting the tone. The smart trick Audi has pulled off is taking the formula that makes conventional SUVs sell in such big numbers – space, refinement, practicality, imposing looks – and seamlessly delivering it into the EV market.
3Porsche Taycan
Porsche A rare case of execution matching hype. The most anticipated and significant launch of the year came right at its end, and pound for pound, it can stake a strong claim to being the most advanced car on the planet (which is why we made our best car of 2019). Graceful, unflappable, astonishingly fast; as a technical feat of engineering alone, this car is impressive enough. As a timely statement of what the electric car is capable of, even more so.
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4Porsche 911
Porsche To successfully evolve a design that remains faithful to a car from 1963, yet with each update still feels fresh alongside contemporary rivals (many of which begin enjoy the luxury of a clean sheet of paper), deserves more praise than it might receive. For this car, code-named 992, a longer, more angular bonnet, a broader, re-styled rear-end, and an interior which combines the very latest tech with almost Seventies analogue styling, are amongst the biggest changes. As so often, the overall effect is subtle-bordering-imperceptible, but the design team seems to have an uncanny knack of knowing what to tweak and what to leave well alone.
5Polestar One
Esquire The most anticipated under-the-radar launch of the year from one of the most interesting car 'disruptor' stories in the industry. Polestar has the backing of Geely and Volvo, but also the attitude of an agile tech start-up and ambitious plans to change how we buy, own and drive cars in the electric era. The launch car – Polestar One – delivers on the promise, with the looks, swagger, tech and performance to make a big statement in the coming months and years.
6Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Esquire After the initial mixed reaction to its sheer size and blocky design, it's only after experiencing the Cullinan in different environments over the past 12 months that its personality has started to show. The real achievement here is that Rolls-Royce levels of refinement and luxury have been retained in a car that can surprise you with its off-road abilities. As an engineering coup, it's worthy of a genuine hat doff.
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7Mercedes AMG GT 4-door
Esquire A family supercar sounds like an oddly niche idea, but drive this astonishingly rapid 4-door GT and it will start to make a lot more sense. One part stately saloon, one part family wagon and one part supercar with the kind of speed that can make your palms sweat, it's less a niche car and more extreme all-rounder.
8McLaren 720s Spider
McLaren Convertible supercars have traditionally been about compromise. If you wanted the option of taking down the top, then you’d be paying the price on speed and feel compared with its coupé equivalent. Except McLaren, a company more focused on weight reduction than a model agency, doesn’t seem to have accepted this status quo for its 720S Spider. Overall it’s just 49kg heavier than its hard-top brother, making it – at 1,332kg – the lightest Spider in its class. And on the road you’d be hard-pressed to notice any difference. With the roof up, it records the same 0–62 time of 2.9 seconds, and still hits 212mph. With the roof down, you could top out at 202mph. Just don’t expect your hair to recover.
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