🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 132 (from laksa198)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa132.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical, ml_categories_json AS ml_categories_json, ml_types_json AS ml_types_json, ml_intent_types_json AS ml_intent_types_json, meta_language AS meta_language, attrs_author AS attrs_author, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(attrs_publish_time), 0) AS attrs_publish_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(attrs_original_publish_time), 0) AS attrs_original_publish_time, ifNull(attrs_is_republished, 0) AS attrs_is_republished, ifNull(attrs_nr_words, 0) AS attrs_nr_words, ifNull(attrs_boilerpipe_nr_words, 0) AS attrs_boilerpipe_nr_words, ifNull(body_ext_links_number, 0) AS body_ext_links_number, ifNull(body_int_links_number, 0) AS body_int_links_number, ifNull(meta_nofollow, 0) AS meta_nofollow, ifNull(meta_noarchive, 0) AS meta_noarchive, ifNull(props_was_rendered, 0) AS props_was_rendered, ifNull(src_redirect, \'\') AS src_redirect, ifNull(download_time_msec, 0) AS download_time_msec, ifNull(download_ttfb_msec, 0) AS download_ttfb_msec, ifNull(download_size, 0) AS download_size FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/g38487132/best-cars-we-drove-in-2021/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/g38487132/best-cars-we-drove-in-2021/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/g38487132\/best-cars-we-drove-in-2021\/","crawl_time":1776479545,"first_indexed_time":1639673561,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,roadandtrack!www,\/reviews\/g38487132\/best-cars-we-drove-in-2021\/ s443","src_root_hash":"13172549243794757932","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"The Best Cars We Drove in 2021","meta_descriptions":["We drive pretty much every new performance car that comes out, along with some old ones if we're lucky. These are the standouts."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"1\nCadillac CT5-V Blackwing\nEmiliano Granado\nAfter years of attempting to replicate the golden age of BMW, Cadillac is finally calling it quits. Despite enthusiast praise, the V-series Caddys have never been able to build the high-margin sedan business that BMW enjoyed at its peak. What the company has done, however, is build some of the best sports sedans ever.\nThe\nCT5-V Blackwing\nis the zenith of that mission, the greatest in a line of greats. With an engine potent enough to bring about the apocalypse and\ndampers handed down from High\n, the Blackwing is as precise, engaging, and downright fun as some honest sports cars. You'd be hard-pressed to find an\nR&T\nstaffer that doesn't number it among their favorite cars from this year. We are, of course, sad to know that it's the last of it's kind. But we couldn't ask for a better send-off.\n2\nPorsche 911 GT3\nEmiliano Granado\nThe\nPorsche 911 GT3\nis a sensational, driver-focused car that represents the best of the 911 lineup. Forgive us if we're not breaking new ground with that statement. Clichés are often clichés for a reason.\n\"The last GT3, the 991.2, was the benchmark sports car for myself and many others, rendering cars twice its price pointless,\" senior reporter Chris Perkins says. \"I didn’t expect the new GT3 to be such a step forward, but my word, it is. The turn-in is unlike any other 911 before it, and as ever, that engine is extraordinary. Make no mistake, this is one of the greatest 911s of all time.\"\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n3\nToyota GR 86\nToyota\nDespite the supercar shenanigans common on these pages, we spend most of our time talking about the proletariat icons. The good stuff that's actually within reach, be it cheap Miatas, broken BMWs, or new hot hatches. Nothing gets us more excited than a new, attainable option that's dynamically great. This year, that car was the\nGR 86\n.\n\"The GR 86 has more power and torque, changes that could have upset the near-perfect balance of this charming and capable machine,\" deputy editor Bob Sorokanich says. \"Instead, it’s a vastly better version of the same friendly delight. The engine is peppy and responsive at every notch on the tach, the shifter is positive and light, the steering carries on a constant conversation with your fingertips.\"\nOur staff still leans slightly toward the Miata as a pure driver's tool, but offering something this good, with back seats, for even less than an LSD-equipped Miata is a staggering achievement.\n4\nToyota GR Yaris\nMack Hogan\nThe word \"perfect\" has damned near lost its meaning. No car lives up to it in its entirety. But, in the Austrian alps,\nI had a drive worthy of the word.\nIt involved a GR Yaris, a good friend, and the Grossglockner high alpine road. Squealing tires, slick gear changes from the six-speed manual, endless grip thanks to the rally-spec all-wheel-drive system. Views that'd keep a postcard company in business for a decade.\nThat car, on that road, provided a driving experience more exhilarating than  what I've felt in cars costing triple. The GR Yaris offers the kind of total sensory engagement you usually only get from Porsches, McLarens, Lotuses, or Miatas. All in a compact, rally-bred package that has playfulness as its core value. It's no wonder that this tiny, forbidden-fruit Toyota was the most-talked-about car in\nR&T\nchat rooms this year.\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n5\n1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata\nKyle Kinard\nWe chase after new experiences in this business, always looking for a chance to acquaint ourselves with new, great metal. None of it satisfies quite the same itch as the familiar fun of a long-proven friend.\n\"The pandemic cut my work travel in half, forcing a reacquaintance with my long-neglected daily driver,\" senior editor Kyle Kinard said. \"After living with this spunky whippet again, I've never been more in love with the thing; Proof of the NA's simple, enduring charms.\"\n6\nR34 Nissan GT-R\nBrian Silvestro\nOne of the most daunting parts of this business is getting to meet your heroes. Every one of us has a story of a time when a dream car just hasn't lived up. Never fun, but it just makes it all the better when they do.\n\"Even with sky-high expectations, this car blew me away,\" staff writer Brian Silvestro said. \"It's not a lightweight Lotus fighter but damn can it take a corner. It's a tragedy Nissan robbed us of this car when it was new. A global offering would've changed the sports car market forever. Unbelievable engine, one of the best (if not the best) straight-six I've ever driven or heard. One of the few collector cars that I think is underpriced right now.\"\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n7\nE92 BMW M3 GT\nDW Burnett\n\"BMW’s E92 M3 GT is the wildest, most visceral, and most intimidating car I’ve ever driven,\" editor-at-large Travis Okulski said. \"I don’t have enough room to adequately explain how cool driving (and racing) a car that competed in the American Le Mans Series was, so you should read my two stories on the experience\nhere\nand\nhere\n.\"\n8\nE30 BMW M3\nDW Burnett\n\"I've bowed at the altar of\nE30 M3\nmy entire life, so driving this 14k-mile time capsule felt something like a religious experience,\" Kinard said. \"Next to every other M3 ever made, the E30 M3 reaches a high-water mark, not just for BMWs, but for all compact sports sedans.\"\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n9\nE36 BMW GT\nBMW\nIn case you couldn't tell, our Mid-Ohio track day with every generation of BMW M3 had a serious effect on staff morale. Without consulting each other, three staffers submitted three separate M3s to this list. For Perkins, it wasn't the brutal race car or the iconic E30, but the friendly and refined E36.\n\"I never really thought much of the E36 M3,\" he said. \"Sure, I considered buying one when they were fairly affordable, but like most, I always thought of the E36 as the poor relation. Until I drove a German-spec E36 M3 GT. With its more powerful S50 3.0-liter and a chassis sorted by the Enthusiast Auto Group in Ohio, this was BMW perfection. And it’s green!\"\n10\n1986 BMW 535i\nFred Smith\nIn fact, despite our bickering about the modern state of the company, most staffers have owned an old BMW sports sedan at one point or another. They've all been terrible in some respects, but  their charm can be irresistable.\n\"My 1986 E28-generation 535i is objectively a bad car,\" weekend editor Fred Smith says. \"The air conditioning doesn't work, everything leaks, and the transmission feels about as stable as diplomatic relations between Russia and Ukraine. But the excellent balance and the enormously fun M30B34 \"big six\" remain, so it is still closer to perfect than most cars will ever be. The sheer combination of size and sense of control is unbeatable.\"\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n11\nJeep Grand Cherokee\nJeep\n12\n2004 Lexus LX470\nMack Hogan\nSitting in the support Lexus LX570 at this year's Performance Car of the Year test, I had the same thought I have every time I climb into a Land Cruiser or LX. \"Why,\" I always wonder, \"do I not own one of these things?\"\nAt long last, I do. After being burned by my\nE39 M5, I traded it for a 189,000-mile, 100-Series LX\nand immediately put 2000 more miles on it. Half of that was loaded to the brim with stuff, most of it was endless stints on the highway, and a bit was even through a snowstorm. In the grand tradition of these trucks, it just worked. Everywhere and through everything. Before year's end I'll do a cross-country move in it, followed, I hope, by countless trips to explore the great outdoors of the American West. Couldn't imagine a better truck to do it in.\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n13\nFord GT\nFord\nI've spent this whole article telling you about how our favorite cars are usually the greatest hits, especially the attainable stuff we can or do own. It's not all about the latest supercars. Yet we'd be lying if we pretended that we were immune to the awe these things can sometimes inspire.\n\"Living in Detroit, I don't see a ton of Ferraris and Lamborghinis on a regular basis,\" editorial assistant Lucas Bell said. \"For that reason, the current generation Ford GT has managed to become my most 'spotted' exotic. Having the chance to finally slip behind the wheel of one for 25 minutes of time on an empty track was truly special. My test car was fitted with the new ASV dampers, but the straight-through exhaust was the more striking modification at first. That changed as we cycled through the various damper settings.  The lasting memory of that morning however involves coming to the end of the back straight and catching a hint of that giant air brake coming into play lap after lap. I understand the seven-figure price tag on this one.\"","attrs_markdown":"[![Search](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/search.f1c199c.svg?primary=%2523B4B3B3)Search](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/search\/)\n\n![Close](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/close.38e3324.svg?primary=%2523ffffff)\n***\n- [About Us](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/about\/a43977000\/about-us-contact-information-masthead\/)\n- [Join Now](https:\/\/shop.roadandtrack.com\/road-track-all-access-membership-2.html?cds_tracking_code=rtpanelnav)\n- [All Access](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/news\/a42790472\/unlock-unlimited-content-access-road-and-track-editors-and-experiences\/)\n- [R\\&T Experiences](https:\/\/experiences.roadandtrack.com\/)\n- [Shop R\\&T](https:\/\/shop.roadandtrack.com\/)\n- [News](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/news\/)\n- [Reviews](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/)\n- [Car Culture](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/)\n- [Exclusives](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/exclusives\/)\n- [Performance Car of the Year](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/pcoty-2026-collection)\n- [Contact](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/about\/a2922\/contact-us\/)\n- [Follow](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RoadandTrack)\n- [Newsletter](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/newsletter)\n- [Send Us a Tip](mailto:pitches@roadandtrack.com)\n\n[Privacy Notice](https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/-\/us-magazines-privacy-notice)[Terms Of Use](https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/-\/us-magazines-terms-of-use)\n\n[Skip to Content](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/g38487132\/best-cars-we-drove-in-2021\/#main-content)\n\n[![Logo](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/roadandtrack\/static\/images\/logos\/logo.59e04dc.svg?primary=%2523ffffff)](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/)\n\n- [News](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/news\/)\n- [Reviews](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/)\n- [Culture](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/)\n- [Exclusives](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/exclusives\/)\n- [Gear](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/gear\/)\n- [Send Us a TIp](mailto:pitches@roadandtrack.com)\n- [Sign Up](https:\/\/join.roadandtrack.com\/pubs\/HR\/ROA\/ROA1_Plans.jsp?cds_page_id=264385&cds_mag_code=ROA&cds_tracking_code=topnav)\n\n[Join Now](https:\/\/shop.roadandtrack.com\/road-track-all-access-membership-2.html?cds_tracking_code=rttopnav)\n\n[sign in](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/auth\/csrf?action=login&return_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.roadandtrack.com%2Freviews%2Fg38487132%2Fbest-cars-we-drove-in-2021%2F)\n\n1. [Reviews](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/)\n2. [These Are the Best Cars We Drove in 2021](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/g38487132\/best-cars-we-drove-in-2021\/)\n# These Are the Best Cars We Drove in 2021\nWe drive pretty much every new performance car that comes out, along with some old ones if we're lucky. These are the standouts.\n\nBy [Mack Hogan](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/author\/224159\/mack-hogan\/ \"Mack Hogan\")\n\nPublished: Dec 16, 2021 11:30 AM EST\n\n![bookmarks](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/saved.ad81f1a.svg?primary=%2523ffffff)Save Article\n\n![road and track pcoty 2022](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/20210930-roadtrack-pcoty-1461-1639165603.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.755xh;0,0.214xh&resize=640:*)\n\nEmiliano Granado\n\nFor all our moaning, the *Road & Track* staff has it good. Rarely does a new performance car hit dealer lots before we've given it a go and rarely do we go three months without a rented race track. Few of them really steal our hearts, though, which is why we try to dedicate a lot of words, time, money, and miles to stuff from the [greatest hits collection](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a35002019\/greatest-sports-car-of-all-time\/). So whether they were offered by manufacturers, loaned by kind privateers, or purchased on our own behalf, these are the cars we drove this year that occupy our daydreams.\n\n1\n\n## Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing\n![cadillac ct5 v blackwing](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/3601-02-1639165492.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nEmiliano Granado\n\nAfter years of attempting to replicate the golden age of BMW, Cadillac is finally calling it quits. Despite enthusiast praise, the V-series Caddys have never been able to build the high-margin sedan business that BMW enjoyed at its peak. What the company has done, however, is build some of the best sports sedans ever.\n\nThe [CT5-V Blackwing](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a37262769\/2022-cadillac-ct5-v-blackwing\/) is the zenith of that mission, the greatest in a line of greats. With an engine potent enough to bring about the apocalypse and [dampers handed down from High](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a38293112\/cadillac-blackwing-magneride-4\/), the Blackwing is as precise, engaging, and downright fun as some honest sports cars. You'd be hard-pressed to find an *R\\&T* staffer that doesn't number it among their favorite cars from this year. We are, of course, sad to know that it's the last of it's kind. But we couldn't ask for a better send-off.\n\n2\n\n## Porsche 911 GT3\n![2022 porsche 911 gt3](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/20210928-roadtrack-pcoty-1332-1639166253.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nEmiliano Granado\n\nThe [Porsche 911 GT3](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/new-cars\/first-drives\/a36178330\/2022-porsche-911-gt3-first-drive\/) is a sensational, driver-focused car that represents the best of the 911 lineup. Forgive us if we're not breaking new ground with that statement. Clichés are often clichés for a reason.\n\n\"The last GT3, the 991.2, was the benchmark sports car for myself and many others, rendering cars twice its price pointless,\" senior reporter Chris Perkins says. \"I didn’t expect the new GT3 to be such a step forward, but my word, it is. The turn-in is unlike any other 911 before it, and as ever, that engine is extraordinary. Make no mistake, this is one of the greatest 911s of all time.\"\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n3\n\n## Toyota GR 86\n![toyota gr 86](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/toyota-gr-86-2022-1280-05-1639166578.jpeg?crop=0.952xw:0.916xh;0,0.0363xh)\n\nToyota\n\nDespite the supercar shenanigans common on these pages, we spend most of our time talking about the proletariat icons. The good stuff that's actually within reach, be it cheap Miatas, broken BMWs, or new hot hatches. Nothing gets us more excited than a new, attainable option that's dynamically great. This year, that car was the [GR 86](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a37304880\/2022-toyota-gr-86-first-drive-review\/).\n\n\"The GR 86 has more power and torque, changes that could have upset the near-perfect balance of this charming and capable machine,\" deputy editor Bob Sorokanich says. \"Instead, it’s a vastly better version of the same friendly delight. The engine is peppy and responsive at every notch on the tach, the shifter is positive and light, the steering carries on a constant conversation with your fingertips.\"\n\nOur staff still leans slightly toward the Miata as a pure driver's tool, but offering something this good, with back seats, for even less than an LSD-equipped Miata is a staggering achievement.\n\n4\n\n## Toyota GR Yaris\n![toyota gr yaris](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/mac09160-1639166934.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nMack Hogan\n\nThe word \"perfect\" has damned near lost its meaning. No car lives up to it in its entirety. But, in the Austrian alps, [I had a drive worthy of the word.](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a38108112\/gr-yaris-perfect-road-review\/)\n\nIt involved a GR Yaris, a good friend, and the Grossglockner high alpine road. Squealing tires, slick gear changes from the six-speed manual, endless grip thanks to the rally-spec all-wheel-drive system. Views that'd keep a postcard company in business for a decade.\n\nThat car, on that road, provided a driving experience more exhilarating than what I've felt in cars costing triple. The GR Yaris offers the kind of total sensory engagement you usually only get from Porsches, McLarens, Lotuses, or Miatas. All in a compact, rally-bred package that has playfulness as its core value. It's no wonder that this tiny, forbidden-fruit Toyota was the most-talked-about car in *R\\&T* chat rooms this year.\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n5\n\n## 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata\n![mazda miata lotus elan](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/1eeeaeba-360a-46a4-a111-468096a79ba5-jpg-1639167412.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nKyle Kinard\n\nWe chase after new experiences in this business, always looking for a chance to acquaint ourselves with new, great metal. None of it satisfies quite the same itch as the familiar fun of a long-proven friend.\n\n\"The pandemic cut my work travel in half, forcing a reacquaintance with my long-neglected daily driver,\" senior editor Kyle Kinard said. \"After living with this spunky whippet again, I've never been more in love with the thing; Proof of the NA's simple, enduring charms.\"\n\n6\n\n## R34 Nissan GT-R\n![nissan r34 gt r](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/img-8295-jpg-1639167961.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nBrian Silvestro\n\nOne of the most daunting parts of this business is getting to meet your heroes. Every one of us has a story of a time when a dream car just hasn't lived up. Never fun, but it just makes it all the better when they do.\n\n\"Even with sky-high expectations, this car blew me away,\" staff writer Brian Silvestro said. \"It's not a lightweight Lotus fighter but damn can it take a corner. It's a tragedy Nissan robbed us of this car when it was new. A global offering would've changed the sports car market forever. Unbelievable engine, one of the best (if not the best) straight-six I've ever driven or heard. One of the few collector cars that I think is underpriced right now.\"\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n7\n\n## E92 BMW M3 GT\n![e92 m3 gt race car](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/dwburnett-shmo-final-1634153924.jpeg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nDW Burnett\n\n\"BMW’s E92 M3 GT is the wildest, most visceral, and most intimidating car I’ve ever driven,\" editor-at-large Travis Okulski said. \"I don’t have enough room to adequately explain how cool driving (and racing) a car that competed in the American Le Mans Series was, so you should read my two stories on the experience [here](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a38146260\/what-you-learn-after-racing-with-a-pro-driver\/) and [here](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a37952747\/how-data-and-instruction-can-close-the-speed-gap\/).\"\n\n8\n\n## E30 BMW M3\n![e30 bmw m3](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/bmw-m-party-web-9597-1633454539.jpeg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nDW Burnett\n\n\"I've bowed at the altar of [E30 M3](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a37907106\/e30-m3-was-born-a-legend\/) my entire life, so driving this 14k-mile time capsule felt something like a religious experience,\" Kinard said. \"Next to every other M3 ever made, the E30 M3 reaches a high-water mark, not just for BMWs, but for all compact sports sedans.\"\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n9\n\n## E36 BMW GT\n![bmw m3 gt](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/bmw-m3-gt-1994-1280-01-1639168897.jpeg?crop=0.993xw:0.927xh;0,0.0408xh)\n\nBMW\n\nIn case you couldn't tell, our Mid-Ohio track day with every generation of BMW M3 had a serious effect on staff morale. Without consulting each other, three staffers submitted three separate M3s to this list. For Perkins, it wasn't the brutal race car or the iconic E30, but the friendly and refined E36.\n\n\"I never really thought much of the E36 M3,\" he said. \"Sure, I considered buying one when they were fairly affordable, but like most, I always thought of the E36 as the poor relation. Until I drove a German-spec E36 M3 GT. With its more powerful S50 3.0-liter and a chassis sorted by the Enthusiast Auto Group in Ohio, this was BMW perfection. And it’s green!\"\n\n10\n\n## 1986 BMW 535i\n![e28 bmw 535i](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/image-from-ios-1639171125.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nFred Smith\n\nIn fact, despite our bickering about the modern state of the company, most staffers have owned an old BMW sports sedan at one point or another. They've all been terrible in some respects, but their charm can be irresistable.\n\n\"My 1986 E28-generation 535i is objectively a bad car,\" weekend editor Fred Smith says. \"The air conditioning doesn't work, everything leaks, and the transmission feels about as stable as diplomatic relations between Russia and Ukraine. But the excellent balance and the enormously fun M30B34 \"big six\" remain, so it is still closer to perfect than most cars will ever be. The sheer combination of size and sense of control is unbeatable.\"\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n11\n\n## Jeep Grand Cherokee\n![jeep grand cherokee](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/jeep-grand-cherokee-2022-1280-22-1639169147.jpeg?crop=0.974xw:0.875xh;0.0255xw,0.0476xh)\n\nJeep\n\n\"My biggest surprise of the year,\" Kinard said. \"[Handles like an X5, climbs mountains like a billy goat](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a38271532\/2022-jeep-grand-cherokee-review\/). This is a uniquely American take on the luxury SUV.\"\n\n12\n\n## 2004 Lexus LX470\n![2004 lexus lx](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/mac09569-1639169221.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nMack Hogan\n\nSitting in the support Lexus LX570 at this year's Performance Car of the Year test, I had the same thought I have every time I climb into a Land Cruiser or LX. \"Why,\" I always wonder, \"do I not own one of these things?\"\n\nAt long last, I do. After being burned by my [E39 M5, I traded it for a 189,000-mile, 100-Series LX](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a38464210\/why-i-traded-my-190000-mile-e39-bmw-m5-for-a-190000-mile-lexus-lx470\/) and immediately put 2000 more miles on it. Half of that was loaded to the brim with stuff, most of it was endless stints on the highway, and a bit was even through a snowstorm. In the grand tradition of these trucks, it just worked. Everywhere and through everything. Before year's end I'll do a cross-country move in it, followed, I hope, by countless trips to explore the great outdoors of the American West. Couldn't imagine a better truck to do it in.\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n13\n\n## Ford GT\n![2017 ford gt](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/ford-gt-2017-1280-11-1639171743.jpeg?crop=1.00xw:0.950xh;0,0.0204xh)\n\nFord\n\nI've spent this whole article telling you about how our favorite cars are usually the greatest hits, especially the attainable stuff we can or do own. It's not all about the latest supercars. Yet we'd be lying if we pretended that we were immune to the awe these things can sometimes inspire.\n\n\"Living in Detroit, I don't see a ton of Ferraris and Lamborghinis on a regular basis,\" editorial assistant Lucas Bell said. \"For that reason, the current generation Ford GT has managed to become my most 'spotted' exotic. Having the chance to finally slip behind the wheel of one for 25 minutes of time on an empty track was truly special. My test car was fitted with the new ASV dampers, but the straight-through exhaust was the more striking modification at first. That changed as we cycled through the various damper settings. The lasting memory of that morning however involves coming to the end of the back straight and catching a hint of that giant air brake coming into play lap after lap. I understand the seven-figure price tag on this one.\"\n\nWatch Next\n\n## [Reviews](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/)\n[![2026 bmw i7 m70 matte brown gray](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/2d4198a1-2598-4bc7-aa39-b4995da0852d.jpg?crop=0.655xw:0.983xh;0.00801xw,0&resize=360:*)2026 BMW i7 M70 Feels Like a Lower-Case M Car](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70885574\/tested-2026-bmw-i7-m70-review-drive\/)\n\n[![2026 honda prelude vs 2026 volkswagen golf gti autobahn parked on a sunny day](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/689bc262-7502-46cb-9d34-04850c090b72.jpg?crop=0.670xw:1.00xh;0.141xw,0&resize=360:*)Honda Prelude vs. VW Golf GTI](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70835627\/honda-prelude-vs-vw-golf-gti\/)\n\n[![a sporty car speeding down a winding road in a mountainous landscape](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/vol-34-porshe-911-turbo-s-13-69b02ab02fd9c.jpg?crop=0.614xw:0.921xh;0.234xw,0&resize=360:*)Test Drive: 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70608297\/2026-porsche-911-turbo-s-magazine-review\/)\n\n[![artwork combining the depiction of a person and a sports car](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/e74dbfb8-4bed-4cf7-afdc-94e8d72a0881.jpg?crop=0.502xw:1.00xh;0.498xw,0&resize=360:*)Can the Porsche 911 GT3 Touring Actually Tour?](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70889925\/can-the-porsche-911-gt3-touring-actually-tour\/)\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n[![sp40 restomod futuristic car driving on a highway with a city skyline in the background](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/6e567004-143e-4421-89a8-21b1718d2d30.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.669xh;0,0.145xh&resize=360:*)SP40 Speedster Is an Art Deco Muscle Car](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70845078\/sp40-speedster-is-an-art-deco-muscle-car\/)\n\n[![2026 mercedes benz gle 450 4matic](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/2025-mercedes-benz-gle-450cq0a8954-699f46565184c.jpg?crop=0.587xw:0.880xh;0.276xw,0.0865xh&resize=360:*)Tested: 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE450 4Matic](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70500376\/tested-2026-mercedes-benz-gle-450\/)\n\n[![2026 aston martin valhalla](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/4d0d55a1-a15d-4757-af8b-2f7bde0ee5ad.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.670xh;0,0.136xh&resize=360:*)The Valhalla Is Aston's Second \\$1M-Plus Supercar](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70868525\/aston-martin-valhalla-is-way-more-civilized-than-valkyrie\/)\n\n[![2027 ferrari 849 testarossa](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/vol-32-ferrari-849-testarossa-5-69a5a59a17d73.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.822xh;0,0.0355xh&resize=360:*)Ferrari 849 Testarossa Is About More Than Numbers](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70481228\/2027-ferrari-849-testarossa\/)\n\n[![2026 jeep grand cherokee l in la canyons](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/gc2-699f051591842.jpeg?crop=0.572xw:0.824xh;0.188xw,0.122xh&resize=360:*)Tested: 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L 4-Cylinder](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70493027\/tested-2026-jeep-grand-cherokee-l-proves-four-cylinders-can-be-better-than-six\/)\n\n[![2026 toyota bz woodland](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/9b1453f9-cb18-4f2a-b74a-145664a9e661.jpeg?crop=0.659xw:0.988xh;0.167xw,0&resize=360:*)Tested: 2026 Toyota bZ Woodland](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70789788\/tested-2026-toyota-bz-woodland-is-a-stretch\/)\n\n[![2026 audi q3 s line quattro in san luis obispo](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/94c5bad0-610d-4fd3-ac6a-ade451f0f807.jpg?crop=0.670xw:1.00xh;0.143xw,0&resize=360:*)Tested: 2026 Audi Q3 S Line Quattro](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70756928\/tested-2026-audi-q3-s-line-quattro-is-still-the-best-small-luxury-suv\/)\n\n[![mazda cx 90 3.3turbo s premium parked on a snowy surface](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/cx90-hed-edit-699f0e425bc57.jpeg?crop=0.635xw:1.00xh;0.136xw,0&resize=360:*)Tested: 2026 Mazda CX-90](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a70479243\/tested-2026-mazda-cx-90-is-the-best-driving-suv-in-its-segment\/)\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n[![Logo](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/roadandtrack\/static\/images\/logos\/logo.59e04dc.svg?primary=%2523ffffff)](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/)\n\n[![x](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/x.3361b6d.svg?primary=%2523ffffff&id=social-button-icon)](https:\/\/x.com\/RoadandTrack)\n\n[![youtube](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/youtube.ce3e1ae.svg?primary=%2523ffffff&id=social-button-icon)](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/roadandtrack?sub_confirmation=1)\n\n[![facebook](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/facebook.a5a3a69.svg?primary=%2523ffffff&id=social-button-icon)](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/RoadandTrack)\n\n[![instagram](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/instagram.f282b14.svg?primary=%2523ffffff&id=social-button-icon)](https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/roadandtrack\/)\n\n[![pinterest](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/pinterest.e8cf655.svg?primary=%2523ffffff&id=social-button-icon)](https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/roadandtrack\/)\n\n[About Us](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/about\/a43977000\/about-us-contact-information-masthead\/)[News](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/news\/)[Car Reviews](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/)[Press Room](https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/news)[How We Test Cars](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/about\/a61743715\/how-we-review-test-cars\/)[Send Us a Tip](mailto:pitches@roadandtrack.com)[Car Rankings](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/rankings\/)[Newsletter](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/email\/roadandtrack-newsletter)[Contact Us](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/about\/a2922\/contact-us\/)[Advertise Online](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/about\/a24245\/advertise-online\/)[Customer Service](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/service)[Gear and Accessories](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/gear\/)[Subscribe](https:\/\/shop.roadandtrack.com\/road-track-all-access-membership-2.html?cds_tracking_code=rtfooter)[Community Guidelines](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/about\/a2923\/community-guidelines\/)[Media Kit](https:\/\/www.hearstautos.com\/road-track)\n\n![Hearst Autos - A Part of Hearst Digital Media](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/roadandtrack\/static\/images\/logos\/network-logo.f22110a.svg?primary=%2523ffffff)\n\nA Part of Hearst Digital Media\n\nWe may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.\n\n©2026 Hearst Autos, Inc. All Rights Reserved.\n\n[Privacy Notice](https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/-\/us-magazines-privacy-notice)[CA Notice at Collection](https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/-\/us-magazines-privacy-notice#_ADDITIONAL_INFO)[Your CA Privacy Rights\/Shine the Light](https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/-\/us-magazines-privacy-notice#_ADDITIONAL_INFO)[DAA Industry Opt Out](https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/-\/us-magazines-privacy-notice#_OPT_OUTS)[Terms of Use](https:\/\/www.hearst.com\/-\/us-magazines-terms-of-use)[Site Map](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/sitemap\/)\n\n[Cookies Choices](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/g38487132\/best-cars-we-drove-in-2021\/ \"Cookies Choices\")","attrs_readable_markdown":"1\n\n## Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing\n![cadillac ct5 v blackwing](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/3601-02-1639165492.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nEmiliano Granado\n\nAfter years of attempting to replicate the golden age of BMW, Cadillac is finally calling it quits. Despite enthusiast praise, the V-series Caddys have never been able to build the high-margin sedan business that BMW enjoyed at its peak. What the company has done, however, is build some of the best sports sedans ever.\n\nThe [CT5-V Blackwing](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a37262769\/2022-cadillac-ct5-v-blackwing\/) is the zenith of that mission, the greatest in a line of greats. With an engine potent enough to bring about the apocalypse and [dampers handed down from High](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a38293112\/cadillac-blackwing-magneride-4\/), the Blackwing is as precise, engaging, and downright fun as some honest sports cars. You'd be hard-pressed to find an *R\\&T* staffer that doesn't number it among their favorite cars from this year. We are, of course, sad to know that it's the last of it's kind. But we couldn't ask for a better send-off.\n\n2\n\n## Porsche 911 GT3\n![2022 porsche 911 gt3](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/20210928-roadtrack-pcoty-1332-1639166253.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nEmiliano Granado\n\nThe [Porsche 911 GT3](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/new-cars\/first-drives\/a36178330\/2022-porsche-911-gt3-first-drive\/) is a sensational, driver-focused car that represents the best of the 911 lineup. Forgive us if we're not breaking new ground with that statement. Clichés are often clichés for a reason.\n\n\"The last GT3, the 991.2, was the benchmark sports car for myself and many others, rendering cars twice its price pointless,\" senior reporter Chris Perkins says. \"I didn’t expect the new GT3 to be such a step forward, but my word, it is. The turn-in is unlike any other 911 before it, and as ever, that engine is extraordinary. Make no mistake, this is one of the greatest 911s of all time.\"\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n3\n\n## Toyota GR 86\n![toyota gr 86](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/toyota-gr-86-2022-1280-05-1639166578.jpeg?crop=0.952xw:0.916xh;0,0.0363xh)\n\nToyota\n\nDespite the supercar shenanigans common on these pages, we spend most of our time talking about the proletariat icons. The good stuff that's actually within reach, be it cheap Miatas, broken BMWs, or new hot hatches. Nothing gets us more excited than a new, attainable option that's dynamically great. This year, that car was the [GR 86](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a37304880\/2022-toyota-gr-86-first-drive-review\/).\n\n\"The GR 86 has more power and torque, changes that could have upset the near-perfect balance of this charming and capable machine,\" deputy editor Bob Sorokanich says. \"Instead, it’s a vastly better version of the same friendly delight. The engine is peppy and responsive at every notch on the tach, the shifter is positive and light, the steering carries on a constant conversation with your fingertips.\"\n\nOur staff still leans slightly toward the Miata as a pure driver's tool, but offering something this good, with back seats, for even less than an LSD-equipped Miata is a staggering achievement.\n\n4\n\n## Toyota GR Yaris\n![toyota gr yaris](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/mac09160-1639166934.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nMack Hogan\n\nThe word \"perfect\" has damned near lost its meaning. No car lives up to it in its entirety. But, in the Austrian alps, [I had a drive worthy of the word.](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/reviews\/a38108112\/gr-yaris-perfect-road-review\/)\n\nIt involved a GR Yaris, a good friend, and the Grossglockner high alpine road. Squealing tires, slick gear changes from the six-speed manual, endless grip thanks to the rally-spec all-wheel-drive system. Views that'd keep a postcard company in business for a decade.\n\nThat car, on that road, provided a driving experience more exhilarating than what I've felt in cars costing triple. The GR Yaris offers the kind of total sensory engagement you usually only get from Porsches, McLarens, Lotuses, or Miatas. All in a compact, rally-bred package that has playfulness as its core value. It's no wonder that this tiny, forbidden-fruit Toyota was the most-talked-about car in *R\\&T* chat rooms this year.\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n5\n\n## 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata\n![mazda miata lotus elan](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/1eeeaeba-360a-46a4-a111-468096a79ba5-jpg-1639167412.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nKyle Kinard\n\nWe chase after new experiences in this business, always looking for a chance to acquaint ourselves with new, great metal. None of it satisfies quite the same itch as the familiar fun of a long-proven friend.\n\n\"The pandemic cut my work travel in half, forcing a reacquaintance with my long-neglected daily driver,\" senior editor Kyle Kinard said. \"After living with this spunky whippet again, I've never been more in love with the thing; Proof of the NA's simple, enduring charms.\"\n\n6\n\n## R34 Nissan GT-R\n![nissan r34 gt r](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/img-8295-jpg-1639167961.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nBrian Silvestro\n\nOne of the most daunting parts of this business is getting to meet your heroes. Every one of us has a story of a time when a dream car just hasn't lived up. Never fun, but it just makes it all the better when they do.\n\n\"Even with sky-high expectations, this car blew me away,\" staff writer Brian Silvestro said. \"It's not a lightweight Lotus fighter but damn can it take a corner. It's a tragedy Nissan robbed us of this car when it was new. A global offering would've changed the sports car market forever. Unbelievable engine, one of the best (if not the best) straight-six I've ever driven or heard. One of the few collector cars that I think is underpriced right now.\"\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n7\n\n## E92 BMW M3 GT\n![e92 m3 gt race car](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/dwburnett-shmo-final-1634153924.jpeg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nDW Burnett\n\n\"BMW’s E92 M3 GT is the wildest, most visceral, and most intimidating car I’ve ever driven,\" editor-at-large Travis Okulski said. \"I don’t have enough room to adequately explain how cool driving (and racing) a car that competed in the American Le Mans Series was, so you should read my two stories on the experience [here](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a38146260\/what-you-learn-after-racing-with-a-pro-driver\/) and [here](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a37952747\/how-data-and-instruction-can-close-the-speed-gap\/).\"\n\n8\n\n## E30 BMW M3\n![e30 bmw m3](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/bmw-m-party-web-9597-1633454539.jpeg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nDW Burnett\n\n\"I've bowed at the altar of [E30 M3](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a37907106\/e30-m3-was-born-a-legend\/) my entire life, so driving this 14k-mile time capsule felt something like a religious experience,\" Kinard said. \"Next to every other M3 ever made, the E30 M3 reaches a high-water mark, not just for BMWs, but for all compact sports sedans.\"\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n9\n\n## E36 BMW GT\n![bmw m3 gt](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/bmw-m3-gt-1994-1280-01-1639168897.jpeg?crop=0.993xw:0.927xh;0,0.0408xh)\n\nBMW\n\nIn case you couldn't tell, our Mid-Ohio track day with every generation of BMW M3 had a serious effect on staff morale. Without consulting each other, three staffers submitted three separate M3s to this list. For Perkins, it wasn't the brutal race car or the iconic E30, but the friendly and refined E36.\n\n\"I never really thought much of the E36 M3,\" he said. \"Sure, I considered buying one when they were fairly affordable, but like most, I always thought of the E36 as the poor relation. Until I drove a German-spec E36 M3 GT. With its more powerful S50 3.0-liter and a chassis sorted by the Enthusiast Auto Group in Ohio, this was BMW perfection. And it’s green!\"\n\n10\n\n## 1986 BMW 535i\n![e28 bmw 535i](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/image-from-ios-1639171125.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nFred Smith\n\nIn fact, despite our bickering about the modern state of the company, most staffers have owned an old BMW sports sedan at one point or another. They've all been terrible in some respects, but their charm can be irresistable.\n\n\"My 1986 E28-generation 535i is objectively a bad car,\" weekend editor Fred Smith says. \"The air conditioning doesn't work, everything leaks, and the transmission feels about as stable as diplomatic relations between Russia and Ukraine. But the excellent balance and the enormously fun M30B34 \"big six\" remain, so it is still closer to perfect than most cars will ever be. The sheer combination of size and sense of control is unbeatable.\"\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n11\n\n## Jeep Grand Cherokee\n![jeep grand cherokee](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/jeep-grand-cherokee-2022-1280-22-1639169147.jpeg?crop=0.974xw:0.875xh;0.0255xw,0.0476xh)\n\nJeep\n\n12\n\n## 2004 Lexus LX470\n![2004 lexus lx](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/mac09569-1639169221.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top)\n\nMack Hogan\n\nSitting in the support Lexus LX570 at this year's Performance Car of the Year test, I had the same thought I have every time I climb into a Land Cruiser or LX. \"Why,\" I always wonder, \"do I not own one of these things?\"\n\nAt long last, I do. After being burned by my [E39 M5, I traded it for a 189,000-mile, 100-Series LX](https:\/\/www.roadandtrack.com\/car-culture\/a38464210\/why-i-traded-my-190000-mile-e39-bmw-m5-for-a-190000-mile-lexus-lx470\/) and immediately put 2000 more miles on it. Half of that was loaded to the brim with stuff, most of it was endless stints on the highway, and a bit was even through a snowstorm. In the grand tradition of these trucks, it just worked. Everywhere and through everything. Before year's end I'll do a cross-country move in it, followed, I hope, by countless trips to explore the great outdoors of the American West. Couldn't imagine a better truck to do it in.\n\nAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below\n\n13\n\n## Ford GT\n![2017 ford gt](https:\/\/hips.hearstapps.com\/hmg-prod\/images\/ford-gt-2017-1280-11-1639171743.jpeg?crop=1.00xw:0.950xh;0,0.0204xh)\n\nFord\n\nI've spent this whole article telling you about how our favorite cars are usually the greatest hits, especially the attainable stuff we can or do own. It's not all about the latest supercars. Yet we'd be lying if we pretended that we were immune to the awe these things can sometimes inspire.\n\n\"Living in Detroit, I don't see a ton of Ferraris and Lamborghinis on a regular basis,\" editorial assistant Lucas Bell said. \"For that reason, the current generation Ford GT has managed to become my most 'spotted' exotic. Having the chance to finally slip behind the wheel of one for 25 minutes of time on an empty track was truly special. My test car was fitted with the new ASV dampers, but the straight-through exhaust was the more striking modification at first. That changed as we cycled through the various damper settings. The lasting memory of that morning however involves coming to the end of the back straight and catching a hint of that giant air brake coming into play lap after lap. I understand the seven-figure price tag on this one.\"","meta_canonical":null,"ml_categories_json":"","ml_types_json":"","ml_intent_types_json":"","meta_language":"en-us","attrs_author":"Mack Hogan","attrs_publish_time":1639672200,"attrs_original_publish_time":1639672200,"attrs_is_republished":0,"attrs_nr_words":"1946","attrs_boilerpipe_nr_words":"1524","body_ext_links_number":10,"body_int_links_number":56,"meta_nofollow":0,"meta_noarchive":1,"props_was_rendered":0,"src_redirect":"","download_time_msec":3050,"download_ttfb_msec":3026,"download_size":98351}

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Meta Title	The Best Cars We Drove in 2021
Meta Description	We drive pretty much every new performance car that comes out, along with some old ones if we're lucky. These are the standouts.
Meta Canonical	null
Boilerpipe Text	1 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing Emiliano Granado After years of attempting to replicate the golden age of BMW, Cadillac is finally calling it quits. Despite enthusiast praise, the V-series Caddys have never been able to build the high-margin sedan business that BMW enjoyed at its peak. What the company has done, however, is build some of the best sports sedans ever. The CT5-V Blackwing is the zenith of that mission, the greatest in a line of greats. With an engine potent enough to bring about the apocalypse and dampers handed down from High , the Blackwing is as precise, engaging, and downright fun as some honest sports cars. You'd be hard-pressed to find an R&T staffer that doesn't number it among their favorite cars from this year. We are, of course, sad to know that it's the last of it's kind. But we couldn't ask for a better send-off. 2 Porsche 911 GT3 Emiliano Granado The Porsche 911 GT3 is a sensational, driver-focused car that represents the best of the 911 lineup. Forgive us if we're not breaking new ground with that statement. Clichés are often clichés for a reason. "The last GT3, the 991.2, was the benchmark sports car for myself and many others, rendering cars twice its price pointless," senior reporter Chris Perkins says. "I didn’t expect the new GT3 to be such a step forward, but my word, it is. The turn-in is unlike any other 911 before it, and as ever, that engine is extraordinary. Make no mistake, this is one of the greatest 911s of all time." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 3 Toyota GR 86 Toyota Despite the supercar shenanigans common on these pages, we spend most of our time talking about the proletariat icons. The good stuff that's actually within reach, be it cheap Miatas, broken BMWs, or new hot hatches. Nothing gets us more excited than a new, attainable option that's dynamically great. This year, that car was the GR 86 . "The GR 86 has more power and torque, changes that could have upset the near-perfect balance of this charming and capable machine," deputy editor Bob Sorokanich says. "Instead, it’s a vastly better version of the same friendly delight. The engine is peppy and responsive at every notch on the tach, the shifter is positive and light, the steering carries on a constant conversation with your fingertips." Our staff still leans slightly toward the Miata as a pure driver's tool, but offering something this good, with back seats, for even less than an LSD-equipped Miata is a staggering achievement. 4 Toyota GR Yaris Mack Hogan The word "perfect" has damned near lost its meaning. No car lives up to it in its entirety. But, in the Austrian alps, I had a drive worthy of the word. It involved a GR Yaris, a good friend, and the Grossglockner high alpine road. Squealing tires, slick gear changes from the six-speed manual, endless grip thanks to the rally-spec all-wheel-drive system. Views that'd keep a postcard company in business for a decade. That car, on that road, provided a driving experience more exhilarating than what I've felt in cars costing triple. The GR Yaris offers the kind of total sensory engagement you usually only get from Porsches, McLarens, Lotuses, or Miatas. All in a compact, rally-bred package that has playfulness as its core value. It's no wonder that this tiny, forbidden-fruit Toyota was the most-talked-about car in R&T chat rooms this year. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 5 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata Kyle Kinard We chase after new experiences in this business, always looking for a chance to acquaint ourselves with new, great metal. None of it satisfies quite the same itch as the familiar fun of a long-proven friend. "The pandemic cut my work travel in half, forcing a reacquaintance with my long-neglected daily driver," senior editor Kyle Kinard said. "After living with this spunky whippet again, I've never been more in love with the thing; Proof of the NA's simple, enduring charms." 6 R34 Nissan GT-R Brian Silvestro One of the most daunting parts of this business is getting to meet your heroes. Every one of us has a story of a time when a dream car just hasn't lived up. Never fun, but it just makes it all the better when they do. "Even with sky-high expectations, this car blew me away," staff writer Brian Silvestro said. "It's not a lightweight Lotus fighter but damn can it take a corner. It's a tragedy Nissan robbed us of this car when it was new. A global offering would've changed the sports car market forever. Unbelievable engine, one of the best (if not the best) straight-six I've ever driven or heard. One of the few collector cars that I think is underpriced right now." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 7 E92 BMW M3 GT DW Burnett "BMW’s E92 M3 GT is the wildest, most visceral, and most intimidating car I’ve ever driven," editor-at-large Travis Okulski said. "I don’t have enough room to adequately explain how cool driving (and racing) a car that competed in the American Le Mans Series was, so you should read my two stories on the experience here and here ." 8 E30 BMW M3 DW Burnett "I've bowed at the altar of E30 M3 my entire life, so driving this 14k-mile time capsule felt something like a religious experience," Kinard said. "Next to every other M3 ever made, the E30 M3 reaches a high-water mark, not just for BMWs, but for all compact sports sedans." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 9 E36 BMW GT BMW In case you couldn't tell, our Mid-Ohio track day with every generation of BMW M3 had a serious effect on staff morale. Without consulting each other, three staffers submitted three separate M3s to this list. For Perkins, it wasn't the brutal race car or the iconic E30, but the friendly and refined E36. "I never really thought much of the E36 M3," he said. "Sure, I considered buying one when they were fairly affordable, but like most, I always thought of the E36 as the poor relation. Until I drove a German-spec E36 M3 GT. With its more powerful S50 3.0-liter and a chassis sorted by the Enthusiast Auto Group in Ohio, this was BMW perfection. And it’s green!" 10 1986 BMW 535i Fred Smith In fact, despite our bickering about the modern state of the company, most staffers have owned an old BMW sports sedan at one point or another. They've all been terrible in some respects, but their charm can be irresistable. "My 1986 E28-generation 535i is objectively a bad car," weekend editor Fred Smith says. "The air conditioning doesn't work, everything leaks, and the transmission feels about as stable as diplomatic relations between Russia and Ukraine. But the excellent balance and the enormously fun M30B34 "big six" remain, so it is still closer to perfect than most cars will ever be. The sheer combination of size and sense of control is unbeatable." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 11 Jeep Grand Cherokee Jeep 12 2004 Lexus LX470 Mack Hogan Sitting in the support Lexus LX570 at this year's Performance Car of the Year test, I had the same thought I have every time I climb into a Land Cruiser or LX. "Why," I always wonder, "do I not own one of these things?" At long last, I do. After being burned by my E39 M5, I traded it for a 189,000-mile, 100-Series LX and immediately put 2000 more miles on it. Half of that was loaded to the brim with stuff, most of it was endless stints on the highway, and a bit was even through a snowstorm. In the grand tradition of these trucks, it just worked. Everywhere and through everything. Before year's end I'll do a cross-country move in it, followed, I hope, by countless trips to explore the great outdoors of the American West. Couldn't imagine a better truck to do it in. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 13 Ford GT Ford I've spent this whole article telling you about how our favorite cars are usually the greatest hits, especially the attainable stuff we can or do own. It's not all about the latest supercars. Yet we'd be lying if we pretended that we were immune to the awe these things can sometimes inspire. "Living in Detroit, I don't see a ton of Ferraris and Lamborghinis on a regular basis," editorial assistant Lucas Bell said. "For that reason, the current generation Ford GT has managed to become my most 'spotted' exotic. Having the chance to finally slip behind the wheel of one for 25 minutes of time on an empty track was truly special. My test car was fitted with the new ASV dampers, but the straight-through exhaust was the more striking modification at first. That changed as we cycled through the various damper settings. The lasting memory of that morning however involves coming to the end of the back straight and catching a hint of that giant air brake coming into play lap after lap. I understand the seven-figure price tag on this one."
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[Reviews](https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/) 2. [These Are the Best Cars We Drove in 2021](https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/g38487132/best-cars-we-drove-in-2021/) # These Are the Best Cars We Drove in 2021 We drive pretty much every new performance car that comes out, along with some old ones if we're lucky. These are the standouts. By [Mack Hogan](https://www.roadandtrack.com/author/224159/mack-hogan/ "Mack Hogan") Published: Dec 16, 2021 11:30 AM EST ![bookmarks](https://www.roadandtrack.com/_assets/design-tokens/fre/static/icons/saved.ad81f1a.svg?primary=%2523ffffff)Save Article ![road and track pcoty 2022](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/20210930-roadtrack-pcoty-1461-1639165603.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.755xh;0,0.214xh&resize=640:) Emiliano Granado For all our moaning, the Road & Track* staff has it good. Rarely does a new performance car hit dealer lots before we've given it a go and rarely do we go three months without a rented race track. Few of them really steal our hearts, though, which is why we try to dedicate a lot of words, time, money, and miles to stuff from the [greatest hits collection](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a35002019/greatest-sports-car-of-all-time/). So whether they were offered by manufacturers, loaned by kind privateers, or purchased on our own behalf, these are the cars we drove this year that occupy our daydreams. 1 ## Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing ![cadillac ct5 v blackwing](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/3601-02-1639165492.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Emiliano Granado After years of attempting to replicate the golden age of BMW, Cadillac is finally calling it quits. Despite enthusiast praise, the V-series Caddys have never been able to build the high-margin sedan business that BMW enjoyed at its peak. What the company has done, however, is build some of the best sports sedans ever. The [CT5-V Blackwing](https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/a37262769/2022-cadillac-ct5-v-blackwing/) is the zenith of that mission, the greatest in a line of greats. With an engine potent enough to bring about the apocalypse and [dampers handed down from High](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a38293112/cadillac-blackwing-magneride-4/), the Blackwing is as precise, engaging, and downright fun as some honest sports cars. You'd be hard-pressed to find an R\&T staffer that doesn't number it among their favorite cars from this year. We are, of course, sad to know that it's the last of it's kind. But we couldn't ask for a better send-off. 2 ## Porsche 911 GT3 ![2022 porsche 911 gt3](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/20210928-roadtrack-pcoty-1332-1639166253.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Emiliano Granado The [Porsche 911 GT3](https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/a36178330/2022-porsche-911-gt3-first-drive/) is a sensational, driver-focused car that represents the best of the 911 lineup. Forgive us if we're not breaking new ground with that statement. Clichés are often clichés for a reason. "The last GT3, the 991.2, was the benchmark sports car for myself and many others, rendering cars twice its price pointless," senior reporter Chris Perkins says. "I didn’t expect the new GT3 to be such a step forward, but my word, it is. The turn-in is unlike any other 911 before it, and as ever, that engine is extraordinary. Make no mistake, this is one of the greatest 911s of all time." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 3 ## Toyota GR 86 ![toyota gr 86](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/toyota-gr-86-2022-1280-05-1639166578.jpeg?crop=0.952xw:0.916xh;0,0.0363xh) Toyota Despite the supercar shenanigans common on these pages, we spend most of our time talking about the proletariat icons. The good stuff that's actually within reach, be it cheap Miatas, broken BMWs, or new hot hatches. Nothing gets us more excited than a new, attainable option that's dynamically great. This year, that car was the [GR 86](https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/a37304880/2022-toyota-gr-86-first-drive-review/). "The GR 86 has more power and torque, changes that could have upset the near-perfect balance of this charming and capable machine," deputy editor Bob Sorokanich says. "Instead, it’s a vastly better version of the same friendly delight. The engine is peppy and responsive at every notch on the tach, the shifter is positive and light, the steering carries on a constant conversation with your fingertips." Our staff still leans slightly toward the Miata as a pure driver's tool, but offering something this good, with back seats, for even less than an LSD-equipped Miata is a staggering achievement. 4 ## Toyota GR Yaris ![toyota gr yaris](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/mac09160-1639166934.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Mack Hogan The word "perfect" has damned near lost its meaning. No car lives up to it in its entirety. But, in the Austrian alps, [I had a drive worthy of the word.](https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/a38108112/gr-yaris-perfect-road-review/) It involved a GR Yaris, a good friend, and the Grossglockner high alpine road. Squealing tires, slick gear changes from the six-speed manual, endless grip thanks to the rally-spec all-wheel-drive system. Views that'd keep a postcard company in business for a decade. That car, on that road, provided a driving experience more exhilarating than what I've felt in cars costing triple. The GR Yaris offers the kind of total sensory engagement you usually only get from Porsches, McLarens, Lotuses, or Miatas. All in a compact, rally-bred package that has playfulness as its core value. It's no wonder that this tiny, forbidden-fruit Toyota was the most-talked-about car in R\&T chat rooms this year. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 5 ## 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata ![mazda miata lotus elan](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/1eeeaeba-360a-46a4-a111-468096a79ba5-jpg-1639167412.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Kyle Kinard We chase after new experiences in this business, always looking for a chance to acquaint ourselves with new, great metal. None of it satisfies quite the same itch as the familiar fun of a long-proven friend. "The pandemic cut my work travel in half, forcing a reacquaintance with my long-neglected daily driver," senior editor Kyle Kinard said. "After living with this spunky whippet again, I've never been more in love with the thing; Proof of the NA's simple, enduring charms." 6 ## R34 Nissan GT-R ![nissan r34 gt r](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/img-8295-jpg-1639167961.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Brian Silvestro One of the most daunting parts of this business is getting to meet your heroes. Every one of us has a story of a time when a dream car just hasn't lived up. Never fun, but it just makes it all the better when they do. "Even with sky-high expectations, this car blew me away," staff writer Brian Silvestro said. "It's not a lightweight Lotus fighter but damn can it take a corner. It's a tragedy Nissan robbed us of this car when it was new. A global offering would've changed the sports car market forever. Unbelievable engine, one of the best (if not the best) straight-six I've ever driven or heard. One of the few collector cars that I think is underpriced right now." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 7 ## E92 BMW M3 GT ![e92 m3 gt race car](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/dwburnett-shmo-final-1634153924.jpeg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) DW Burnett "BMW’s E92 M3 GT is the wildest, most visceral, and most intimidating car I’ve ever driven," editor-at-large Travis Okulski said. "I don’t have enough room to adequately explain how cool driving (and racing) a car that competed in the American Le Mans Series was, so you should read my two stories on the experience [here](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a38146260/what-you-learn-after-racing-with-a-pro-driver/) and [here](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a37952747/how-data-and-instruction-can-close-the-speed-gap/)." 8 ## E30 BMW M3 ![e30 bmw m3](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/bmw-m-party-web-9597-1633454539.jpeg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) DW Burnett "I've bowed at the altar of [E30 M3](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a37907106/e30-m3-was-born-a-legend/) my entire life, so driving this 14k-mile time capsule felt something like a religious experience," Kinard said. "Next to every other M3 ever made, the E30 M3 reaches a high-water mark, not just for BMWs, but for all compact sports sedans." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 9 ## E36 BMW GT ![bmw m3 gt](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/bmw-m3-gt-1994-1280-01-1639168897.jpeg?crop=0.993xw:0.927xh;0,0.0408xh) BMW In case you couldn't tell, our Mid-Ohio track day with every generation of BMW M3 had a serious effect on staff morale. Without consulting each other, three staffers submitted three separate M3s to this list. For Perkins, it wasn't the brutal race car or the iconic E30, but the friendly and refined E36. "I never really thought much of the E36 M3," he said. "Sure, I considered buying one when they were fairly affordable, but like most, I always thought of the E36 as the poor relation. Until I drove a German-spec E36 M3 GT. With its more powerful S50 3.0-liter and a chassis sorted by the Enthusiast Auto Group in Ohio, this was BMW perfection. And it’s green!" 10 ## 1986 BMW 535i ![e28 bmw 535i](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/image-from-ios-1639171125.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Fred Smith In fact, despite our bickering about the modern state of the company, most staffers have owned an old BMW sports sedan at one point or another. They've all been terrible in some respects, but their charm can be irresistable. "My 1986 E28-generation 535i is objectively a bad car," weekend editor Fred Smith says. "The air conditioning doesn't work, everything leaks, and the transmission feels about as stable as diplomatic relations between Russia and Ukraine. But the excellent balance and the enormously fun M30B34 "big six" remain, so it is still closer to perfect than most cars will ever be. The sheer combination of size and sense of control is unbeatable." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 11 ## Jeep Grand Cherokee ![jeep grand cherokee](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/jeep-grand-cherokee-2022-1280-22-1639169147.jpeg?crop=0.974xw:0.875xh;0.0255xw,0.0476xh) Jeep "My biggest surprise of the year," Kinard said. "[Handles like an X5, climbs mountains like a billy goat](https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/a38271532/2022-jeep-grand-cherokee-review/). This is a uniquely American take on the luxury SUV." 12 ## 2004 Lexus LX470 ![2004 lexus lx](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/mac09569-1639169221.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Mack Hogan Sitting in the support Lexus LX570 at this year's Performance Car of the Year test, I had the same thought I have every time I climb into a Land Cruiser or LX. "Why," I always wonder, "do I not own one of these things?" At long last, I do. After being burned by my [E39 M5, I traded it for a 189,000-mile, 100-Series LX](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a38464210/why-i-traded-my-190000-mile-e39-bmw-m5-for-a-190000-mile-lexus-lx470/) and immediately put 2000 more miles on it. Half of that was loaded to the brim with stuff, most of it was endless stints on the highway, and a bit was even through a snowstorm. In the grand tradition of these trucks, it just worked. Everywhere and through everything. Before year's end I'll do a cross-country move in it, followed, I hope, by countless trips to explore the great outdoors of the American West. Couldn't imagine a better truck to do it in. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 13 ## Ford GT ![2017 ford gt](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/ford-gt-2017-1280-11-1639171743.jpeg?crop=1.00xw:0.950xh;0,0.0204xh) Ford I've spent this whole article telling you about how our favorite cars are usually the greatest hits, especially the attainable stuff we can or do own. It's not all about the latest supercars. Yet we'd be lying if we pretended that we were immune to the awe these things can sometimes inspire. "Living in Detroit, I don't see a ton of Ferraris and Lamborghinis on a regular basis," editorial assistant Lucas Bell said. "For that reason, the current generation Ford GT has managed to become my most 'spotted' exotic. Having the chance to finally slip behind the wheel of one for 25 minutes of time on an empty track was truly special. My test car was fitted with the new ASV dampers, but the straight-through exhaust was the more striking modification at first. That changed as we cycled through the various damper settings. The lasting memory of that morning however involves coming to the end of the back straight and catching a hint of that giant air brake coming into play lap after lap. I understand the seven-figure price tag on this one." 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Readable Markdown	1 ## Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing ![cadillac ct5 v blackwing](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/3601-02-1639165492.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Emiliano Granado After years of attempting to replicate the golden age of BMW, Cadillac is finally calling it quits. Despite enthusiast praise, the V-series Caddys have never been able to build the high-margin sedan business that BMW enjoyed at its peak. What the company has done, however, is build some of the best sports sedans ever. The [CT5-V Blackwing](https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/a37262769/2022-cadillac-ct5-v-blackwing/) is the zenith of that mission, the greatest in a line of greats. With an engine potent enough to bring about the apocalypse and [dampers handed down from High](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a38293112/cadillac-blackwing-magneride-4/), the Blackwing is as precise, engaging, and downright fun as some honest sports cars. You'd be hard-pressed to find an R\&T staffer that doesn't number it among their favorite cars from this year. We are, of course, sad to know that it's the last of it's kind. But we couldn't ask for a better send-off. 2 ## Porsche 911 GT3 ![2022 porsche 911 gt3](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/20210928-roadtrack-pcoty-1332-1639166253.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Emiliano Granado The [Porsche 911 GT3](https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/a36178330/2022-porsche-911-gt3-first-drive/) is a sensational, driver-focused car that represents the best of the 911 lineup. Forgive us if we're not breaking new ground with that statement. Clichés are often clichés for a reason. "The last GT3, the 991.2, was the benchmark sports car for myself and many others, rendering cars twice its price pointless," senior reporter Chris Perkins says. "I didn’t expect the new GT3 to be such a step forward, but my word, it is. The turn-in is unlike any other 911 before it, and as ever, that engine is extraordinary. Make no mistake, this is one of the greatest 911s of all time." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 3 ## Toyota GR 86 ![toyota gr 86](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/toyota-gr-86-2022-1280-05-1639166578.jpeg?crop=0.952xw:0.916xh;0,0.0363xh) Toyota Despite the supercar shenanigans common on these pages, we spend most of our time talking about the proletariat icons. The good stuff that's actually within reach, be it cheap Miatas, broken BMWs, or new hot hatches. Nothing gets us more excited than a new, attainable option that's dynamically great. This year, that car was the [GR 86](https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/a37304880/2022-toyota-gr-86-first-drive-review/). "The GR 86 has more power and torque, changes that could have upset the near-perfect balance of this charming and capable machine," deputy editor Bob Sorokanich says. "Instead, it’s a vastly better version of the same friendly delight. The engine is peppy and responsive at every notch on the tach, the shifter is positive and light, the steering carries on a constant conversation with your fingertips." Our staff still leans slightly toward the Miata as a pure driver's tool, but offering something this good, with back seats, for even less than an LSD-equipped Miata is a staggering achievement. 4 ## Toyota GR Yaris ![toyota gr yaris](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/mac09160-1639166934.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Mack Hogan The word "perfect" has damned near lost its meaning. No car lives up to it in its entirety. But, in the Austrian alps, [I had a drive worthy of the word.](https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/a38108112/gr-yaris-perfect-road-review/) It involved a GR Yaris, a good friend, and the Grossglockner high alpine road. Squealing tires, slick gear changes from the six-speed manual, endless grip thanks to the rally-spec all-wheel-drive system. Views that'd keep a postcard company in business for a decade. That car, on that road, provided a driving experience more exhilarating than what I've felt in cars costing triple. The GR Yaris offers the kind of total sensory engagement you usually only get from Porsches, McLarens, Lotuses, or Miatas. All in a compact, rally-bred package that has playfulness as its core value. It's no wonder that this tiny, forbidden-fruit Toyota was the most-talked-about car in R\&T chat rooms this year. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 5 ## 1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata ![mazda miata lotus elan](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/1eeeaeba-360a-46a4-a111-468096a79ba5-jpg-1639167412.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Kyle Kinard We chase after new experiences in this business, always looking for a chance to acquaint ourselves with new, great metal. None of it satisfies quite the same itch as the familiar fun of a long-proven friend. "The pandemic cut my work travel in half, forcing a reacquaintance with my long-neglected daily driver," senior editor Kyle Kinard said. "After living with this spunky whippet again, I've never been more in love with the thing; Proof of the NA's simple, enduring charms." 6 ## R34 Nissan GT-R ![nissan r34 gt r](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/img-8295-jpg-1639167961.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Brian Silvestro One of the most daunting parts of this business is getting to meet your heroes. Every one of us has a story of a time when a dream car just hasn't lived up. Never fun, but it just makes it all the better when they do. "Even with sky-high expectations, this car blew me away," staff writer Brian Silvestro said. "It's not a lightweight Lotus fighter but damn can it take a corner. It's a tragedy Nissan robbed us of this car when it was new. A global offering would've changed the sports car market forever. Unbelievable engine, one of the best (if not the best) straight-six I've ever driven or heard. One of the few collector cars that I think is underpriced right now." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 7 ## E92 BMW M3 GT ![e92 m3 gt race car](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/dwburnett-shmo-final-1634153924.jpeg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) DW Burnett "BMW’s E92 M3 GT is the wildest, most visceral, and most intimidating car I’ve ever driven," editor-at-large Travis Okulski said. "I don’t have enough room to adequately explain how cool driving (and racing) a car that competed in the American Le Mans Series was, so you should read my two stories on the experience [here](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a38146260/what-you-learn-after-racing-with-a-pro-driver/) and [here](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a37952747/how-data-and-instruction-can-close-the-speed-gap/)." 8 ## E30 BMW M3 ![e30 bmw m3](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/bmw-m-party-web-9597-1633454539.jpeg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) DW Burnett "I've bowed at the altar of [E30 M3](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a37907106/e30-m3-was-born-a-legend/) my entire life, so driving this 14k-mile time capsule felt something like a religious experience," Kinard said. "Next to every other M3 ever made, the E30 M3 reaches a high-water mark, not just for BMWs, but for all compact sports sedans." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 9 ## E36 BMW GT ![bmw m3 gt](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/bmw-m3-gt-1994-1280-01-1639168897.jpeg?crop=0.993xw:0.927xh;0,0.0408xh) BMW In case you couldn't tell, our Mid-Ohio track day with every generation of BMW M3 had a serious effect on staff morale. Without consulting each other, three staffers submitted three separate M3s to this list. For Perkins, it wasn't the brutal race car or the iconic E30, but the friendly and refined E36. "I never really thought much of the E36 M3," he said. "Sure, I considered buying one when they were fairly affordable, but like most, I always thought of the E36 as the poor relation. Until I drove a German-spec E36 M3 GT. With its more powerful S50 3.0-liter and a chassis sorted by the Enthusiast Auto Group in Ohio, this was BMW perfection. And it’s green!" 10 ## 1986 BMW 535i ![e28 bmw 535i](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/image-from-ios-1639171125.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Fred Smith In fact, despite our bickering about the modern state of the company, most staffers have owned an old BMW sports sedan at one point or another. They've all been terrible in some respects, but their charm can be irresistable. "My 1986 E28-generation 535i is objectively a bad car," weekend editor Fred Smith says. "The air conditioning doesn't work, everything leaks, and the transmission feels about as stable as diplomatic relations between Russia and Ukraine. But the excellent balance and the enormously fun M30B34 "big six" remain, so it is still closer to perfect than most cars will ever be. The sheer combination of size and sense of control is unbeatable." Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 11 ## Jeep Grand Cherokee ![jeep grand cherokee](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/jeep-grand-cherokee-2022-1280-22-1639169147.jpeg?crop=0.974xw:0.875xh;0.0255xw,0.0476xh) Jeep 12 ## 2004 Lexus LX470 ![2004 lexus lx](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/mac09569-1639169221.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top) Mack Hogan Sitting in the support Lexus LX570 at this year's Performance Car of the Year test, I had the same thought I have every time I climb into a Land Cruiser or LX. "Why," I always wonder, "do I not own one of these things?" At long last, I do. After being burned by my [E39 M5, I traded it for a 189,000-mile, 100-Series LX](https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a38464210/why-i-traded-my-190000-mile-e39-bmw-m5-for-a-190000-mile-lexus-lx470/) and immediately put 2000 more miles on it. Half of that was loaded to the brim with stuff, most of it was endless stints on the highway, and a bit was even through a snowstorm. In the grand tradition of these trucks, it just worked. Everywhere and through everything. Before year's end I'll do a cross-country move in it, followed, I hope, by countless trips to explore the great outdoors of the American West. Couldn't imagine a better truck to do it in. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 13 ## Ford GT ![2017 ford gt](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/ford-gt-2017-1280-11-1639171743.jpeg?crop=1.00xw:0.950xh;0,0.0204xh) Ford I've spent this whole article telling you about how our favorite cars are usually the greatest hits, especially the attainable stuff we can or do own. It's not all about the latest supercars. Yet we'd be lying if we pretended that we were immune to the awe these things can sometimes inspire. "Living in Detroit, I don't see a ton of Ferraris and Lamborghinis on a regular basis," editorial assistant Lucas Bell said. "For that reason, the current generation Ford GT has managed to become my most 'spotted' exotic. Having the chance to finally slip behind the wheel of one for 25 minutes of time on an empty track was truly special. My test car was fitted with the new ASV dampers, but the straight-through exhaust was the more striking modification at first. That changed as we cycled through the various damper settings. The lasting memory of that morning however involves coming to the end of the back straight and catching a hint of that giant air brake coming into play lap after lap. I understand the seven-figure price tag on this one."
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Author	Mack Hogan
Publish Time	2021-12-16 16:30:00 (4 years ago)
Original Publish Time	2021-12-16 16:30:00 (4 years ago)
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