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These Are Motor Trend’s 2016 ‘Car Of The Year’ Finalists

With 2015 nearing the end, US car magazine Motor Trend has announced

by Cristian Gnaticov

With 2015 nearing the end, US car magazine Motor Trend has announced its “Car of the Year” finalists, in three separate categories. First off, we have the ‘2016 Car of the Year’ short list which includes a variety of vehicles, starting with the “hydrogen-eating” Toyota Mirai , going through the new BMW 7-Series and ending with the Mercedes-AMG GT S . Besides these, the list also includes the Mazda MX-5 Miata , the Honda Civic , the Chevrolet Camaro and the Audi TT , all brand new, of course.

The ‘2016 Truck of the Year’ finalists are dominated by General Motors with their Chevy Colorado and Silverado , and the GMC Canyon and Sierra . The Nissan Titan XD and the Toyota Tacoma are also found here.

Last but not least, Motor Trend added five different vehicles on its ‘2016 SUV of the Year’ nominees list which includes the Mercedes-Benz GLE / GLE Coupe , the Volvo XC90 , the Nissan Murano , the Honda Pilot and the Lincoln MKX .

Journalists from the magazine together with two special guest star judges, cast their votes, with each vehicle being evaluated against six key criteria: safety, advancement in design, efficiency, value, performance of intended function and engineering excellence. The winners in each category will be announced in a single red carpet event, on November 16, in front of an audience of industry insiders and celebrities.

“2016 Motor Trend Car Of The Year Finalists” Audi TT BMW 7 Series Chevrolet Camaro Honda Civic Mazda MX-5 Miata Mercedes AMG GT S Toyota Mirai

“2016 Motor Trend Truck Of The Year Finalists” Chevrolet Colorado Chevrolet Silverado GMC Canyon GMC Sierra Nissan Titan XD Toyota Tacoma “2016 Motor Trend SUV Of The Year Finalists” Honda Pilot Lincoln MKX Mercedes-Benz GLE/GLE Coupe Nissan Murano Volvo XC90

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2016 Chevy Colorado grabs Motor Trend Truck of the Year award

Volvo xc90 takes home suv of the year.

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Chevrolet Bolt named Motor Trend Car of the Year

The Chevrolet Bolt electric car was given the Motor Trend Car of the Year award in a ceremony ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show.

The Chevy Bolt , which is expected to go on sale by the end of this year, is General Motors ( GM ) ' new all-electric compact car. It is not to be confused with the Chevrolet Volt, which has a gasoline engine in addition to electric motors.

At the same award ceremony, the Mercedes-Benz GLC was named SUV of the Year and the Ford Super Duty was named Truck of the Year.

The Bolt has an EPA-estimated 238 miles of driving range on a full charge. With prices starting at about $37,500 -- or $30,000 after federal tax incentives -- the Bolt is considered the first relatively inexpensive long-range electric vehicle.

It would have been a good small hatchback car even if it were gasoline-powered, Motor Trend editors wrote of the Bolt. It's surprisingly roomy on the inside despite its small size outside.

Electric drive gives the 200 horsepower Bolt quick-feeling acceleration and nearly silent performance.

Other finalists for Car of the Year included the Chrysler Pacifica minivan and the Volvo S90 sedan.

The Ford Super Duty beat out the Honda Ridgeline and the Ford F-150. Motor Trend editors praised the Super Duty's powerful towing and hauling capabilities. In presenting the award, Motor Trend writer Jonnie Leiberman called it "the truckiest truck that's ever trucked."

The Mercedes-Benz GLC beat out the Tesla Model X , Audi Q7 and Jaguar F-Pace to be named SUV of the Year. Motor Trend writers and editors credited its nice interior, smooth, comfortable ride and "confident, capable" performance on winding roads.

Related: Chevy Bolt to cost $30,000 after tax break

To be eligible for the award, a vehicle must be all-new or substantially changed for the 2017 model year. Motor Trend editors and writers test the cars at a facility in the Southern California desert and on public roads before selecting the winners.

Motor Trend also gave its first Person of the Year award to Tesla ( TSLA ) CEO Elon Musk . Musk was not present to receive the award.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated driving range for the Chevrolet Bolt.

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This is Motor Trend’s Car of the Year

The 2016 Chevrolet Camaro is the Motor Trend Car of the Year for 2016—a conclusion that appeared to shock many of the magazine’s staff.

Many on the judging team said they thought the car “had a snowball’s chance in Hyundai’s desert proving grounds” of taking the top spot, but the technical specs of the Camaro won them over.

Motor Trend was impressed by three versions of the car—a V-8, a 3.6-liter V-6, and a brand new 8-speed automatic—but it was the 455 hp V-8 that really knocked their socks off.

The magazine gave out awards in two other categories as well: The Chevrolet Colorado won Truck of the Year while the Volvo XC90 won for SUV.

Read more about what makes this car so special here .

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2016 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car

Tough Crowd: Four Countries, 12 Sports Cars, One Winner

MotorTrend Staff Writer Sep 22, 2016

See All 168 Photos

Our 2016 Best Driver's Car competition is the most competitive in the award's nine-year history. This year, 12 automakers sent their best sports cars, supercars, and ponycars our way for a week of incredibly vigorous testing. In fact, if you'll allow us to brag for a moment, we had so many contenders that we had to institute a one-car-per-manufacturer rule for this competition—more on that in a sec.

This year, we had 6,484 horsepower worth of cars competing to earn our Best Driver's Car title. This $1.8 million field of carbon fiber, aluminum, and steel is particularly special because it represents almost every major auto-producing country. It's a veritable best-driving Olympics. Our United Nations of competitors includes two supercars from Japan, three cars on behalf of the United Kingdom, four sports cars from Germany, and three more proudly representing the United States.

You'll notice the lack of South Korean and Italian cars. The former is excused by simply not making any sports cars. The latter has no such excuse. Both Ferrari and Lamborghini are so terrified of the world's most comprehensive driving-car competition that they've taken their ball and gone home. It's not the first time they have refused to take the measure of their supercars; reconsider your declined invite next year, guys.

Although Ferrari and Lamborghini won't play along, it's worth noting fellow Italian Fiat had the guts to offer us a Mazda Miata , ahem, 124 Spider. Rather than letting the little Fiata go up against Godzilla, we opted to pull it out of the competition and save it for a potential minor-league Best Driver's Car with the rest of the cars we cut from this year's competition, which include the BMW M2 , Chevrolet Camaro V-6 1LE, and Ford Focus RS. Stay tuned.

As for the rest of the field, well, here are the bullet points as per our test team: The "average" car in this year's competition costs $131,730 before options. It makes 540 hp and 462 lb-ft of torque. It'll sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, and it'll trip the lights at the end of the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds at 123 mph. Yeah, they're fast.

Each of our 12 competitors will first be put through our battery of acceleration, braking, and handling tests in Fontana, California. Next, the cars will cruise on up to California's central valley, where our good buddies on the California Highway Patrol will close down a gorgeous 4.2-mile stretch of asphalt known as Highway 198 so our judges can further evaluate each contender at their limits in real-world conditions. Next we'll drive up to the coastal paradise of Monterey, California. Instead of a little R & R, we'll head over to the world-famous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, where we'll pass the keys to our contenders on to our good buddy, hall-of-fame race-car driver Randy Pobst, who will set a fast lap around the track in each car.

Then, with all the data and our editorial notes in hand, we all get to arguing. The winner doesn't have to be the quickest in a straight line or the fastest around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, but it'll damn sure be the best car to drive of the bunch. It, ladies and gentlemen, will be our 2016 Best Driver's Car. -- Christian Seabaugh

Old World Quaintness In A Modern Sports Car

Everyone needs a V-12 in his or her life. It propels a car with that unmistakably historic, silky, shrieking gravitas that no other engine can. There's something nostalgic about it, too, as if it were an endangered species (it probably is), and it's this rarity—especially with a manual gearbox—that makes driving this Aston Martin V12 Vantage S that much more special. To date, this is the most sporting Aston Martin we've tested. Not the quickest, not the fastest, not the most nimble, but certainly it is the most ambitious in terms of mission.

Great fun if you've got nowhere to go and all day to get there.

But it is simply impossible to speak about the V12 Vantage S without first gushing over the engine. It's even part of the car's name, and the specs are gob-smacking. From the press kit, "All-alloy, quad overhead camshaft, 48-valve, 5,935cc V-12." That's a lot of metal, cams, valves, cylinders, and cubic-centimeters … but the sound. Every staffer's notes waxed poetic on the sound of the Aston Martin. Sure, it looks like sex, especially with the orange lipstick that Cammisa said "looks like it's been kissing the McLaren ," but it's the sound that stands out. MacKenzie said the V-12 "loves to be revved, ideally kept spinning between 5,000 and 7,000 rpm to deliver its best—and an intoxicating metallic howl." Said Seabaugh: "The engine! Whoa, boy! It revs so quick. Really a sweetheart of an engine, good power throughout, and it loves to rev. I only wish I knew where the hell redline was."

And this is where things began to go pear-shaped. Lago was so ticked with the counter-rotating rev-counter that he said he would like to "instantly disqualify this vehicle for not having an actual redline. When you approach redline, the digital gear display turns red, but that is no substitute for the real thing."

On State Route 198, everyone was impressed with the 565 hp, the steering feel, the poise it displayed at a seven-tenths pace, and the unrelenting power of the carbon-ceramic brakes. "This is a car you drive with your fingertips, not your fists," Seabaugh said. Yet a lack of lateral support from the seat, a penchant for an unstable rear end, and the much-ballyhooed seven-speed dogleg manual transmission were equally mentioned. Cammisa defended it. "A history of abuse and a lack of maintenance have cost it any chance of scoring well," he said. "And that's a crying shame." We all struggled with the narrow-gated, softly sprung shifter. Pobst even made an extra lap to be sure he hadn't missed a shift or hadn't been in the wrong gear.

With seven all-new Astons coming, the V12 Vantage S is the last of its kind, a swan song for this line of Aston Martins. We can't wait to witness the next era, but we're satisfied and saddened at the close of this one. This is a lovely old car. It's a very grand grand tourer, a long-legged oh-my-gawd-am-I-really-going-that-fast GT rather than an outright max-attack sports car with an R in the badge. Had this been Best Grand Touring Car, the V12 Vantage S would've been at the top of the list. -- Chris Walton

Lug torque: NOTE: Two stage, 60  lb-ft to 133 lb-ft

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): 36/36 psi

MRLS hot tire pressures (f/r): 36/36 psi

Acceleration settings/procedure:

• ESC off, second-gear
• Rev to 3,500 rpm
• Dump the clutch, don't botch the 2-3 shift

Figure-eight settings/procedure: Sport mode, ESC off

MRLS settings: Sport mode, ESC off

Water, Water Everywhere

Our inner 16-year-olds—brandishing their freshly printed driver's licenses and ready to prowl the streets while listening to vulgar music—are smitten with the BMW M4 GTS.

The M4 GTS employs a titanium exhaust "silencer" with a distinct sound, and it's 20 percent lighter than a stainless-steel muffler, but this car doesn't do silent. It has a carbon-fiber rear spoiler seated atop glistening aluminum uprights. Acid Orange contrast coloring liberally coats the car, particularly on the forged alloy wheels. It has an extendable carbon-fiber front splitter (the leading edge is also dipped in orange), which has two positions to pick: scrapes-over-95-percent-of-things street or scrapes-over-everything track.

The exhaust sounds like a flatulent kazoo in a bathtub.

This M4 has also been weaponized for the diehard driver. Coil-over shock absorbers allow for mechanical adjustment of rebound and low- and high-speed compression. The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires are 10mm wider all around than any M4 we've tested. The water-injection setup plumbed into the 493-hp, twin-turbo, 3.0-liter straight-six (68 more hp than standard) cools the intake air charge by as much as 80 degrees and is nourished by 1.3 gallons of distilled water housed beneath the trunk floor. The M4 GTS is supposed to thoroughly recalibrate what we think of BMW dynamics.

"Good thing this car looks so good," Evans, one of our many in-house teenage boys at heart, said. "Otherwise I'd really be mad." Mad. Hmm.

Cammisa elaborated: "Get in it, and you'll be reminded of that 75-year-old former athlete. You can tell he's still got the moves, still has that grace and strength that he'll never lose, and yet he can't keep up with the kids anymore. This is modern BMW."

We were frustrated. Indignation was especially directed toward the electronic driver's assists. "Stability control is ultra conservative," Lago said. "It is not tuned for this power and capability. Even in M Dynamic mode, the stability control light blinks incessantly the entire way up the hill. This stability control pales in comparison to what you can get from Porsche and GM." Electronics aside, Loh couldn't stay engaged. "I was bored halfway up the hill," he said. "I was bored 10 minutes into driving it on the street. Despite the rollcage and little bits of M/GTS trim, it doesn't feel all that special."

So we deactivated the traction and stability controls and clicked the suspension from street to smooth track for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, where Pobst laid down a 1:37.66.

Pobst's proclamation: "The car is fast, fun, easy to drive, and really happy on the racetrack."

We'd deem the Bimmer amply quick if it weren't for two meddling ponycar kids. The heavier and less powerful Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE with a manual transmission still nips at the BMW's best lap just 0.11 second behind. The heavier Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R with 526 hp and a manual is 1.55 seconds quicker and lives on a higher plane of enjoyment. The not-boring pony kids do awesome work on real streets and post appallingly similar performance numbers to the M4.

As a result, the GTS doesn't drink to a Best Driver's Car victory this year. Despite drowning in talent-enhancing features, it puts on a better show on the track than on the road. -- Benson Kong

Lug torque: 90 lb-ft

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): 35/30 psi

MRLS hot tire pressures (f/r): 33/35 psi

• Select Drive, ESC off, select SportPlus and third-level transmission setting
• Brake, throttle to the floor (it'll only rev to about 2,500 rpm)
• Release brake (then it will rev to 6,000 rpm), the clutch will dump and leave you with a ton of wheel spin to manage with the throttle

Figure-eight settings/procedure: Street suspension, ESC off

MRLS settings: Race suspension/splitter/wing, ESC off

Godzilla's Back

For its ninth model year, the GT-R has been revised to make it a kinder, gentler Godzilla. The new interior is "a step up," Loh said. "Screens are bigger and have crisper graphics, and materials are nicer. But it's a pretty mild step up, one that doesn't take the GT-R a level beyond."

Other changes were far more noticeable. The carryover six-speed dual-clutch transmission wasn't perfectly silent, but it didn't make the constant gear-gnashing racket earlier cars did. Additional sound-deadening measures and a softer suspension conspired to make this a much more livable monster. "If there's one thing the GT-R has lacked since its debut, its refinement," Walton said. "This one didn't crash on its suspension, knocking fillings lose, and the driveline and diffs weren't always whining and clunking away. This GT-R displayed a fluidity the old ones didn't."

The GT-R has gone gray.

That's all good news—but the GT-R's raison d'être was always speed, not livability. And it's still got the straight-line speed thing nailed, albeit somewhat diminished by heat and California's 91-octane gas. As usual, the GT-R was much, much happier with a bottle of octane booster in the tank; it was the only contestant that regularly suffered indigestion on 91.

Thanks to narrow, hard bolsters, several editors felt they were sitting on top of the seats rather in them—and the GT-R's driving position is much higher than many of the other competitors. Markus said that the big, heavy GT-R "has always felt like one of those cars that, where the laws of physics are concerned, resorts to large-scale technical bribery to work around them, whereas the McLaren merely exploits all the loopholes in them."

This time, the bribery extends to body roll. Even with the adjustable suspension in its stiffest R setting, the GT-R was noticeably softer than previous versions. In corners, it settled into significant understeer—remedied by its otherworldly ability to explode forth in a neutral drift at full throttle. Aged or not, this all-wheel-drive system is still incredible in its ability to rocket out of corners.

On track, Pobst also noticed the softness, pointing out that he "used to be able to throw the thing into a corner, but this GT-R doesn't like that at all; it gets too loose at turn-in." He also noted mid-corner understeer and long brake-pedal travel. The former could be nixed with power, and the latter seemed to have no effect on braking distances, only Pobst's confidence in the system.

The lap time speaks for itself—the GT-R was once king of the road, but it's obvious that time has moved on.

And therein lies the problem with this Nissan , and indeed with any numbers car locked in time. Once the incredible numbers are no longer incredible, you're left with the experience. In the case of the GT-R, that experience just isn't as organic, thrilling, or cohesive as some of the other cars here. We'll always love Godzilla, but like the rest of us, our monster has gone a bit soft in the last decade. -- Jason Cammisa

Lug torque: 74 to 81 lb-ft

Tire pressures cold (f/r): 30/29 psi

MRLS hot tire pressures (f/r): 38/38 psi

• Transmission R, Dampers R (unless it's too harsh), VDC R
• Full throttle (for no longer than 3 seconds)
• Release brake

Figure-eight settings/procedure: Transmission R, Dampers R, VDC off

MRLS settings: Transmission R, Dampers R, VDC off

Better-Behaved Bad-Boy Brit

2016 marked Jaguar 's third at bat with the F-Type. Its first, a 488-hp S-spec roadster, finished in fourth place in 2013 on account of iffy transmission logic and power oversteer that was mostly fun and mostly controllable but nonetheless excessive. The second, a 550-hp R-spec coupe, finished ninth in 2014 because the oversteer only got 62 hp worse.

We had high hopes that this year's 575-hp SVR coupe might surge ahead in the rankings with all-wheel drive taming the tail-happiness, but from the first runs up State Route 198, Loh and others were scribbling in their notes: "Glad to be alive! Wants to enter every corner tail first." Walton was particularly chagrined, as he'd pronounced such behavior tamed after the SVR's launch.

It's finally got 'trustworthy' and 'fast' in equal measures, putting its power down well without first scaring you.

But while fitting new tires for the track, we noted excessive play in the right rear toe-control link that allowed that wheel to contribute several degrees of unwanted steering in every turn. This explained the spooky secondary hip check we all felt. The Monterey, California, Jag dealer had the part, replaced it in 30 minutes, and exorcised this F-Type's Drift King alter ego. "This is by far the best-handling Jaguar I've driven, and it catapults to one of my favorite cars in this test," Pobst said. "A really satisfying car to drive on corner entry; power doesn't seem to change the car's balance a lot. It's like I'm carving the friction circle."

Editors largely agreed with MacKenzie, who said the F-Type doesn't feel like an all-wheel-drive car. "Its steering remains fluid, linear, and marvelously uncorrupted by torque inputs into the front wheels," he said. "Finally, an F-Type whose performance and handling genuinely deliver on the promise of the design."

Our biggest other complaint with the F-Type is with the ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic. Several judges echoed MacKenzie's comments: "The biggest letdown is the eight-speed automatic, which in both auto and manual modes always feels a beat behind the rest of the car. Feels unsophisticated compared with the other automatics here." Pobst found fault with the Sport mode programming and felt the throttle mapping was a little too aggressive, Seabaugh felt the steering turn-in was a bit too eager, and Walton tired of the "trumpet exhaust note."

Somehow, the two-seat F-Type SVR, which is 9.2 inches shorter than the 2+2 GT-R, weighs 44 pounds more than Godzilla. And sure, it feels super nimble for a two-ton car, but physics conspired against the SVR on the track, where its best lap time of 1:38.75 ranked 11th in this contest. We also had a "brakes overheating" warning illuminate after Pobst's final hot lap. Still, Loh appreciated the SVR for what it is: "England's take on an ACR or GT350R—coarse and hairy but more focused on thrills than straight-up performance."

Had this SVR shown up in 2013 or 2014, it might have enjoyed a high podium finish. England's ACR must instead settle for vanquishing the GT-R, M4 GTS, and V12 Vantage S. - - Frank Markus

Lug torque: 99.5 lb-ft

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): 37/37 psi NOTE: For State Route 198 use 32/29 psi

• Select Dynamic mode
• Select Drive (not S)
• Select first gear via steering paddle (will display as D1)
• Full throttle
• Release brake (allow auto upshift; i.e. do not use paddles)

Figure-eight settings/procedure: Dynamic mode, ESC off

MRLS Settings: Dynamic mode, ESC off

Proof There's More To A Supercar Than Super Technology

Perhaps no car in this year's Best Driver's Car lineup piqued more interest than the new Acura NSX . A hybrid powertrain with three electric motors. Active all-wheel drive with torque vectoring. Nine-speed dual-clutch transmission. More than 25 years after they shamed Ferrari, could Honda engineers do it all over again?

The short answer is, nope. Although technically interesting, visually arresting, and suitably fast, the 2017 Acura NSX isn't a game changer. If it causes raised eyebrows in Maranello, it'll be because the Ferrari guys, like us, were perhaps expecting all that technology to deliver more.

"Most of my drive … was spent eagerly waiting for the 'aha!' moment when I'd clearly comprehend what Acura 's new-age 'new sports experience' was," Kong said. "There were no eurekas found, though."

Nothing but the name leads me to believe it's the successor to one of the most important sports cars in history.

Best Driver's Car isn't a numbers game, but the numbers provide useful context for a newcomer like the NSX. Against the other contenders, it recorded the fourth quickest 0-60 and quarter-mile times and tied for third in the 0-100-0-mph test: 3.1 seconds, 11.3 seconds, and 10.9 seconds, respectively. But it was only sixth fastest around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, more than two-tenths of a second behind the Shelby GT350R, a car with a DIY six-speed manual and performance technology old Carroll Shelby would have found familiar, and less than a tenth ahead of the less powerful two-wheel-drive Porsche 911 .

Where'd the speed go? "The NSX is very sensitive on corner entry to weight management," explained Pobst. "If I leave the weight forward, leave the weight on the nose a little too long on the way into the corner through trail braking, I get an entry oversteer that stays." For Walton that translated to sideways fun for the cameras: "The car drifts like it was set up to do it: a slight flick, jump out of the throttle, then roll back on hard, but not to the floor." But sideways is slow.

"The torque-vectoring front end should have completely redefined how a mid-engine supercar handles," Cammisa said. "It does no such thing." Instead, the NSX forces you to redefine your driving style. You have to learn to brake early and in a straight line to keep the rear end under control and then use a modicum of power to get the electrically driven front wheels to help you through the turn before rolling on the throttle. Finding the right balance is tricky, not helped by the numb steering and initial lack of bite from the carbon-ceramic brakes.

Where the NSX does shine is its talent at using torque-fill to emulate the response of a naturally aspirated engine. The integration between the electric motors and an internal combustion engine is as seamless as the shifts from the nine-speed transmission.

Driven with intent on a quiet, twisting two-lane, in Track mode, and while manually shifting the transmission, the NSX is deceptively, impressively fast.

But there's always a part of your brain trying to figure out how to get around the artificially induced foibles in the handling, always trying to out-think the car. That makes the Acura NSX weirdly involving to drive. But not Best Driver's Car. -- Angus MacKenzie

Lug torque: 133 lb-ft

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): (ContiSport Contact) 32/32 psi

MRLS hot tire pressures (f/r): (Trofeo R) 34/34 psi

• Brake, select Track mode
• Select DriveThrottle to the floor (wait 1-2 seconds)

Figure-eight settings/procedure:

• Track mode, ESC off (left side of I.P. press/hold until you hear two beeps)
• Allow the weight to transfer to the front wheels before going back to the throttle at or slightly in advance of the apex. You should feel the torque vectoring helping the vehicle hold the desired line.

MRLS settings: Track mode, ESC off

An Overachiever Too Cool For School?

On paper this is a real head-scratcher. Our last R8 V10 Plus finished third with few stated gripes aside from "wanting more torque," "steering is a bit numb," and issues with the tires and their pressure settings. So Audi gives the entire car a thorough going over that includes boosting engine output by 52 hp and 15 lb-ft, which helps the all-wheel-drive hypercar lay down the quickest quarter mile of any naturally aspirated car we've tested. It then slaps on some Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, which help this richly appointed grand tourer circulate Mazda Raceway in a blistering

Rear end moves around more than the 911's on corner entry but is more consistent and controllable than the NSX's.

1 minute, 34.23 seconds—a result that ranks 10th among all cars we've tested at MRLS and is 2.16 seconds quicker than the crude R8 GT race car that finished in seventh place back in 2011. And somehow all this laudable effort lands Audi … back in seventh place?! "RECOUNT THOSE HANGING CHADS!" you're shouting.

Have we mentioned yet what a hypercompetitive group this is? Trust us: This new Audi didn't take four steps backward in driver's car charm; rather the gathered competition made a five- or six-step forward advance. It's no mean feat for the car deemed to have the poshest, comfiest interior to set a Laguna lap trailing only our race-spec Viper ACR this year. The Audi earned plenty of love. From Loh: "Blindingly, blisteringly fast on the uphill." Seabaugh: "Ride is excellent. Well controlled over the humps." Lago: "Engine is loud, powerful, and a thrill to rev out." MacKenzie: "A solid all-rounder. A 24/7 supercar that's genuinely usable on a daily basis."

Inherent mid-engine balance alloyed with sure-footed all-wheel drive and overachieving carbon-ceramic brakes forge confidence far more quickly than in lesser cars. But confidence can come across as stoicism. "No fuss, no drama, but little passion," Loh noted. Walton concurred: "So unwaveringly competent it feels boring; it doesn't stir the soul like a driver's car should." MacKenzie faulted the steering for providing "nowhere near the clarity of communication of the 911 or the McLaren."

Driving at ten-tenths, Pobst found more tangible nits to pick. Although he loved the transmission's shift quality, he lamented its lack of auto sport shifting in the Track mode Drive Select setting. "The car had a tendency toward trailing-throttle oversteer on entry if I downshifted to a really low gear," he said. "If there were a lot of revs off the throttle, it would rotate, and I actually found this more in the right-handers than in the left-handers." Then when powering out of those corners, "I find the Audi R8 tends to understeer a lot more than its platform-mate, the Lamborghini Huracán, does." Pros hate such inconsistencies.

Bottom line—the more mortal your driving skills, the more this unflappable chassis will flatter them. But if you have the skills and cojones to probe a car's limits, you may derive greater joy from one of the higher finishers on this list. -- Frank Markus

Lug torque: 89 lb-ft

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): Pirelli P Zero NOTE: Ignore doorpost "Max" values and use "Normal" 35/32 psi

MRLS hot tire pressures (f/r): Pirelli P Zero: 36/36 psi; Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2: 32/32 psi

• Select "S" Drive (not "D")
• Throttle to the floor (observe "Launch" message)

MRLS settings: ESC off, Performance mode, but this forces manual shifting

Last Year's Winner Has A Rough Sophomore Outing

From first place to … sixth. Hey man, still top half. As far as our defending champion is concerned, the headline reads: "Hosed By A Power Steering Pump." That's right, friends. Halfway through our runs up and down 198, the mighty AMG got sick. As a result, about half of us (yours truly included) weren't able to take a turn in the GT S. What's the expression? For want of a nail the shoe was lost. Or in this case, the crown. Especially because this year's GT S—complete with a new aero package—was quicker than last year's winner around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Let's suppose for a moment that the AMG had been fully functional. Where would it have placed in this year's competition? Still mid-pack it turns out. We know this because Mercedes was able to parachute a technician in to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to replace the power steering unit. Once the car was healthy, those of us denied an opportunity to flog the GT S on 198 were instead able to experience MRLS's 11 turns in the potent yellow German missile. Come to think of it, some of us maybe got the better end of that deal.

The power steering failed, but it still felt like a German cruise missile.

We still love the engine. "AMG's twin-turbo V-8 is the hammer of the gods," MacKenzie said. "It's a versatile and engaging engine that's already deserving of a place among the greats."

Pobst agreed. "I love the wide powerband and no sense of turbo lag on track," he said. "It's a very satisfying engine. I just love the engine." It's important to remember that the AMG's 503 horsepower comes from a relatively low state of tune for the twin-turbo, 4.0-liter eight-pot. Much more powerful GTs are coming (AMG GT C and R, respectively), yet additional forward thrust is the last thing a two-wheel-drive car needs— especially one that runs 11.4 in the quarter mile.

A better transmission, however, could help. To be fair, AMG's seven-speed dual-clutch unit is pretty good. But pretty good isn't great.

The Porsche 911's PDK, for instance, is great. "I can't quite get it to be completely intuitive on the racetrack the way Porsche PDK is," Pobst said of the AMG. "A couple times, it was a gear higher than I wanted, and it kicked down, which wastes time.  And a couple of times, it was a gear lower than I wanted, and it's explosive, and I had to be very careful."

But not too careful. Walton nailed what is perhaps best about the Mercedes-AMG GT S: "The car is properly sorted, so drivers can trust it'll do what they want when they want it."

Amen. Also, exactly.

Look, had the AMG not broken, there's little doubt it would have placed higher. Fourth place, even third, would not be outside the realm of possibility. There's just so much right with the beast. As Evans said, "Note to Audi: Do it like this." The great news is that at next year's Best Driver's Car, AMG will be sending us the monstrous, more potent, all-wheel-steering, track-special GT R. It's only been a couple of weeks, and I can hardly wait. -- Jonny Lieberman

Lug torque: 133 lb-ft (replace center hubcap with tool in trunk at 18.5 lb-ft)

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): 36/39 psi

MRLS hot tire pressures (f/r): 31/32 psi

• Pull both paddles (observe Race Start)
• Pull right paddle to confirm

Figure-eight settings/procedure: Suggest using Sport, ESC off (not Sport+ or Race)

MRLS settings: Race mode, ESC off

Snake Charmed

Deserved or not, the Dodge Viper has long held a reputation for actively trying to kill its driver. Whether it be by outright speed, lack of grip, or simply exhaustion, driving a Viper has always been a workout. The new 2016 Dodge Viper ACR still is, but the snake's been charmed—it's now one of the most enticing track cars on the road today.

The key to the Viper's new polish lies in the letters ACR. Short for American Club Racer, the ACR package sheds some weight and adds a picnic table-sized carbon-fiber rear spoiler, a front splitter, dive planes, and a host of other aero improvements, plus adjustable shocks, huge carbon-ceramic brakes, and a five-point harness for good measure.

I was the one who the California Highway Patrol clocked coming off the hill at 140.

The formula is an alluring one. "It's a brutal assault on your senses, but with the pain comes gain," Evans said. "The speed, the power, the grip, the handling: They're all phenomenal." Walton agreed: "Terrific steering, brakes off the space shuttle, and more than enough power to frighten a zealot: The Viper actually shrinks around me and points from corner to corner like a firmed-up 600-hp Miata. Talk about confidence."

The keys to that confidence are numerous, but what they boil down to is grip. At each corner sits a massive Kumho Ecsta tire—a street-legal race tire if there ever were one—that just refuses to let go. By the time you approach speeds where the tires might begin to lose traction, that spoiler and splitter are developing more than 1,200 pounds of downforce, keeping things firmly on the ground. (It produces more than 1,700 pounds of downforce at its 177-mph top speed.)

Although the Viper has some newfound charm, some things haven't changed. Under the mile-long hood sits Dodge's 8.4-liter V-10 cranking out 645 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque. "The V-10 may sound like a truck engine, but the thrust is epic," MacKenzie said. "It doesn't seem to matter what gear you're in; there's always a ton of power and weapons-grade torque." Bolted to that legendary V-10 is a beefy old-school six-speed manual transmission that doesn't like to be hurried.

It's no surprise then that with track-focused tires and all that aero, the Viper posted the best lap of the bunch around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, tackling the course in 1:31.58. "People, that right there is a race car!" Pobst said after his lap. "I'm sure it was going really fast because everything works so effectively. I don't have to think about driving the car. I have to think about shifting, especially second to third, but when it came to cornering, the car rewards aggressive driving."

Despite its killer lap time and confidence-inspiring grip and brakes, the reason the Viper ACR isn't our Best Driver's Car is simple: Race cars aren't so nice to drive on the street. For everyday street use, the Viper, as Lago put it, "is like a bazooka in a spork fight." It's loud and cramped, and even with the adjustable suspension in Street mode, the ride is so stiff that numerous drivers reported being launched out of the seat while wearing the three-point seat belt, only to be brought back down again once their skull smashed into the ceiling. Good thing for that five-point harness then. Although the Viper ACR is hands-down the best Viper yet, best street-legal race car doesn't make the ACR our Best Driver's Car. -- Christian Seabaugh

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): Begin at 27/27 psi NOTE : Do not exceed 32/32 psi NOTE 2 : For State Route 198/street drive(s), use 35/29 psi

MRLS hot tire pressures (f/r): 32/32 psi

• Rev to 5,500 rpm
• Dump clutch
• Shift deliberately, not fast

Figure-eight settings/procedure: ESC off

MRLS settings: ESC off, wing it

In Any Other Year, This Record-Setting Camaro Might Have Won

For its 50th anniversary last month, we highlighted Chevrolet Camaro performance through the years. Had we tested this 2017 Camaro SS 1LE, it would've proven one of the greats.

The high-water mark for the Camaro had been the 2012  supercharged, 6.2-liter, 580-hp ZL1. For acceleration, it still is: 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds on its way to a 12.1-second/117.4-mph quarter mile. ZL1s have stopped from 60 mph in 100 feet, clung to the skidpad with 1.03 g in lateral acceleration, and completed MT's figure eight in 23.9 seconds—at the time, all Camaro records. At Mazda Raceway, it lowered the Camaro's lap record by 6.52 seconds. Along came the marginally slower yet hardcore 7.0-liter, 505-hp Z/28. It managed a 4.0-second 0-60 time and a 12.3 quarter mile, but with its racy Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tires and brutish suspension, it was capable of 100-foot stops, 1.08 g, and a 23.6-second figure eight. It lowered the Camaro-best lap time by 1.38 seconds and in doing so earned our 2014 Best Driver's Car title.

Why buy an M4 GTS when I can have one of these?

The 2017 SS 1LE you see here, all $45,700 of it, just back-handed both of those specialized $60k-$75k Camaros. Thwack! Check this out: 0-60 in 4.0 seconds and the quarter mile in 12.4 (so close), yet 60-0 in just 94 feet (a new Camaro record), 1.09 g of lateral acceleration (record), a 23.3-second figure eight (record), and a 1:37.77 lap time (record). All that on a 200-treadwear Goodyear street tire. And this is only the beginning of the sixth-gen Camaro's iterations. Next will be a new ZL1, followed by a Z/28. Can you even imagine?

What makes the 1LE such a great performer boils down to grip and control, engine torque, and putting it to the road, and all of this boosts overall performance and driver confidence. "It drives with the precision and the finesse of a much lighter, much smaller sports car," Lago said. Like a stock 2SS, part of that has to do with the rigid structure itself and the magnetor-heological dampers, but the 1LE's unique electronic differential and FE4 suspension with revised spring rates and anti-roll bars kept the car settled and predictable in every situation we threw at it. Pobst called the steering and front grip the best part of the car. "Down in the middle of the corner," he said, "if I wanted to tighten it up more, I still could." This gave him confidence when it broke rear traction. "It's so predictably loose. I don't like snappy cars. Kind of made me feel heroic."

How, then, did this record-breaking Camaro not win? There were a few criticisms: a non-linear throttle in Track mode that seemed to go from, say, 50 percent to 100 percent on corner exits; tall gears (especially third) that took the snap out of the acceleration zones; and a long-travel (progressively so) brake pedal that we first noticed descending 198 but that caused Pobst to pump the pedal a few times on track.

With the other cars' performances so staggeringly good this year, the Best Driver's Camaro still fought way above its class and came away with an honorable mention award. -- Chris Walton

Lug torque: 140 lb-ft, (110 lb-ft hot; preferably don't torque when hot)

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): 32/32 psi

MRLS hot tire pressures (f/r): 28/29 psi

• Rev to 2,500 rpm
• Modulate wheelspin with throttle
• No-lift shift

Launch control for non-drag strip street surface:

• Set drive mode to Track
• Press traction button twice to enable PTM, select PTM 4
• Full throttle•Dump clutch

No-lift shift Figure-eight settings/procedure: 35/35 psi, bleed front as necessary to quell understeer

MRLS settings: Likely PTM 3 for outlap then at PTM 5 or ESC off

Stuttgart Works Its Magic Again

I find the best driving cars are the ones that put me in a state of flow from the very first turn of the wheel. Flow? What? Some hippie-dippie psychobabble? Perhaps, but until I got behind the wheel of our winner, the 911 Carrera S was the only car I found myself leaning with into corners, perfectly in sync, a big, stupid grin on my face.

And I certainly wasn't the only one going with this flow. "The car itself practically disappeared from my consciousness as it translated my will into motion," Walton said. "Almost like an out-of-body experience, this out-of-car experience had me way out in front of the 911, pulling it behind me through each bend and corner."

Evans touched on one secret to the Porsche's success: a host of carefully selected options. "I can't feel the rear steer or any of the other fancy computers working," he said. "It feels completely mechanical and natural. What perfect integration."

There's an all-road, any-condition, every-driver competency here that makes the 911 attractive.

The 911 had $36,000 worth of options, including, MacKenzie noted, "unquenchable carbon-ceramic brakes and the four-wheel steering system, pushing the sticker to $140k, but it is arguably the most perfectly specced Carrera S you could buy." That doesn't even mention the sunroof delete (a no-cost option that lowers the center of gravity), the sport seats, the aforementioned rear-axle steering system, and the fantastic seven-speed PDK transmission.

And for the last time, if you think a real driver's car must have a manual transmission, heed our resident racer. "I just leave the PDK in automatic; that baby always knows what I want to do," Pobst said. "It's always right there."

As is the engine it is mated to. Those who thought the switch to turbocharged engines in the 911 would spell some sort of laggy catastrophe somehow forgot that Porsche has been refining turbocharged performance since the original 930. The expertise is on full display in the 991.2.

"The new turbo engine is deeply impressive," MacKenzie said. "There's a slightly different timbre to the noise, and the torque arrives much earlier in the rev range, but it still feels like the free-spinning flat-six a 911 engine ought to be."

And it's sneaky fast, noted Markus: "Speed comes remarkably easily in this, the least powerful car here."

So what's missing? Some YOLO with all that flow. "The 991 still doesn't have the thrilling, I-may-die-at-any-moment experience of older 911s," Cammisa said, "but what it lacks in passion, it makes up for in performance."

Lago also desired more aural excitement. "I love the power the turbochargers add, but they quiet things too much," he said. "I long for the howl of the old engines."

And yet what an impressive feat Porsche has accomplished. "Just when you think there's nothing more that can be done to make the 911 better, Porsche engineers figure something out," MacKenzie said. "The 991.2 is a meaningful step change over the 991.1." But it's just short of being our winner this year. -- Edward Loh

Lug torque: 118 lb-ft

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): 29/33 psi

MRLS hot tire pressures (f/r): 29/33 psi

• With tires properly warm (no drifting)
• Select Sport Plus
• Throttle to the floor (allow revs to reach 6,100 rpm)

Release brake NOTE: No noticeable wheelspin if tires are properly warmed

Figure-eight settings/procedure: Sport Plus, PDCC Sport, bleed pressures to 29/33 psi hot if possible

MRLS settings: Sport Plus, PDCC Sport, ESC off (or per Randy's preference)

8,250 Reasons To Celebrate

Ford should've named this Shelby GT350R after its engine. The Voodoo 5.2-liter V-8 dominates the driving experience and all subsequent conversations. Reaching for its 8,250-rpm redline fills you with disbelief. You stare at the tachometer and ask it incredulously, "Really? Really?!"

All the cars here feel special, but some only do at their limits. The GT350R's character is ever-present because of that engine, inspiring socially irresponsible behavior at all speeds. At 8,250 rpm, its redline is the third highest in this group. Its 526 horsepower is the most of any naturally aspirated Ford engine ever. And its 429-lb-ft torque peak at 4,750 rpm is strong enough to make you short shift by mistake.

Ford dealers are selling these for $25,000 over sticker. Feels like a bargain.

Like a Ferrari V-8, the engine employs a flat-plane crank where the connecting rods attach at 180-degree intervals. Unlike typical flat-plane crank V-8s, this one has a larger displacement and a unique crank design and firing order to accommodate the packaging limits imposed on the intake manifold and exhaust. The resulting sound is neither the grumble you'd expect of Detroit nor the howl from Maranello. "Sounds like a chainsaw with a Flowmaster," Evans said. Add a megaphone, too; with the variable exhaust set to Sport, the GT350R is the loudest car here.

The engine overshadows everything else, and that's crazy when you're talking about a car with carbon-fiber wheels. Those wheels reduce rotational inertia, which sharpens acceleration, braking, and steering. Combined with sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, they create a front with a seemingly endless capacity for entry speed. The MagneRide dampers provide excellent control on the track and compliance for street driving. They also allow a drag race mode that softens the rear to aid squat during launch. Drag racers will also appreciate a factory line lock.

Unlike some others here, the GT350R doesn't have track-car kit such as a low-hanging splitter or a massive wing, nor does it punish its occupants with a harsh ride and road and tire noise. Yet it delivers on enjoyment and performance. Its best lap was 1:36.11. In 2010, a Ferrari 458 ran 1:36.22. More important, that lap wasn't hard work. "It was putting a smile on my face even though I'm dead serious about trying to turn a good lap time," Pobst said. "That almost never happens."

What held the GT350R from first? The steering. We expected tramlining—the front tires are the widest here—but MacKenzie called it "by far the worst experienced in any modern high-performance car." Further, the wheel itself would go numb and occasionally bind when countersteering. This made the rear hard to catch during power oversteer off a corner, turning small slides into large ones. Criticizing the drifting capabilities for many cars here seems silly, but the GT350R encourages such behavior.

Still, many in this group have more power and more complex technology and command vastly higher prices. And many of them are almost as fast as a Mustang. -- Carlos Lago

Lug torque: 150 lb-ft

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): 32/32 psi NOTE: For drag strip, use 28/28 psi cold; will heat up

MRLS hot pressures (f/r): 38/38 psi

• Select Drag Strip setting
• Dump clutch and modulate wheelspin with throttle

Figure-eight settings/procedure: Track mode, ESC off

Bruce Almighty

In the great pantheon of automobile racing, there exists a remarkably small club of people who've both built race cars and won championships behind the wheel. None, though, was more prolific or more famous than Bruce McLaren. The team McLaren founded would go on to be one of the winningest in Formula 1 and build a road-going tribute through the 1990s that would become a legend in its own right: the McLaren F1.

In 2011, McLaren would return to the road, but its confusingly named MP4-12C met a cold reception. A technological marvel, it sorely lacked the charisma of a Ferrari. It finished fifth at Best Driver's Car 2012, behind the Subaru BRZ .

I don't know what sort of sorcery lies in this car's suspension, but I don't have words to explain how well it works.

What changed in the intervening four years can best be described as everything that matters. Yes, it's the same basic design, but everything from the suspension to the body to the twin-turbo V-8 has been carefully reworked into what we now know as the 570S. Where the 12C, 650S, 675LT, and P1 all stretched the limits of performance higher, none has thoroughly vanquished McLaren's reputation for being more computer than car. None until the 570S.

The effective successor of the 12C, the 570S is less powerful but lighter and quicker in every regard. It's a tenth quicker to 60 mph and through the quarter mile, carrying an extra 1.3 mph in the latter. It stacks an extra 0.02 lateral g in steady-state cornering and knocks three-tenths of a second off the figure-eight time. Braking distance drops by 7 feet. The only measure the 12C retains an advantage in is its Laguna lap … by four-hundredths of a second.

How? Pobst explained. "There's this little bit of entry oversteer that made me a little careful," he said. "The corner entries were just loose enough to make me think about it and make me a little bit careful, and I don't like being a little bit careful when I drive.

"Under braking or off throttle, entering a corner, there was a tendency for the tail to want to move. I could feel the rear mass taking its toll on the rear tires, so I had to lay it in gently, lay it into the corners softly."

That one complaint out of the way, Pobst found a lot to love about the 570S.

"It also has one of my favorite tendencies," he said. "It's a two-wheel drive that puts down power like a four-wheel drive. It has such good traction. The power settles the car like it's supposed to. You get a little rotation, go to a little bit of power, transfer weight. McLaren's done a good job with shock geometry and [brake-based limited-slip] differential. The package puts down power really well.

"One time, it lit up and gave me just a little baby power oversteer that was beautiful. It almost didn't even need correction. It's a car that doesn't need a whole lot of steering input, because it's pretty neutral. This 570 feels more organic, more mechanical than the other McLarens I've driven. It's actually my favorite."

It's a behavior Walton appreciated on the road, as well. "The 570S needs just one steering input per corner, and adjusting the line was best accomplished with the throttle," he said. "Want to tighten it up? Breathe off the throttle. Push it out a little? Squeeze."

Cammisa agreed. "Measured in terms of how a car faithfully obeys the wishes of its driver," he said, "the 570S is orders of magnitude superior to every other car here."

What truly made the 570S a standout in a crowd of overachievers, though, was the preternatural connection between driver and machine.

Markus explained. "The brakes and steering and engine are so organically connected," he said. "I can feel through the steering wheel how the front grip increases when I brake entering a turn. Similarly, I can feel the deceleration effect of a downshift through the brake pedal while braking into a turn."

Obviously smitten with the McLaren, MacKenzie was more poetic. "You don't just feel hard-wired into the 570S," he said. "Such is the delicacy and intimacy of the communication between man and machine that you feel like it's become an extension of your own flesh and blood."

This is a car, then, that makes every road familiar. The word "telepathic" appeared in several judges' notes. "You know exactly what the car is doing and what it wants to do next," Lago said. It makes 100 mph feel like a drive-thru, setting your heart racing but never making your palms sweaty, because no matter how fast you're going, you can always count on the brakes to slow you for the next corner and the car to easily take it at double the recommended speed.

What's more, it does all of this without the active suspension and aerodynamic technologies McLaren has hung its hat on. Going back to basics, McLaren has built its most engaging road car yet. "Previous cars might have been faster," Lago said, "but it's the one with the simpler, fixed components we like driving more."

This is the essence of a driver's car in our estimation. The McLaren may not be the most technologically advanced car present, nor is it the quickest. It doesn't need to be. We want to drive it far more than we want to drive any of the other cars. The 570S wants to take that favorite road faster, to set a quicker lap time, as much as you do, and you'll become addicted to the rush every time you go a little faster around a corner you'd thought you'd mastered. "The second you start moving, something magical happens," Cammisa said. "You become part of the car. " -- Scott Evans

Lug torque: 96 lb-ft

Doorpost cold pressures (f/r): 26/27 psi - NOTE: Bleed to 26/29 psi for multiple runs

MRLS hot tire pressures (f/r): 26/29 psi

• Track mode for chassis/powertrain
• Press Active button
• Select manual shift mode
• Select Launch Control
• With a HEAVY foot on brake, press throttle quickly to the floor
• Observe/wait for "Boost Ready"

Figure-eight settings/procedure: Track mode chassis/powertrain, press Active, ESC off

MRLS settings: Track mode chassis/powertrain, press "Active," ESC off

Even in the most competitive Best Driver's Car field yet, we can't help but look forward to a few dream cars for next year. We can always hope.

• Ferrari 488
• Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2
• Chevrolet Corvette Gran Sport
• Lotus Evora 400
• Mercedes-AMG GT R
• Porsche 911.2 GT3
• Pagani Huayra BC

Revisit the 2015 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car competition HERE.

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BoatNews.com

What will be the 2016 motorboat of the year in the 25-foot category?

Discover the five nominated boats in the powerboat category up to 25 feet in length.

Bayliner Element XR 7

The Element XR7 was designed as a pontoon boat for comfort, to which Bayliner has added a slightly more advanced look. The pontoons have been replaced by an M-Hull hull, which is currently being approved to create a revolution in the Bayliner range. It considerably improves stability even in turns.

She has a spacious deck layout with forward and aft guest lounges and an off-center helm station on the starboard side. High freeboards secure the cockpit, which can accommodate 16 passengers on board. Pontoons are used extensively in the U.S. on lakes, but this one is equally at home in fresh or salt water, in calm or rough weather.

Bella 600 BR

The Bella 600 is a bow rider sharing the same âeuro 6m length and hull design as the Bella 600 R. It has a double cockpit, separated by the central aisle. A windshield protects both cockpits, in the typical bow rider fashion. Clever, we find sunbathing easily deployable, many lockable storage and a bimini that rises quickly, directly from the rear seat.

The Belle 600 BR can accommodate up to 7 people for family sailing.

Four Winns Vista Series V255

At only 7.67 m, the V255 is a truly clever boat with an innovative interior and a spacious interior. In the cockpit, the seats are easily transformed to create a sunbathing area, obtain a dining area âeuros we find moreover a kitchen block (plate and cooking) or just enjoy the navigation. The cockpit can accommodate two people.

In the cabin, there is a beautiful mid-cabin, at the front of the boat as well as a kitchenette, toilets and a front point that can be transformed into a saloon. Enough to accommodate four people to sleep. On the other hand, this bulky cabin weighs down the look of the boat . This cabin-cruiser can accommodate nine people while sailing.

Ranieri International Interceptor 222

The Interceptor 222 is an open hull equipped for fishing. Its stepped hull allows for comfortable and energy efficient sailing. There is plenty of free space at the stern and bow to fish in complete freedom. Numerous stowage lockers and livewells allow for the storage of fish and equipment. In the aft cockpit, the bench seat can be folded down to obtain a floor space of nearly 2m2.

XO 250 Open

The XO 250 is a robust and sexy bow rider with the specificity of having an aluminum hull. The deck layout has been optimized and the cockpit has a hanging seat. The rear seat becomes a sunbathing area and underneath is the canopy. It clips onto the windshield and closes the cockpit completely, allowing dry sailing, even with an open hull.

A gangplank allows you to move forward. In all, 8 people can navigate comfortably, safely and enjoy the sailing performance, as a family.

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• The PRESTIGE 680 has been named “Motor Boat of the Year 2016!”

The success of the new PRESTIGE 680 is confirmed!

PRESTIGE is proud to announce the selection of its latest model by Motor Boat Awards. Presented in exclusive engagements at European and American boat shows in the fall of 2015, the PRESTIGE 680 features all of the best qualities of the brand.

Organized by the English magazine, Motorboat and Yachting , the Motor Boat Awards were presented on Monday, January 11 th during a ceremony held at the Rosewood London Hotel. Thanks to votes by readers of Motorboat and Yachting and by a jury of specialists, the PRESTIGE 680 won the award in the category of powerboats over 60 ft.

The entire PRESTIGE crew is delighted to receive this prestigious award, which highlights the unique and timeless character of the PRESTIGE 680.

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10 Top Picks of 2016: Best Cars of the Year

The best cars on the market in America across 10 popular categories

Car shoppers always seek the best car. How they define it may differ, an d the buying decision certainly factors in price and pure emotional appeal.

For Consumer Reports, we define the "best" car as the one that excels in our extensive tests, as well as shines for reliability, safety, and owner satisfaction. Certainly, there are many good cars on the market today to choose from. But when a reader asks us to definitively name the best, the 10 Top Picks are our answers across popular categories. And we have the data to back it up.

What It Takes to Be Tops

Performance: To qualify, each model must rank at or near the top of its class in our road-test score.

Reliability: Models must have an average or better predicted reliability rating based on problems reported by subscribers for the 740,000 vehicles in our 2015 auto survey.

Owner satisfaction: We surveyed our subscribers about their happiness level regarding the 230,000 vehicles in their garages. Would they buy their car again?

Safety: Top Picks must perform effectively in crash or rollover tests conducted by the government and insurance industry (if tested).

10 Top Picks Over the Years

See the vehicles that made Consumer Reports’ annual Top Picks list in 2024 , 2023 ,  2022 , 2021 , 2020 , 2019 , 2018 , 2017 , 2015 , 2014 , 2013 , and 2012 . See the complete  2024 Autos Spotlight guide .

Best Subcompact Car: Honda Fit

Thinking about the first new car for yourself or someone in your family? This Honda may just be the perfect fit. It’s thrifty with fuel, returning a competitive 33 mpg overall, and yet its nimble handling never gives off a “compromise car” vibe. It has remarkable interior space for such a tiny footprint, with second-row seats that elegantly stow away or flip up to hold more cargo. A rear-view camera is standard. Road noise does boom in, and its rough ride can be tiring on long drives. Still, owner satisfaction is high, and its crash-test scores have improved over its predecessor. For just under $20,000, the Fit can be an easy-to-park runabout that keeps you smiling.

Read our complete Honda Fit road test .

Honda Honda

Best Compact Car: Subaru Impreza

Despite its compact size, the car’s ride and overall comfort will surprise you. It has expansive window glass, lots of interior space for a car of its size, intuitive controls, a suite of available safety technology, great crash-test results, and an available hatchback version to haul bulky cargo. If you live where there’s heavy snowfall, you’ll appreciate its superb all-wheel-drive traction. The Impreza is a smart, practical car.

Read our complete Subaru Impreza road test .

Subaru Subaru

Best Midsized Car: Toyota Camry

Sure, it might seem like vanilla, but vanilla happens to be the best-selling flavor of ice cream. The Camry’s no-fuss driving experience—great outward visibility, controls that fall easily to hand, a roomy interior—may not be the most thrilling in its class, but it’s far from plain. A quiet cabin, slick powertrains, a comfortable ride, and sound handling make it pleasant and capable. A Hybrid version delivers excellent fuel economy while remaining reasonably affordable. The solid Camry delivers year after year of outstanding reliability, which when combined with impressive crash-test results, make it a near-perfect sedan and one of our 10 Top Picks.

Read our complete Toyota Camry road test .

Toyota Toyota

Best Small SUV: Subaru Forester

We hear all the time that Subaru is “the official car of New England.” But the Forester is good enough to be the small SUV of Everywhere. It’s roomy, rides comfortably, and handles unflappably. Its AWD system routed the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V in our snow-driving evaluations. Fuel economy is among class leaders. It also has the best sight lines from the driver’s seat of any model on the market. Forward-collision warning and automatic braking aren’t standard, but they’re available across most of the lineup at affordable prices. Strong IIHS crash-test scores make it a safe cocoon.

Read our complete Subaru Forester road test .

Best Luxury SUV: Lexus RX

Lexus created the luxury crossover segment almost 20 years ago, and its dominance hasn’t diminished since. Origami styling and its “Predator” grille show that the RX has shifted from being an understated part of the Little League parking lot to a more extroverted design player. But don’t let its new edginess confuse the picture. You’ll still find a quiet and comfortable cabin, effortless power delivery, a smooth ride, and a tastefully done interior fit and finish. The hybrid version gets an impressive 29 mpg overall. It’s not a taut, high-performance machine of the German school; it lacks that razor-crisp handling, steering feedback, and sharp brakes. But what the RX does focus on—coddling well-heeled customers with reliable calmness—it does well.

Read our complete Lexus RX road test .

Lexus Lexus

Best Sports Car Under $40K: Mazda MX-5 Miata

Nobody packs more fun-per-dollar into a pint-sized package than Mazda. The MX-5 Miata combines lithe, precise handling with a crisp manual stick shift and a zoomy engine—that gets an enviable 34 mpg—to create the perfect car for the enthusiast driver and weekend racer. An easy-to-stow soft top is the clincher. It’s reliable, too. With its jumpy, firm suspension, loud cabin, and tight quarters for taller drivers, the Miata isn’t a commuter car. But given a sunny day and a winding road, none of that matters. We love this car, and that's why it's one of our 10 Top Picks.

Read our complete Mazda MX-5 Miata road test .

Mazda Mazda

Best Large Car: Chevrolet Impala

Long relegated to the inglorious life of airport rental fleets, the newest version of the Impala puts the competition in its rearview mirror. It proves an American automaker knows how to make an outstanding car for the masses. The Impala is dynamic and comfortable, combining a cushy ride with responsive handling, beating some elite luxury sedans at their own game. The controls are refreshingly intuitive, without resorting to overcomplicated interfaces. There’s enough cabin space to fit five with plenty of elbow and leg room. Trust us: It’s impressively good.

Read our complete Chevrolet Impala road test .

Chevrolet Chevrolet

Best Midsized SUV: Kia Sorento

This is a great SUV hiding in plain sight. Most midsized crossovers often feel like uninspiring errand runners. But the Sorento offers class-above elegance at mainstream prices. It’s a shade smaller than its midsized competitors, but that allows the Sorento to be city-friendly while still offering the space and features of a larger vehicle. The smooth 290-hp V6 is responsive with competitive fuel economy, and the suspension absorbs the worst bumps and ruts with dignity while still giving you confidence in corners. The interior design is flat-out gorgeous. Well-above-average predicted reliability combines with good crash-test results. There’s a new king of the category.

Read our complete Kia Sorento road test .

Best Pickup Truck: Ford F-150

Is aluminum body construction macho enough for a big truck? You bet. By eschewing traditional steel body panels, Ford created a pickup that weighs less, enabling it to be quick off the line and fuel-efficient. The 2.7-liter turbo V6 has more grunt than truck traditionalists may expect. And it gets 1 mpg better than a comparable Chevy, which adds up over the life of a truck. The cabin is extremely quiet and spacious, with large windows and relatively narrow windshield pillars to aid outward visibility. The intuitive Sync 3 infotainment system is a welcome update from the bogged-down MyFord Touch setup. Top-notch crash-test results and the best predicted reliability of any domestic truck make the F-150 a solid workhorse and one of 2016's 10 Top Picks.

Read our complete Ford F-150 road test .

Best Minivan: Toyota Sienna

Most people don’t dream of minivans, but the Sienna is super-reliable transport with all of the modern features an active, connected family would want. Its spacious and multifunctional interior, with available seating for eight, mates well with the Sienna’s magic carpet ride and energetic powertrain. Available all-wheel drive removes the excuse for buying a less practical SUV. Let the neighbors poke gentle fun at your capitulation to family realities. Soon enough, they’ll be begging to borrow your Sienna to make a Home Depot run.

Read our complete Toyota Sienna road test .

Editor's Note: This article also appeared in the April 2016 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

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Boat of the Year 2016 Winner: Passport 545

• By Story by Herb McCormick, Photos by Billy Black
• Updated: December 10, 2015

A Passport to the Ocean

The Boat of the Year judges named the Passport 545 not only the Best Full-Size Cruiser Over 50 feet , but the contest’s overall Boat of the Year . “Every part, every piece, every detail of the Passport is special,” gushed Simon. “It’s art you can leave out in the rain.”

“The boat is dead silent when you’re down below sailing, even in a big breeze,” added Sherman. “You expect to hear a little creaking now and then, but not here. This is an heirloom-quality boat. It’s going to be sailing 50 or even 75 years from now. And a lot of the equipment will be original, and it will still be working great.”

“It was conceived for voyaging,” said judge Tim Murphy, “and yet, of these three boats, this is the one I’d also want to take for daysails. It’s a boat that gives you access and control to all your sailhandling hardware. You can really shape the sails.”

From the custom welding to the excellent layout to the incredible stainless-steel fabrications to the nonskid, there was nothing about the 545 the judging panel didn’t marvel over. “Kudos to the others. They were good boats from high-production yards. But builder and designer Thom Wagner sailed in on a yacht that nothing can compete with in this class,” concluded Simon. “He calls it a bluewater, ocean-busting cruiser for a couple, and that’s exactly what it is, and exactly what it will do. Considering the degree of workmanship, it’s even a good value. Sailing this boat was just like playing basketball when Michael Jordan’s on the court. You have no doubt who’s the best player.”

For more information on the Passport 545, visit the Passport Yachts website.

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MOTOR TREND Announces 2016 "Of The Year" Winners

LOS ANGELES , Nov. 16, 2015 --�Today, for the first time in the brand's 66-year history, MOTOR TREND announced winners of the Golden Calipers for Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, SUV of the Year, and Person of the Year at a red-carpet gala in front of an audience of industry insiders and celebrity guests. The awards show was also streamed live on the MOTOR TREND Channel on YouTube, with 3.5 million subscribers the world's largest automotive video channel, and on MOTOR TREND OnDemand, the brand's new subscription video on demand (SVOD) channel. �A replay of the event broadcast is available for free at motortrendondemand.com.

"What an amazing evening! We made history tonight with our announcements of Car, Truck, SUV, and Person of the Year," says Edward Loh , editor-in-chief of�MOTOR TREND. "We are honored to present these coveted awards to the well-deserving winners."

All vehicular "Of the Year" contenders were selected by MOTOR TREND judges and evaluated against six key criteria: advancement in design, engineering excellence, safety, efficiency, value, and performance of intended function. The Person of the Year was chosen from MOTOR TREND's annual Power List of the automotive industry's 50 most influential people.

The awards in detail:

2016 MOTOR TREND Car of the Year Winner: 2016 Chevrolet Camaro

Fifteen all-new or significantly updated cars were eligible for MOTOR TREND'S�2016 Car of the Year award. After a week of instrumented testing at Hyundai's California Proving Grounds, seven finalists were selected: Audi TT, BMW 7 Series, Chevrolet Camaro, Honda Civic, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Mercedes-Benz GT S, and Toyota Mirai. �These vehicles were then subjected to hundreds of miles of real-world road loops before MOTOR TREND's nine judges voted the all-new Chevrolet Camaro the 2016 MOTOR TREND Car of the Year.

Based on General Motor's stellar Alpha platform architecture, the completely redesigned sixth-generation Camaro is sharper looking inside and out and has the latest in technology, including Apple CarPlay and 4G LTE Wi-Fi. It's a car built for driving enthusiasts, one that is hundreds of pounds lighter than the previous generation and available with a new, high-tech, turbocharged 275-horsepower four-cylinder engine, a sporty, yet fuel-efficient 335-horsepower V-6, or a blistering 455-horsepower V-8.

"Our 2016 Car of the Year, the Chevrolet Camaro, is one of the finest driving vehicles in the world at any price," said Loh, "though its price is well within reach of the average consumer."��

2016 MOTOR TREND Truck of the Year Winner: 2016 Chevrolet Colorado

After a week of on-road and off-road evaluation, plus instrumented testing with payloads and trailers attached, MOTOR TREND judges named the Chevrolet Colorado the 2016 MOTOR TREND Truck of the Year for the second year in a row. The 2016 Colorado stood out from a field of six finalists for its effortless performance in every towing, payload, and driving test MOTOR TREND's judges threw its way. Even when loaded with hundreds of pounds of payload, towing thousands of pounds, or climbing steep grades, the Colorado felt calm and relaxed.

For 2016 Colorado features an optional class-exclusive 2.8-liter inline-four Duramax diesel, which gives it best-in-class towing of 7,700 pounds and phenomenal fuel economy; 31 mpg highway according to the EPA test cycle.

"Our Truck of the Year is not only stylish and capable on-road and off, it recorded the highest fuel economy numbers we've ever seen, when equipped with its class-exclusive diesel engine," said Jason Cammisa , senior features editor and presenter of the award.

2016 MOTOR TREND�SUV of the Year Winner: Volvo XC90

For the first time ever, there were more SUVs in contention for SUV of the Year than cars for Car of the Year, a fact that speaks to the caliber of this year's competition. After days of on-road and off-road evaluation, our judges pared a field of 16 all-new or significantly updated SUVs to five finalists. Longer drive loops and closer inspection confirmed the 2016 MOTOR TREND SUV of the Year to be the Volvo XC90.

The XC90 impressed with its all-new chassis and powerful, yet efficient, gasoline and hybrid powertrains. MOTOR TREND�judges also gave the XC90 high marks for its stunning exterior and interior design and full complement of high-technology entertainment and safety features.

"The Volvo XC90 is one of the most handsome SUVs on the road," said Jonny Lieberman , MOTOR TREND senior features editor, SUV of the Year judge, and presenter of the award. "And it's as capable off-road as it is a delight to drive on-road; seven-passenger people movers aren't supposed to drive like this."

2016 MOTOR TREND Person of the Year Winner: Thomas Doll , Subaru of America President and Chief Operating Officer

Since his start at Subaru in 1982, Doll has transformed the Subaru brand from a once-quirky car company to a now mainstream lifestyle choice, amplifying Subaru's focus on affordable, well-equipped, and quietly capable symmetrical all-wheel-drive cars and crossovers.

Under Doll's leadership, Subaru of America is entering its eighth year of consecutive record sales and has tripled its U.S. sales since 2007. Subaru of America is expected to reach close to 600,000 sales in 2015, with only a lack of inventory preventing the company from selling more. Doll has led the company from 19th in industry sales to the top 10, now outselling brands such as VW, Mazda, BMW, and Buick.

"By any measure, the business Tom Doll leads is an outstanding success," said Angus MacKenzie , MOTOR TREND editor-at-large and chief content officer for TEN: The Enthusiast Network. "And he is the person whose unique vision and quiet leadership made it happen."

Complete details on the contenders, finalists, and winners can be found at MOTOR TREND's newly redesigned website, www.motortrend.com.� Visit MOTOR TREND's media asset site at press.motortrend.com for downloadable PR materials including press releases, logos, B-roll video, and photos for Car, Truck, SUV and Person of the Year awards.

About MOTOR TREND�������������� MOTOR TREND�, a media brand of TEN: The Enthusiast Network, was founded in 1949 and is internationally recognized as one of the leading brands in the automotive category. The MOTOR TREND brand is composed of MOTOR TREND magazine; the award-winning website�MotorTrend.com; Motor Trend OnDemand subscription video on-demand service, Motor Trend Auto Shows; Motor Trend Audio; Motor Trend en Espanol; Motor Trend India; and the renowned Motor Trend Car of the Year, SUV of the Year, Truck of the Year, and Best Driver's Car awards programs.

About Motor Trend OnDemand�� Motor Trend OnDemand is the world's premier automotive SVOD platform with a combination of exclusive domestic and international motorsport coverage, an extensive automotive-themed television and film library, and MOTOR TREND original programming series hits such as Roadkill, Head 2 Head, and Ignition. With more than 1,000 hours of streaming video, Motor Trend OnDemand is available on desktop, mobile, tablet, gaming consoles, connected televisions, and set-top devices, such as Apple TV and Roku.

About TEN: The Enthusiast Network��� TEN: The Enthusiast Network is the world's premier network of enthusiast brands, such as MOTOR TREND, AUTOMOBILE, HOT ROD, SURFER, TRANSWORLD SKATEBOARDING, and GRINDTV. With more than 50 publications, 60 websites, 50 events, 1,000 branded products, Motor Trend OnDemand subscription video on-demand service, the world's largest automotive VOD channel, and the world's largest action/adventure sports media platform, TEN inspires enthusiasts to pursue their passions. For more information, visit enthusiastnetwork.com.