On many websites and magazines car of the year is the big award. Not here on IG. Our big awards are handed out Sunday when we pick best hot rod, best muscle car, and a few others because more then what the big auto makers produce we are much more interested in what you produce. So get to restoring, building, and tuning for next year and we might be picking your car as the IG car of the year. For today however we take a look at what the automakers have given us over the last year. This year was TOUGH. Last year the Aventador was a run away favorite but this year there was so much goodness from the new car market it was much tougher. In fact we were back and forth several times. You’ll have to hit the jump to see the winners.
2nd runner up:
The Dodge Dart shows that we aren’t all about horsepower and shenanigans. Mostly we are, but cars like the Dart are important for the rest of the world. The Dart is very important for Chrysler because it badly needs a cheap, attractive, and more importantly big selling small car. It has been non existent in that market segment for years now and the Dart is it’s chance. The Dart is also pretty good, time will tell how it makes it in the marketplace but it’s certainly enough to make our list of best of new car. Just not enough to win it.
1st runner up: The Subaru BRZ/Scion FRS. I thought all year this would be my pick for car of the year. Even as I write this I’m questioning my decision so I’ll say that when I put everything down on paper, assign points to the cars, and tally it all up the Subaru finishes second by a half a point. The BRZ/FRS is great, it’s nimble, cheap, fun to drive, RWD, and will be a hit with the tuners. Another 50hp and this car runs away with the competition. It’s not all about speed an power but the BRZ/FRS is just a tad shy of having enough. That’s where it lost points to me. It’s a 9/10 all things considered. Our first pick is a 10.
Honorable mention. The Lamborghini Aventador.
The only car here that will be legendary only gets an honorable mention because when factoring in things like practicality, price, and comfort it doesn’t quite add up. That doesn’t mean we didn’t want to pick it because of all the cars on our list if we won the power ball the Aventador is the first we buy.
Other notables:
Of course you have to pick one to win and it’s not easy. The list was long this year as it was a great car year so we had to leave off things like the new Viper. The Viper is awesome but it is not ground breaking. It is also not important which keeps it off the list. We also considered the Boss 302 and Chevy Camaro 1LE for obvious reasons. Of course the final C6 Vette could have easily won as well. Our winner will probably be a bit controversial since it didn’t even win it’s category but I think it’s the right pick here and let me explain why.
The Cadillac ATS says the CTS was real, it was serious, and it’s going to stay. It means Cadillac is taking on the Germans with everything they have and have no problem smacking the big German three right in the mouth. It means Cadillac is committed to shedding it’s musty old people image and wants to go after those who aren’t one step away from the nursing home. It’s for people who read Infinite Garage. The ATS is comfortable, practical, and fun to drive. It is everything you want in a luxury sedan and it’s all of that cheaper then the three series and C class. With the ATS-V coming soon and it becoming more likely that it will be the car that gets GM’s new twin turbo V6 it also means that GM is serious about giving it’s customers the latest and greatest without breaking the bank. The dinosaurs of automotive media will pick the three series in the sedan category and some stupid assed hybrid electric craptoid for their car of the year. It’s not. The car of the year this year is the Cadillac ATS. or maybe the Subaru BRZ…..Nope definitely ATS I think. Yep ATS.
Now you know our car of the year, feel free to criticize and let us know what you’d pick.