@@1990Thunderbolt end of 90s, but it kinda became popular few years later, maybe in 2002. I know we were literally begging people going to UK to bring us EVO as teens back then.
Should've been the real winner, here. Brilliant for not only it's driving characteristics, but for it's execution as a real daily driver. That's far more challenging for the manufacturers!
Absolutely stoked for Maserati. The MC20 feels like a small miracle, to think that Maserati even at its most recent peak with the MC12, Quattroporte V and GranTurismo/Cabrio was forced to play second fiddle to Ferrari, then had to endure the slump of the 2010s Fiat management not developing the sporting side of the brand as it probably should have... and then out of nowhere, when their only sportscar was the recently retired GranTurismo/Cabrio that was a 12 years old design (!), they come out with this masterpiece, and snatch the Ecoty crown, just like that. Just absolutely unbelievable. Well done Maserati !
Wow! One of the best ECOTYs ever. Shows once again, that proper enthusiasm, quality in production and ability to understand and evaluate a car lies still in the hands of the oldschool car media, which thank god learned how to use a camera, a drone and how to implement not only action but also a little bit of cheeky fun into the vids. Thank you lads, it was a blast and i can't wait for 2023.
@@matmul4850 Indeed. The only channel I can think of that tops this one, though not by a mile, is Throttle House. That's the best one as far as I'm concerned. Perfect blend of passion, technical details, action, charisma, production value and especially humor, too, with their hilarious sketches at the start of many of the episodes. There are others that are very good (Chris Harris, Harry's garage and AutoTopNL come to mind. Doug Demuro perhaps too but that's a different concept) but not on the level of EVO or Throttle House. And that's saying something, because there are boatloads of car channels these days
@@raiiiar high-quality auto journalism will never die - just as didn’t complex classical music, jazz, serious literature and the like. The masses always want cheap comedy and fast-food, but there will always be room for connoisseurs of better and deeper meanings. I'd rather be in this group than with fast food lovers.
I can't believe how good the GR86 looks even lined up against these supercars. What a great job by Toyota. Please make more so we can get one in Ireland!🤞
I think it has to do something with the number of EVs and hybrids they sell in each country. We also don't get it in my country...but some of our western neighbours do get them so, yeah, the pollution tax might be just the reason... also a reason for which the new type-r is 57k euro in my country.. 2 options away from 60k; not so long ago, 60k would have got you an M3. A couple of years ago, 60k would meant you could drive an M2; now, for your 60k, you can get a civic. 🙄🙄🤦🏿♂️
@@eugenux I feel your pain. Availability and pricing in Ireland for any sports car is crazy. A prime example is the new VW Golf R which is selling close to 80k🙄
Have to admit: My heart jumped for joy when Jethro walked past the 296 and Artura to reveal the GR86 as the second best car. Just shows that EVO truly values the simple, unfiltered fun a true sports car can provide even if it seems to be completely outclassed in this company when you exclusively look at the raw numbers. Most other car media would've put the GR86 out of contention even before starting the test or treating it as an honorable mention at best.
This channel deserves more attention, and this video deserves more views. Some of the best motor journalists, some of the best cars, beautiful roads, all of this well shot and edited. This is pure quality content, thank you EVO.
Quite a bit better than listening to that utter tool Tony off Seen through glass slate cars he’s never driven,especially if they’re built in this country!
Excellent show and assessments. The surprises are the MC20, the Porsche and the GR86. Glad to see reviewers be realistic about a great car that is just too stiff and noisy. Also about the joy of a car that can be fun within the speed limits.
I'm amazed that I am able to own one of GR86. I mean it is crazy to be in this line-up. Yet with entry level price, it like the best pound to pound boxer in the world. It is certainly punching well above its weight.
WHAT. A. VIDEO. This is what it is all about, I literally got goose bumps in the end. That team of journalists do not fail. Epic work guys, even the weight in of the cars was a great addition. THANK YOU!
I was hoping the Maserati would win. It's just so...good. It's incredibly beautiful, sounds fantastic and is as visceral as can be in these days. Amazing!
GR 86 is a great, lightweight, drivers car....and it has a sweet manual box :) Congrats to the senior Toyota management in getting this car built. It seems they let Gazoo Racing work its magic and have produced a mighty fine sports car with a nice interior and Toyota reliability.
Love the Ecoty test. Staying true to the values that made the test special. The known winner the Porsche RS being judged fairly on it's merits and not it's hype.
I love the fact that you chose the Maserati. I now have even more respect for you as a channel and for the the journalists involved. Thank you! Wonderful review as a whole!
As a driver of a 996.2 GT3, I would love to see a comparison in terms of joy of driving. I my opinion, these older cars are giving you so much more pleasure. Manual shifting, glorious sound, crisp steering and not so crazy fast as todays supercars. I love every drive and when climbing the Swiss mountain roads you can feel the lower weight and how much smaller cars have been 20 years ago.
This is the best Evo video I’ve ever seen. I think Jethro leading is a big part of it as his experience on American Top Gear and many other CZcams videos is showing through. Bit of comedy rather than taking it all too seriously, but mixed with informative content. Editing is better than older Evo vids too. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
ugghhh... you just described everything I hate about fake car journalism.... I'm tired of the over produced, over edited, hyped up nonsense. just drive the fucking cars and describe the experience....how hard is that? do you even like cars? or do you just watch car shows for entertainment?
As per usual, one of my favourite videos every year is a beautiful little documentary with all the familiar faces. Thanks for the brilliant work over all these years.
Great to see Maserati back on the track as a real contender, producing their own engine, not a second class Ferrari or their sub-brand. MC 20 is simply awesome and Maserati deserves it
As a Porsche fanboy I was hoping to see the GT4RS romp away to victory, but have to agree, if it can’t handle the rough stuff of real roads then it deservedly got eliminated. EVO track car of the year could be a different story, but for me a sports car must be able to handle real life UK roads. Brilliant vid EVO
With the increasing price of enthusiast cars I find myself most impressed with the relatively affordable GR86. For a fraction of the price of its competition it delivers an enjoyable, connected driving experience especially with the MT. While I wouldn't pass on the opportunity to drive the other eCOTY contenders, the sensible part of me would always gravitate back to the GR86.
The maserati did fenomenal job on the design. The changes and improvements they do is another level of pure automotive love, i admire every detail they do, deserve more attention imo
God that Maserati is stunning. The mouth/grille design is a palette cleanser to the M4 and imo 296. Going to buy a BRZ now! Excellent video and the work is evident.
All these cars either appeal to your head, heart or both. But the GR 86 is the only one that'll also appeal to your wallet too. That's why it's my winner among these stellar machines.
You’re absolutely on the money about the GR86 Steve . After owning an Fk8 CTR since 2017 I had quite naturally put a deposit on a new FL5 and added my name to the waiting list . After a few months of waiting I happened upon a GR86 in the same dealership, ( multi franchise dealer Honda, Toyota, Ford etc) and quietly took a test drive. That was it , 20 minutes later I had cancelled the order for the Type R and was happily nipping along towards home in my new GR86 and haven’t looked back , I absolutely love it. I also saved myself $25,000 in the process. And you are spot on about the lack of weight. The FK8 was a light car in modern hot hatch terms , but the 86 is on another planet by comparison. Thanks for the video I have lost count the number of times I have watched it.
I put allot of value in the freedom of mind the GR86 gives considering it does not break the bank at all and gives such pure and authentic driving thrills. I’m sincerely thrilled it came second and was the Little Mac of the competition. Great reviews.
A couple of years in a row that ECOTY has been unreal. There were a few years where it was unfortunately sparse but the auto industry is better when EVO is great. Hope there will be many more.
For my taste it would be a great ending with at least 3 minutes of raw onboard video of a winner car on that lovely road. Come on people, we are all car enthusiasts here, we love onboard videos. It can be part of a high end video production, it's not outdated at all...
There's only one car in this test that I (and most normal people) can afford. It's a sad state of affairs when, on the brink of a financial crisis, the best cars for drivers are almost all above £100k. It's all well and good judging £100k+ supercars on closed, empty roads, but in the real world, there's only one car in that lineup that can be enjoyed every day, and its the one cheap enough to be driven every day. The real winner of this test, and I might be a little biased, is the GR86. I took delivery of mine a week ago today, and it's everything I want from a sports car. I've had 500+hp cars in the past, and they're utterly useless on the majority of UK roads. The GR86 is a car that puts its best foot forward at legal speeds, and that's the essence of driving. Even second place is admirable in this field, but the best version of this test is the one with a different outcome. Wonderfully filmed and directed as usual, just a shame about the result.
I can remember the old good days when were NA V8, hot hatch, rally cars, supercars all together! Our world it's come to end....but i will always thanks Evo to ispirated my entire life! Thanks guys!
What a truly fantastic film. More truthful insights than pretty much any other channel, beautifully filmed, each car deeply analyzed and considered. We are truly priveleged to get this amazing content. Thanks EVO and team, you guys rock! Here's to an amazing 2023!
The lack of GT3 rs is surprising. But what surprised me even more was that Maserati won. At least of the cars out there, I'm very surprised that the naturally aspirated masterpiece gt4 rs didn't win this year. Evo's car of the year list surprises me every year.
Had it been a track test, it probably would have. Maybe Porsche are slightly mis-marketing it. Maybe they should push the track orientation more so that it won't end up being put up against cars that are more road oriented.
Superb video work again from the Evo team. Would have been interesting to see what didn't make line up and the reasons, which you have done in previous years, as there was no Lotus Emira? Nevertheless the right feedback from the right journalists imo. Well done Maserati, Toyota and all the Evo crew👌🏼
because that was truly a special car(one might say it was even more of a CSL than this one), while this M3 is just a specced up competition with a price that competes with actual mid engine supercars. Basically, they've got greedy and decided to milk dry the cash cow.
Wow, I am absolutely blown away with the winner! With all the contestants in this test, and all the negative reviews the MC20 gets, for it to come out the winner over the Artura and 296 GTB is mind blowing. I think the MC20 is easily one of the best looking cars ever made, but for a carbon tub car, it really should be lighter. For it to win this comparison really speaks volumes about Maserati now as a company separated from Ferrari.
Literally the best ECOTY of all time. There have been some corkers but this finishing order is: Brilliant, Honest, Surprising and a beautiful bit of old school EVO. Proper journalism then. I have yet to drive an MC20 but I would love to add one to my fleet. That bit about an F40 for the modern era. WOW. Praise comes no higher.
Wow! I didn't expect that! Thank you. I love Italian cars and (although any of them is light years out of my reach) I adore a good, well engineered Maserati. Fingers crossed for them to bring more spectacular cars as the GranTurismo and Folgore are right behind the corner
Strikes me the lotus emira is overlooked. Manual box, cheaper, hydraulic steering and touring pack for UK roads. Evo discounted it because it wasn't as good as the gt4 rs round the track when they first tried the pre-production car.
Great car journalists, breathtaking scenery, astonishing roads and the very of the modern car world. Amazing how in 2022 we still got some true old car principles on four wheels. Each year I cannot wait for the Evo car of the year magazine and video! Please, keep it going!
@@mackie1001 Think it's because it has to be built sturdier than necessary because the chassis will have big battery packs in it at some point, for the Folgore ofc
@@MrMightyytau Catchpole is not the car journo it used to be some years ago.. in the same way CH isn't the car journo he used to be some years ago. In fact, for me Catchpole is mostly un-watchable nowadays.. while CH does have the occasionally shine.. but not that often.
Talk about punching above it's weight! I must admit I'm surprised that the GR86 almost got the top prize considering it's affordability for the average person. I thought the Lotus Emira might take it out but wasn't a contender unfortunately. I guess we'll have to wait for the 2023 COTY.
i bought the first copy of Evo, and when i couldnt find the 2nd copy i told the newsagent you need to get Evo in its THE mag and its going to be huge, obvious from the get-go that it was going to be a massive success. Only stopped my addicted purchase once i got my ideal car (35 years later). Thanks Evo for all those years of interest and motivation.
Great video. As always ECOTY is the best round up for the year. Shame the Lotus Emira wasn’t there, I’m pretty sure Lord Metcalfe has one knocking around his estate that could have been borrowed?
The MC20 weighs 400lbs more than Maserati claims. Unethical and illegal false advertising. It should have been disqualified. Besides that, it's odd because 296 and Artura are universally considered to be dynamically far superior. I do love the way it looks but that's about it.
Great job as always , for me THE definitive test in the car world. In conjunction with the magazine (GO and buy it guys!) fantastic to see the best of the year given an exhaustive and back to back test. Over the years the Porsche GT cars have lots of wins but not surprised the GT4RS falls short. Seems to have missed the sweet spot of all the great GT cars , that is all that perfect control weights, awesome damping, sensational throttle response whilst still being a usable road car. And its so loud, great sound but if you need earplugs to do a trip its too compromised.
Superb video, as mentioned previously, millions of followers does not a fantastic channel make, EVO subscriber since the beginning and videos like this are the reason why
so, what the market and brands say is that only the rich want sports cars.. while us, the normal people/plebs.. don't. Proof is in the line-up of this test...7 sports cars that goes for a minimum of 150k...and only one that's 35k. Oh, sorry, I forgot, we the plebs want hot hatches, not sports cars. Such a damn shame on this society's type of thinking...which put to death row the affordable sports cars for us, the normal(read not rich) people.
no hope, EU penalties severly limit the number they can sell and it will be illegal to sell at all soon, only a tiny number will make it to europe, plebs can't actually get one
@@Mgoblagulkablong no, not because of EU.. it is because of us.. because for every hatch out on the market, there are a gazillion damn crossovers as a competition to it.. so, we, the society drowned the sports car category for the masses and now, we are killing hatchbacks and hot-hatches as well. There is no EU law that forbids hot hatches... it is just that the market buys now something else.... and that something else are the damn crossovers... because yeah.. we need daily SUVs in our life, for that 4 days on a year when we go to a camping trip or buy something that we personally want to transport home from ikea. If you want to blame someone, blame those who buy this type of s.h.ite on wheels.
To me these exotics are only mildly interesting, but seeing that the GR86 can even hold a place next to them is quite exhilarating. As someone who starting with nothing and struggled their way to upper middle class, I know I'll never own an exotic - but cars like the GR86 remind us that plenty of driving joy can still be had even for those of us who work hard for our dollars. Way to go Toyota! 👍
I’ve been lucky enough to drive a Gen 2 R8 for a week or two, and it genuinely is ridiculous. The engine tone alone blows your mind, but it is also very fast and does slip round the bends with the poise and polish Jethro describes. I’m sure it’s not the “best” car in the list (it’s also ultra impractical) it absolutely rocks to drive. Absolutely wonderful video, too. Tremendous work by all involved
Only interested in the GR86 to be honest. Crazy to me that the most enjoyable is the only NOT "supercar". I think the modern automotive industry lost A LOT compared to the past. It surely lost passion and the feeling, its just about money, luxury and pure numbers, and that's sad.
I'm sure the MC20 is the superior car. But it would've been cool if the GR86 won. An affordable, honest, back to basics car that really encapsulates the fundamentals of what makes cars wonderful.
If I had the dollars in the bank, I'd be tempted by a second hand R8, but would probably go for an Emira - I'd get a GR86 if it was available here... Great video guys, thanks.
Read the article yesterday, and after seeing this film, I can't stop having a few thoughts. First, It's a big shame that Lotus can't have Emira ready for the test. I'm sure it will do as fine as GR86, if not more. I think if either Ferrari or Mclaren is not here, then the other one might just win the test (I feel 296 deserves it more tho). Instead, they take points from each other. MC20 is amazing and with a real soul, but based on the test, it may not be as perfect as the 458 speciale or 675 LT. In some way, this win might be a proper goodbye to the madness of supercars we know from the last few decades, but we can't just look back, and the hybrid future is quite bright, as 296 and Artura showed here. One side note, I feel due to the direction Porsche is going and more fierce competition, it's hard for newer GT cars to win this test. GT4RS and 992 GT3 are just too hardcore and precious (resale value vs mileage) to enjoy on the road. Based on my friends and people I know from my local track day, they load them on a trailer and only drive them on track.
Ever since I started reading Evo, it has easily been one of my most respected car magazines. This video does nothing but increase my appreciation of you you guys and girls! Never stop what you are doing!
Porsche RS models were always track-da cars and not every-day friendly. Fabulous in track, mediocre at best on real roads. That's why Porsche is making so many models for 911 and Cayman. One for every need that excels in one sector. Ferrari and McLaren try mostly to make their cars all-rounders with the exceptions of their special models for track use.
Being a reader for well over a decade. Nice film. Worthy winner and great to see the GR86 there. Ps, I am still waiting for my eCOTY issue of the magazine to arrive. Also, I did not receive it for the last 3 years. And yes, I have emailed you. But you could not care it appears.
Brilliant video. Big shout out must go to the unsung heroes of this, the videographers, car cleaners, drone operator etc.who make it all look so good. Excellent bit of work, you guys are very, very good at this.
I’ve been an abbot evo reader since issue1, the content has always been the pinnacle of motoring journalism. ECOTY has been the one thing I look forward to every year and this certainly doesn’t disappoint. Great job with the publication as always it’s been as much fun viewing as you’ve been making it! By the way is that an Omega Speedmaster Panda Chronograph I spot on Jethro’s wrist?
Being a reader of Evo since 2003, it is irreplaceable no matter how many CZcamsrs with millions of followers are out there
Still have them all too 😍 was a treat every month
wow evo's been that long! when did they est?
I wish they would drive on correct side though lol
@@1990Thunderbolt end of 90s, but it kinda became popular few years later, maybe in 2002. I know we were literally begging people going to UK to bring us EVO as teens back then.
I've kept the old ECotY from then!
Respect to GR86 engineers!
Beating more expensive cars is impressive. I have a 2016 toyota 86 and i love it, it is not sofisticated, but is true mechanical and analog.
The mc20 wins because it is not hybrid, it is pure and simple. Love that the underdog gr86 cheap and modest overtook so many amazing cars. Thanks.
Yep that Subaru team knew what they were doing!
So what's the sweet spot tune for the 86, to give it a bit more juice and soundtrack?
Should've been the real winner, here. Brilliant for not only it's driving characteristics, but for it's execution as a real daily driver. That's far more challenging for the manufacturers!
The bit with Jethro fumbling with the GR86 gearbox was so awkward and I loved every bit of it. Still one of my all time favorite car reviewers.
Absolutely stoked for Maserati. The MC20 feels like a small miracle, to think that Maserati even at its most recent peak with the MC12, Quattroporte V and GranTurismo/Cabrio was forced to play second fiddle to Ferrari, then had to endure the slump of the 2010s Fiat management not developing the sporting side of the brand as it probably should have... and then out of nowhere, when their only sportscar was the recently retired GranTurismo/Cabrio that was a 12 years old design (!), they come out with this masterpiece, and snatch the Ecoty crown, just like that. Just absolutely unbelievable. Well done Maserati !
Seems very low not sure how long the underneath will last
Mc20 has been sitting waiting for a while really
Wow! One of the best ECOTYs ever. Shows once again, that proper enthusiasm, quality in production and ability to understand and evaluate a car lies still in the hands of the oldschool car media, which thank god learned how to use a camera, a drone and how to implement not only action but also a little bit of cheeky fun into the vids. Thank you lads, it was a blast and i can't wait for 2023.
Yea I mean it doesn't get much better than this 👌
@@matmul4850 yep. Better than Carwow.
lol sounds like the first time it watched a car vid
@@matmul4850 Indeed. The only channel I can think of that tops this one, though not by a mile, is Throttle House. That's the best one as far as I'm concerned. Perfect blend of passion, technical details, action, charisma, production value and especially humor, too, with their hilarious sketches at the start of many of the episodes. There are others that are very good (Chris Harris, Harry's garage and AutoTopNL come to mind. Doug Demuro perhaps too but that's a different concept) but not on the level of EVO or Throttle House. And that's saying something, because there are boatloads of car channels these days
Proper car journalism and journalists. Loved it.
And exactly why the reason this kind of "journalism" will die. High level quality of wrong.
@@raiiiar high-quality auto journalism will never die - just as didn’t complex classical music, jazz, serious literature and the like. The masses always want cheap comedy and fast-food, but there will always be room for connoisseurs of better and deeper meanings. I'd rather be in this group than with fast food lovers.
@@raiiiarwhat a moronic comment
@@raiiiar Why parentheses? It's good writing or is journalism another dirty term nowadays?
I now proud am a Japanese. Thank you for loving GR86.
Lol
Now? lol
You have many more things to be proud of than this budget drivers car
How about the Honda engine in the back of the Red Bull F1 car. Now that IS an achievement. The GR86 is a bit anonymous.
@@Gutenmorgenside The Honda F1 engine in the GR86? I like the way you're thinking.
I got so happy to see the MC20 and GR86 praised so much during the testing. Then to find out that they'd be the top dogs was so incredibly exciting!
A breath of fresh air you might say!
I can't believe how good the GR86 looks even lined up against these supercars. What a great job by Toyota. Please make more so we can get one in Ireland!🤞
I think it has to do something with the number of EVs and hybrids they sell in each country. We also don't get it in my country...but some of our western neighbours do get them so, yeah, the pollution tax might be just the reason... also a reason for which the new type-r is 57k euro in my country.. 2 options away from 60k; not so long ago, 60k would have got you an M3. A couple of years ago, 60k would meant you could drive an M2; now, for your 60k, you can get a civic. 🙄🙄🤦🏿♂️
@@eugenux I feel your pain. Availability and pricing in Ireland for any sports car is crazy. A prime example is the new VW Golf R which is selling close to 80k🙄
@@radcork26 aah, so, yet another country where they want to price out everyone from owning cars, got it!, it is so effin anoying.
It's a Subaru!
Subyota or Toyobaru
Have to admit: My heart jumped for joy when Jethro walked past the 296 and Artura to reveal the GR86 as the second best car. Just shows that EVO truly values the simple, unfiltered fun a true sports car can provide even if it seems to be completely outclassed in this company when you exclusively look at the raw numbers. Most other car media would've put the GR86 out of contention even before starting the test or treating it as an honorable mention at best.
This channel deserves more attention, and this video deserves more views. Some of the best motor journalists, some of the best cars, beautiful roads, all of this well shot and edited. This is pure quality content, thank you EVO.
Quite a bit better than listening to that utter tool Tony off Seen through glass slate cars he’s never driven,especially if they’re built in this country!
Excellent show and assessments. The surprises are the MC20, the Porsche and the GR86. Glad to see reviewers be realistic about a great car that is just too stiff and noisy. Also about the joy of a car that can be fun within the speed limits.
This is a FANTASTIC ECOTY. Great job team, great job.
Oscartron, happy new year 2023. 🙏
ECOTY?
@@dr.derekrobinson1920 ECOTY - Evo Car Of The Year 👍
@@oskierox I reckon Dr. Derek Robinson knows what ECOTY stands for. He was just pointing out your typo perhaps?
@@BMBShah HAHAHAHA GOOD CALL! I didnt even notice i mispelled it 💀💀💀
I can’t describe how happy I am this kind of car journalism exists. Fantastic in every aspect, thank you
How is it possible to get a tear in your eye of a car test? I would never expect Maserati to be back on top. The emotions.. Great test!
I'm amazed that I am able to own one of GR86. I mean it is crazy to be in this line-up. Yet with entry level price, it like the best pound to pound boxer in the world.
It is certainly punching well above its weight.
WHAT. A. VIDEO. This is what it is all about, I literally got goose bumps in the end. That team of journalists do not fail. Epic work guys, even the weight in of the cars was a great addition. THANK YOU!
Those cars are absolute amazing to view.
I was hoping the Maserati would win. It's just so...good. It's incredibly beautiful, sounds fantastic and is as visceral as can be in these days. Amazing!
GR86 should have taken it just for the third pedal.
GR 86 is a great, lightweight, drivers car....and it has a sweet manual box :)
Congrats to the senior Toyota management in getting this car built.
It seems they let Gazoo Racing work its magic and have produced a mighty fine sports car with a nice interior and Toyota reliability.
Love the Ecoty test. Staying true to the values that made the test special. The known winner the Porsche RS being judged fairly on it's merits and not it's hype.
I love the fact that you chose the Maserati. I now have even more respect for you as a channel and for the the journalists involved. Thank you! Wonderful review as a whole!
Love that they weren't blinded by the Porsche bullshit.
As a driver of a 996.2 GT3, I would love to see a comparison in terms of joy of driving. I my opinion, these older cars are giving you so much more pleasure. Manual shifting, glorious sound, crisp steering and not so crazy fast as todays supercars.
I love every drive and when climbing the Swiss mountain roads you can feel the lower weight and how much smaller cars have been 20 years ago.
This is the best Evo video I’ve ever seen. I think Jethro leading is a big part of it as his experience on American Top Gear and many other CZcams videos is showing through. Bit of comedy rather than taking it all too seriously, but mixed with informative content. Editing is better than older Evo vids too. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Love the storytelling in this eCoty. The mystery, the drama and the driver's reactions are delightful.
ugghhh... you just described everything I hate about fake car journalism.... I'm tired of the over produced, over edited, hyped up nonsense. just drive the fucking cars and describe the experience....how hard is that?
do you even like cars? or do you just watch car shows for entertainment?
As per usual, one of my favourite videos every year is a beautiful little documentary with all the familiar faces. Thanks for the brilliant work over all these years.
Great to see Maserati back on the track as a real contender, producing their own engine, not a second class Ferrari or their sub-brand. MC 20 is simply awesome and Maserati deserves it
too bad this should be Alfa, it was just converted to Maserati, but beginning of this year, we see also Alfa of it.
As a Porsche fanboy I was hoping to see the GT4RS romp away to victory, but have to agree, if it can’t handle the rough stuff of real roads then it deservedly got eliminated.
EVO track car of the year could be a different story, but for me a sports car must be able to handle real life UK roads.
Brilliant vid EVO
With the increasing price of enthusiast cars I find myself most impressed with the relatively affordable GR86. For a fraction of the price of its competition it delivers an enjoyable, connected driving experience especially with the MT. While I wouldn't pass on the opportunity to drive the other eCOTY contenders, the sensible part of me would always gravitate back to the GR86.
The maserati did fenomenal job on the design. The changes and improvements they do is another level of pure automotive love, i admire every detail they do, deserve more attention imo
God that Maserati is stunning. The mouth/grille design is a palette cleanser to the M4 and imo 296. Going to buy a BRZ now! Excellent video and the work is evident.
25:05 This was my favorite part. Thank you evo for remembering to include WEIGHT!!!!
The fact that a Toyota product is in this video means great deals for the GR brand.
You gentlemen don't just live our dreams; you create and narrate them beautifully with such vivid passion. Thank you.
I LOVE that the GR86 made it so far up in this list!
The MC20 is just simply beautiful. Really happy it won. Incredible car.
No way it should have won
@@marcelk3847 Thank you for enlightening us! HaHAhA...
All these cars either appeal to your head, heart or both. But the GR 86 is the only one that'll also appeal to your wallet too. That's why it's my winner among these stellar machines.
If it was £35k cheaper, probably yes. Sadly even the GR86 is out the price range of most people, which is why only 400 are coming to the UK probably.
You’re absolutely on the money about the GR86 Steve . After owning an Fk8 CTR since 2017 I had quite naturally put a deposit on a new FL5 and added my name to the waiting list . After a few months of waiting I happened upon a GR86 in the same dealership, ( multi franchise dealer Honda, Toyota, Ford etc) and quietly took a test drive. That was it , 20 minutes later I had cancelled the order for the Type R and was happily nipping along towards home in my new GR86 and haven’t looked back , I absolutely love it. I also saved myself $25,000 in the process. And you are spot on about the lack of weight. The FK8 was a light car in modern hot hatch terms , but the 86 is on another planet by comparison. Thanks for the video I have lost count the number of times I have watched it.
I put allot of value in the freedom of mind the GR86 gives considering it does not break the bank at all and gives such pure and authentic driving thrills. I’m sincerely thrilled it came second and was the Little Mac of the competition. Great reviews.
Shame you can't buy one in the UK at list price - seems fantastic.
@@luke_3_113 really? Do they markup in the UK? I know it’s not legal to do here in Canada
@@gryphon123456 It's dealer dependent. You need to be crafty where it's legal to markup but you can get them at MSRP.
@@gryphon123456 All allocations to the UK sold out very quickly apparently.
@@luke_3_113 90 minutes is how fast they sold out for 2 years. Crazy. No BRZ in the UK either from what I've heard.
The back and forth narration is really great. This is a more engaging video than previous editions of Evo COTY.
A couple of years in a row that ECOTY has been unreal. There were a few years where it was unfortunately sparse but the auto industry is better when EVO is great.
Hope there will be many more.
A bit sad to see only one manual car. Great video and happy for the little GR86! 👍
This film takes me back to proper EVO magazine days. Thanks lads.
For my taste it would be a great ending with at least 3 minutes of raw onboard video of a winner car on that lovely road. Come on people, we are all car enthusiasts here, we love onboard videos. It can be part of a high end video production, it's not outdated at all...
There's only one car in this test that I (and most normal people) can afford. It's a sad state of affairs when, on the brink of a financial crisis, the best cars for drivers are almost all above £100k. It's all well and good judging £100k+ supercars on closed, empty roads, but in the real world, there's only one car in that lineup that can be enjoyed every day, and its the one cheap enough to be driven every day.
The real winner of this test, and I might be a little biased, is the GR86. I took delivery of mine a week ago today, and it's everything I want from a sports car. I've had 500+hp cars in the past, and they're utterly useless on the majority of UK roads. The GR86 is a car that puts its best foot forward at legal speeds, and that's the essence of driving. Even second place is admirable in this field, but the best version of this test is the one with a different outcome.
Wonderfully filmed and directed as usual, just a shame about the result.
Not an influencer in sight, loads of Steve Sutcliff, video of the year, every year! Thank you guys.
Spectacular ECOTY and brilliant job to all involved. The Evo team does such an incredible job year after year. Thank you!
I can remember the old good days when were NA V8, hot hatch, rally cars, supercars all together! Our world it's come to end....but i will always thanks Evo to ispirated my entire life! Thanks guys!
What a truly fantastic film. More truthful insights than pretty much any other channel, beautifully filmed, each car deeply analyzed and considered. We are truly priveleged to get this amazing content. Thanks EVO and team, you guys rock! Here's to an amazing 2023!
GR86 is harder to get than the supercars :))
The lack of GT3 rs is surprising. But what surprised me even more was that Maserati won. At least of the cars out there, I'm very surprised that the naturally aspirated masterpiece gt4 rs didn't win this year. Evo's car of the year list surprises me every year.
Had it been a track test, it probably would have. Maybe Porsche are slightly mis-marketing it. Maybe they should push the track orientation more so that it won't end up being put up against cars that are more road oriented.
This has got to be one of the most spectacular car showdowns I've seen. Done tastefully by really objective car journalists. A+
Superb video work again from the Evo team. Would have been interesting to see what didn't make line up and the reasons, which you have done in previous years, as there was no Lotus Emira? Nevertheless the right feedback from the right journalists imo. Well done Maserati, Toyota and all the Evo crew👌🏼
Amazing video, thank you EVO!! Still makes you wonder how BMW can miss the mark so much this year compared to last year's winning M5 CS...
because that was truly a special car(one might say it was even more of a CSL than this one), while this M3 is just a specced up competition with a price that competes with actual mid engine supercars. Basically, they've got greedy and decided to milk dry the cash cow.
Wow, I am absolutely blown away with the winner! With all the contestants in this test, and all the negative reviews the MC20 gets, for it to come out the winner over the Artura and 296 GTB is mind blowing. I think the MC20 is easily one of the best looking cars ever made, but for a carbon tub car, it really should be lighter. For it to win this comparison really speaks volumes about Maserati now as a company separated from Ferrari.
Literally the best ECOTY of all time. There have been some corkers but this finishing order is: Brilliant, Honest, Surprising and a beautiful bit of old school EVO. Proper journalism then. I have yet to drive an MC20 but I would love to add one to my fleet. That bit about an F40 for the modern era. WOW. Praise comes no higher.
Beautiful job on this video guys. Ending sequence got me. So happy for the Maserati.
Wow! I didn't expect that! Thank you. I love Italian cars and (although any of them is light years out of my reach) I adore a good, well engineered Maserati. Fingers crossed for them to bring more spectacular cars as the GranTurismo and Folgore are right behind the corner
If the GR86 is even in the conversation for the podium, you'd think it is the obvious choice.
Strikes me the lotus emira is overlooked. Manual box, cheaper, hydraulic steering and touring pack for UK roads. Evo discounted it because it wasn't as good as the gt4 rs round the track when they first tried the pre-production car.
Excellent as always and I would never thought MC20 would be the COTY 2022, cool surprise 👌
Great car journalists, breathtaking scenery, astonishing roads and the very of the modern car world. Amazing how in 2022 we still got some true old car principles on four wheels. Each year I cannot wait for the Evo car of the year magazine and video! Please, keep it going!
For anyone wondering what road they used for a lot of clips its the b6357 just north of Saughtree . Amazing road
Thanks
I forgot to say THANK YOU Evo, from a reader. You still are the reference for sports cars. 100% pure.
Outstanding production gents. Nice to see Evo back making videos as well.
The cinematography is amazing. It really captures the aesthetic of the magazine.
Absolutely delighted to see the MC20 winning this, it's easily my favorite of the modern supercar class. I desperately want one.
Surprised at how heavy it is though, I wonder if it has ballast or does it just have a huge tank?
@@mackie1001 It even has a carbon fibre monocoque while being heavier than the Ferrari with the hybrid components and an aluminium chassis.
@@mackie1001 Think it's because it has to be built sturdier than necessary because the chassis will have big battery packs in it at some point, for the Folgore ofc
Might have won but no seems to be buying it, Catchpole didn’t like it that much
@@MrMightyytau Catchpole is not the car journo it used to be some years ago.. in the same way CH isn't the car journo he used to be some years ago. In fact, for me Catchpole is mostly un-watchable nowadays.. while CH does have the occasionally shine.. but not that often.
Proper journalists and proper camera crews, what an ECOTY.
Talk about punching above it's weight! I must admit I'm surprised that the GR86 almost got the top prize considering it's affordability for the average person. I thought the Lotus Emira might take it out but wasn't a contender unfortunately. I guess we'll have to wait for the 2023 COTY.
i bought the first copy of Evo, and when i couldnt find the 2nd copy i told the newsagent you need to get Evo in its THE mag and its going to be huge, obvious from the get-go that it was going to be a massive success. Only stopped my addicted purchase once i got my ideal car (35 years later). Thanks Evo for all those years of interest and motivation.
Great video. As always ECOTY is the best round up for the year. Shame the Lotus Emira wasn’t there, I’m pretty sure Lord Metcalfe has one knocking around his estate that could have been borrowed?
I think the lotus would have fixed all the complaints they had with the gt4 rs
No doubt they will have an Emira in for 2023 car of the year.
Also my biggest complaint, I think the Emira could well have won this.
Awesome video ! Not as much emotions as 2/3 years ago, because of the cars I think. But I'm glad the MC20 won ! Welcome back Maserati !
only because if they made porsche win they know what the backlack would be
@@Mikemiller997 nope.
You spoiler !
@@matmul4850 ok. theyre wimps and like nice soft suspension as theyre all old now
The MC20 weighs 400lbs more than Maserati claims. Unethical and illegal false advertising. It should have been disqualified.
Besides that, it's odd because 296 and Artura are universally considered to be dynamically far superior. I do love the way it looks but that's about it.
All the ordinary people with regular jobs were egging on the GR86...
Great job as always , for me THE definitive test in the car world. In conjunction with the magazine (GO and buy it guys!) fantastic to see the best of the year given an exhaustive and back to back test. Over the years the Porsche GT cars have lots of wins but not surprised the GT4RS falls short. Seems to have missed the sweet spot of all the great GT cars , that is all that perfect control weights, awesome damping, sensational throttle response whilst still being a usable road car. And its so loud, great sound but if you need earplugs to do a trip its too compromised.
Congratulations to team at EVO another outstanding list. Would have like to have seen C8 Z06 put into mix too see were it migth have ranked.
I'd bet money on it being a 2023 COTY Top 3
Superb video, as mentioned previously, millions of followers does not a fantastic channel make, EVO subscriber since the beginning and videos like this are the reason why
I love that the GR86 still makes these. Hope for the plebs.
so, what the market and brands say is that only the rich want sports cars.. while us, the normal people/plebs.. don't. Proof is in the line-up of this test...7 sports cars that goes for a minimum of 150k...and only one that's 35k. Oh, sorry, I forgot, we the plebs want hot hatches, not sports cars. Such a damn shame on this society's type of thinking...which put to death row the affordable sports cars for us, the normal(read not rich) people.
no hope, EU penalties severly limit the number they can sell and it will be illegal to sell at all soon, only a tiny number will make it to europe, plebs can't actually get one
@@eugenux affordable hot hatches are dead too bc of EU
@@Mgoblagulkablong no, not because of EU.. it is because of us.. because for every hatch out on the market, there are a gazillion damn crossovers as a competition to it.. so, we, the society drowned the sports car category for the masses and now, we are killing hatchbacks and hot-hatches as well.
There is no EU law that forbids hot hatches... it is just that the market buys now something else.... and that something else are the damn crossovers... because yeah.. we need daily SUVs in our life, for that 4 days on a year when we go to a camping trip or buy something that we personally want to transport home from ikea. If you want to blame someone, blame those who buy this type of s.h.ite on wheels.
@@eugenux You don't know EU laws. EU laws force much higher penalties on sporty hatchbacks than on SUV. Manufacturers have to pay the EU billions.
To me these exotics are only mildly interesting, but seeing that the GR86 can even hold a place next to them is quite exhilarating.
As someone who starting with nothing and struggled their way to upper middle class, I know I'll never own an exotic - but cars like the GR86 remind us that plenty of driving joy can still be had even for those of us who work hard for our dollars. Way to go Toyota! 👍
Almost had it right. GR86 should have won. The last fun, lightweight, affordable, rwd, manual sports car.
I’ve been lucky enough to drive a Gen 2 R8 for a week or two, and it genuinely is ridiculous. The engine tone alone blows your mind, but it is also very fast and does slip round the bends with the poise and polish Jethro describes. I’m sure it’s not the “best” car in the list (it’s also ultra impractical) it absolutely rocks to drive. Absolutely wonderful video, too. Tremendous work by all involved
Unexpected, but so glad for Maserati, they are a great name in the industry and I hope they stay alive.
Only interested in the GR86 to be honest. Crazy to me that the most enjoyable is the only NOT "supercar". I think the modern automotive industry lost A LOT compared to the past. It surely lost passion and the feeling, its just about money, luxury and pure numbers, and that's sad.
Epic job guys. Loved it. Love the MC20
I'm sure the MC20 is the superior car. But it would've been cool if the GR86 won. An affordable, honest, back to basics car that really encapsulates the fundamentals of what makes cars wonderful.
BRAVO Maserati!!
Thank you EVO and all the greatest motoring journalists.
This was EPIC!
BTW... GR86, wow!
If I had the dollars in the bank, I'd be tempted by a second hand R8, but would probably go for an Emira - I'd get a GR86 if it was available here...
Great video guys, thanks.
Read the article yesterday, and after seeing this film, I can't stop having a few thoughts.
First, It's a big shame that Lotus can't have Emira ready for the test. I'm sure it will do as fine as GR86, if not more.
I think if either Ferrari or Mclaren is not here, then the other one might just win the test (I feel 296 deserves it more tho). Instead, they take points from each other.
MC20 is amazing and with a real soul, but based on the test, it may not be as perfect as the 458 speciale or 675 LT.
In some way, this win might be a proper goodbye to the madness of supercars we know from the last few decades, but we can't just look back, and the hybrid future is quite bright, as 296 and Artura showed here.
One side note, I feel due to the direction Porsche is going and more fierce competition, it's hard for newer GT cars to win this test. GT4RS and 992 GT3 are just too hardcore and precious (resale value vs mileage) to enjoy on the road. Based on my friends and people I know from my local track day, they load them on a trailer and only drive them on track.
Ever since I started reading Evo, it has easily been one of my most respected car magazines. This video does nothing but increase my appreciation of you you guys and girls! Never stop what you are doing!
What a result, well done Maserati
As an owner of a 2022 BRZ, I can totally relate to everything they said about the GR86. It is just so damn good!
Best in the biz, journalists sent from heaven. Great job boys, and in 4K!!!!
Porsche RS models were always track-da cars and not every-day friendly. Fabulous in track, mediocre at best on real roads. That's why Porsche is making so many models for 911 and Cayman. One for every need that excels in one sector. Ferrari and McLaren try mostly to make their cars all-rounders with the exceptions of their special models for track use.
Great video! GR86 is a true hero in this group of the cars. MC20 is a good choice even if I would take the Porsche GT4 RS.
The fact you can hear the stone chips clattering in the wheel arches on the Maserati makes me feel unwell.
Thankfully, there was at least one manual! But no Emira? That surprises me.
The Emira is a 2023 car, I’m sure it will be in Next years list
@@JohnnyKS2000 how it can be a 2023 car when many many ppl already received their cars?
Being a reader for well over a decade. Nice film. Worthy winner and great to see the GR86 there.
Ps, I am still waiting for my eCOTY issue of the magazine to arrive. Also, I did not receive it for the last 3 years. And yes, I have emailed you. But you could not care it appears.
Brilliant video. Big shout out must go to the unsung heroes of this, the videographers, car cleaners, drone operator etc.who make it all look so good. Excellent bit of work, you guys are very, very good at this.
Thanks to the whole team of Evo for a very enjoyable half hour in 2023. Cannot wait for next year 😅
The Artura in profile was stunning. Think I'd have that one.. in red.
I’ve been an abbot evo reader since issue1, the content has always been the pinnacle of motoring journalism. ECOTY has been the one thing I look forward to every year and this certainly doesn’t disappoint. Great job with the publication as always it’s been as much fun viewing as you’ve been making it! By the way is that an Omega Speedmaster Panda Chronograph I spot on Jethro’s wrist?