TSN European car of the year ... 2006

[theduisbergkid]

OK, the official European car of the year list was so dull, I have decided to make my own, feel free to vote, please ignore my mistakes (ie if they weren't launched in 2006 for example) ...

[theduisbergkid]

Why do I get the feeling that everyone else will pick something not on my modest list ?

[DHA]

Picked one from the list but biased to a certain marque.

[Thorburn]

M6

[jimdiesel]

When judging a pole like this you should not be thinking about what you would like to own, but which cars advance the genre.

There is only one car on the list that does that, and thats the Fiat Panda.

So thats what I voted for.

[Thorburn]

Well is that really the case in the TSN European car of the year vote?

Surely we are looking for the car most appealing to petrol heads?

Also the Panda shouldn't be on the list, it won European car of the year last year....

[jimdiesel]

True. And the MC12 was launched in 2003 as was the XJR. But the Panda is still the only car on that list to move the class it represents forward.

Hardly a pole for petrol heads though is it. Hmmm MC12 or C1!

[Thorburn]

I dunno, the C1 is supposed to be quite an entertaining drive, almost certainly more fun at sub-license losing speeds than the MC12......

[jimdiesel]

But the clock is not as cool!

[Thorburn]

But can you plug your iPod into an MC12?

Not that I like the iPod

[theduisbergkid]

OK then, so what did I miss ?

[NewNiceMrMe]

What on earth is the Saab doing on there......it's a nice car yes, but really, on this list?

[Snail]

Oh the comedy...."New 911"....ffs, its older the MrMe!

[NewNiceMrMe]

[ QUOTE ]

Oh the comedy...."New 911"....ffs, its older the MrMe!

[/ QUOTE ]

It is. Wow. I feel young now!

[malagus]

the aygo etc. Its an advance in engineering technology, production methods, business, as well as being a good car.

[garcon magnifique]

Jag XJR? Do you mean the new XK? The XJR is the big saloon, a truly awesome piece of machinery (I really fancy one actually - coming down to low/mid thirties now! ), but it's been around since the end of 2003.

I voted 911, cos I'm too lazy to think of something not on the list. Yes, it's a development of a forty year old design, but the 997 is the ultimate form of the classic design - they've managed to combine the very best of the 993 with the modern luxury & practicality (relatively speaking, you understand) of the 996. It's definitely the best looking 911 since about 1973 too. Haven't driven one yet, but my time will come.

Of the others, I like the looks of the 9-3 sportwagen, but it is hampered by GM quality. The Fiat Panda is a brilliant car, Fiat back to form at what it has always done best - cheap, small cars with bags of character.

The Ford GT is also worth a mention, but only because Ford have managed to screw up a car with such awesome potential - it will never recover from the Clarkson saga.

The M6 is a technological tour de force, and stupidly quick, but it's "just" the latest in a line of German ubertechnology masterpieces, better than the last but doomed to be overshadowed by the next.