Between epic test-drives courtesy of the automakers and coming up with outrageous new titles, working here at TopSpeed can be a whole lotta fun. But at the end of the day, it all really comes down to you guys – the readers. Keeping your auto-starved eyeballs entertained and your four-wheeled brains informed is the whole reason we’re doing this thing, so it’s important to keep tabs on what’s working. As such, we’ve put together a list of the top five most-read reviews of 2016.
Included is a surprisingly eclectic collection of automobiles, although one specific Dearborn-based brand is particularly well represented. Even so, we’ve got a few supercars, a three-wheeled motorcycle, a sport compact, and a street-legal trophy truck on this list, which just goes to prove our readers are as obsessed as we are when it comes to gears and gas.
But what about you, dear reader? What do you look forward to reading about in 2017? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll be sure to bring you the goods!
Continue reading for the top five most-read reviews of 2016.
These Are The Cars You Clicked The Most In 2016
1. Bugatti Chiron
This one should come as no surprise, especially considering the URL that’s sitting in your browser bar at the moment. The Chiron is Bugatti’s follow-up to the mighty Veyron, the 1,000-horsepower monster first released back in 2005. The Veyron is widely considered one of the most important moments in supercar history, ushering in an age where four-figure output and 250 mph were possible in a street car. To call it a game changer would be a gross understatement.
Following an act like that is certainly no easy task, but the Chiron is more than up to the challenge. Named after Louis Chiron, a Bugatti factory racing driver from the ‘30s, the Chiron is stuffed with an 8.0-liter W-16 engine, just like the Veyron. Mounted in the middle and boosted by four turbochargers (yes, four), the Chiron produces close to 1,500 horsepower and 1,200 pound-feet of torque, besting its predecessor by roughly 300 horses and 75 pound-feet of torque respectively. Top speed also gets a bump, with reports that 288 mph is possible – if conditions are just right.
Read the full review here.
2. Polaris Slingshot
If you’re the kind of person who gets their kicks from behind the wheel of some zippy, stripped-down, in-the-elements mode of transportation, then there’s plenty of options to choose from. However, based on the number of eyeballs this review managed to snag, odds are you’re inclined to opt into something with futuristic styling, three wheels, and an attitude that’s closer to a motorcycle than a car.
This is the Polaris Slingshot, and it follows in the tradition of the Morgan 3-Wheeler as a fun alternative for those who like to sit in a seat, rather than crouch over handle bars. However, this is still something you’re gonna need a helmet to drive, as the roofless, door-free design thrusts its passengers into the landscape, bringing all the associated weather, flora, and fauna along for the ride. Making it go is a 2.4-liter four-banger from GM, with 173 horsepower and 166 pound-feet of torque routed to the rear wheel by way of a five-speed manual transmission.
Read the full review here.
3. Ford GT
Back in the early ‘60s, Ford was setting itself up to buy Ferrari, even going so far as to spend millions to take stock of the Italian automaker’s assets and pay for all the associated legal fees. But as the story goes, Enzo ended up pulling out of the deal at the eleventh hour, provoking Ford to seek revenge on the racetrack. Just a few years later, the Blue Oval was at Le Mans taking the checkered in the legendary GT40, and the rest is history.
Back in 2004, Ford resurrected the icon with a new sports car dubbed the GT, but production only lasted a few years. Thankfully, Ford came to its senses last year at the North American International Auto Show, and introduced this – the new, second-generation Ford GT. Dive into the spec sheet, and you’ll find copious race car stuff, like a carbon fiber monocoque construction, mid-engine, RWD layout, pushrod suspension, and active aerodynamics. Providing the power is a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6, which loses two cylinders from the traditional V-8, but still packs a sizable 600-horsepower punch.
Read the full review here.
4. Ford Focus RS
The world of rally racing has been rather good to us enthusiasts. The brutality of flinging some turbocharged carbon fiber box down a dirt road lined with trees and spectators has yielded a huge number of lust-worthy autos, and this latest effort from the Blue Oval is looking like it’s got all the right components to continue that tradition. It’s called the Focus RS (those last two letters stand for “Rallye Sport”), and it’s got everything you need for speedy fun, whether you’re at the road course, drag strip, or rally cross event.
It looks like a boy racer’s dream, but this thing is equal parts show and go. Mounted in the nose is a 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, which is turbocharged to around 350 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. That’s a lot of muscle, and routed through a high-performance AWD system, it makes a lot of speed for the little hatchback. Paired with aggressive suspension tuning and a button that activates something called “Drift Mode,” the new Focus RS is definitely a hoon machine through and through.
Read the full review here.
5. Ford F-150 Raptor
Rounding out our list of top five most read reviews is yet another Ford product – the venerable F-150 Raptor. And why not – we here at TopSpeed don’t discriminate when it comes to speed machines. We love it all, no matter what shape, size, or flavor it may come in. If it’s fast, we like it. And the Raptor is most definitely fast.
The nameplate was first introduced back in 2010, but the new Raptor utilizes the revamped F-150 platform to make for an even quicker, more rough-and-ready trophy truck for the road. Like the new Ford GT, the F-150 Raptor loses two cylinders in exchange for a boosted 3.5-liter V-6. Peak output is rated at 450 horses and more than 434 pound-feet of torque, all of which is dumped to the rear axle through a new 10-speed automatic transmission. Paired with off-road goodies like an electronic locking differential, beefy suspension bits, large, knobby tires, and sturdy underbody protection, the F-150 looks like it’ll roll over anything once the loud pedal is pinned.
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Read the full review here.1}
The Bow Tie’s most famous muscle car celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016, and in recognition of a half century of RWD goodness, Chevy ushered in the revamped sixth-generation Camaro. This modernized ‘Maro brings with it a new, lightened architecture, cutting about 200 pounds over the outgoing Camaro, while under the hood is a selection of new engine options, including a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a 3.6-liter V-6, and a 6.2-liter V-8. The V-8 makes a stout 455 horsepower, but if that’s not enough for ya, then Chevy has a solution. It’s called the ZL1, and it comes equipped with a supercharged powerplant plucked from the Corvette Z06.
But this Camaro isn’t just some straight-line drag racer – this thing is actually closer to a modern sports car, with real downforce provided by wind tunnel-tested aerodynamics, lots of stop from oversized Brembo brakes, and road course-friendly handling from Magnetic Ride suspension components. Looks like lap times are about to get a bruising.
Read the full review here.
Honorable Mention – Mercedes-AMG E63
If you prefer to get your speed fix with a healthy dose of glitz, gloss, and luxury spread on top, then the last entry here should fit the bill quite nicely. Merc’s executive-class velocity sled is definitely the most refined entry on this list, bearing head-turning styling thanks to oversized wheels, shapely body panels, and sparkly chrome trim. Inside is lots of the same good stuff you get on the luxury liner S63, plus bolstered sport seats, Nappa leather upholstery, and even an app that’ll post your track shenanigans to social media. Speaking of the track, out ahead of the cockpit you’ll find a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 powerplant, which is available in two states of tune – either 563 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque for the entry-level model, or 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque for the top-shelf E63 S. AMG’s 4Matic AWD system makes the grip. Properly motivated, the E63 can hit 60 mph in the low three-second range.
Read the full review here.