2011 - My Highlights

SO, WITH 2012 nearly upon us it's time to wrap up 2011 and explore the years finest automotive moments.

This is, by the way, my own personal highlights and I've limited myself to two per category otherwise I could carry on forever, so no grumbles if your favourite thing hasn't made it.


Motorsport

Audi wins Le Mans

The Audi team went through unbelievable lows during the race. Firstly, not long into the 24-hour race, when Alan McNish's No.3 car collided with a Ferrari 458 backmarker in the high-speed Esses after the Dunlop bridge and barrel-rolled through the gravel trap and into the tyre barrier. I, along with everybody else watching both at the track and on their TV's at home sat there, wide-eyed and open-mouthed fearing the worst. Fortunately, and miraculously, McNish was basically unharmed. A bit shocked and winded but basically OK.
The team were mightily releaved but they would have to go through the same emotions again later during the night when Mike Rockenfeller's car also struck a Ferrari 458, this time at the fastest part of the circuit, causing him to spear left into the barrier. We watched the helicopter pictures of the wreckage for minutes as the commentators speculated as to the condition of the driver. It later transpired that he had been able to get himself out of the car and was OK. A fact that seemed more incredible when pictures came out later of what was left of the car. So, with just one car left in the race being driven by what was effectively their 'youth team' they struggled on, driving flat out to stay ahead of the three Peugeot's and despite some dirty tactics from the French manufacturer (which, with a French race organiser, were always going to go unpunished) and against all the odds, Audi won a heroic Le Mans 24 by just 13.8 seconds, the fourth smallest winning margin in the races history.

Button wins Canadian Grand Prix
It had been a pretty average F1 season so far with Sebastian 'The Finger' Vettel dominating so Canada 2011 came as a bit of a shock. With rain falling expectations for Jenson were high as he typically exceeds in these conditions. However, on lap seven he crashed into his team mate Lewis Hamilton, putting Hamilton out of the race and causing the first of the afternoon's safety cars. Button was then slapped with a drive-through penalty for speeding behind said safety car, he re-joined the race in 18th. On lap 25 the race was red-flagged for over two-hours because of heavy rain. After the re-start Button continued to climb back through the field but a collision with Fernando Alonso sent him back to the pits with a puncture, put Alonso out of the race and caused another safety car. We would see several more safety cars before the end and a farcical display of slapstick marshalling. Having been stone dead last at one stage Button was now up to second place and closing fast on Vettel. Half-way round the very last lap Vettel slipped and Button was through. Did he lose concentration? Did he crack under the pressure from Button? Who knows, but it was an incredible Grand Prix.

New Cars

BMW M5

I'm a big fan of super-saloons and the M5 has always been the best of the bunch so a new one is always goung to be big news. Being the first M5 to feature a turbocharged engine there was some controversy surrounding it's launch, particularly amongst BMW M division die-hards, but the new car turned out to be an absolute cracker. Although, we really shouldn't be surprised about that now should we?


Renaultsport Megane 265 Trophy

Renault has been king of the hot-hatch for a long time now and this latest addition to the family continues that lineage in excellent fashion. Not only is it the fastest front-wheel-drive car ever to lap the fearsome Nurburgring Nordschliefe (beating it's hardcore R26.R predecessor) but it's also great to drive and it looks fantastic. Do affordable drivers cars come much better than this? Not really, no.



Concept Cars

Jaguar C-X16

This concept follows on from its bigger C-X75 sibling, the turbine-powered supercar, and uses many of its styling queues. It's a brilliant looking sports car, partly thanks to its proportions being just-so. If Jaguar have any sense they'll put this concept into production and soon. With any luck it'll handle pretty tidily too, although when it looks as good as this, it really doesn't matter how it drives!


Alfa Romeo 4C

Its bigger brother, the 8C, is one of the best looking cars of recent years and Alfa Romeo have proved that it was no fluke by producing this concept for the 4C. It should prove a better car to drive though with a mid-engined layout and a kerb-weight of less than a tonne. You can expect to see it on the streets soon(ish) and when you do it will certainly stop you in your tracks. Even without the girls.




Other Stuff

Gymkhana 4

Rally star Ken Block's Gymkhana series has stormed the internet since it began. With this fourth installation Ken went Hollywood as he introduced us to his new multipurpose Ford Fiesta Gymkhana car. Featuring new stunts, a bigger 'set', some innovative new camera positions and a guest apperance from Epic Meal Time and a whole load of dancers, Gymkhana 4 made for spectacular viewing and to date has had 13.3 million views and has earned the American countless fans across the world.


Goodwood Festival of Speed

Every year the Festival of Speed grows in every conceivable way; more spectators, more cars and more drivers. With everything from the latest supercars and concepts to F1 cars and their drivers with historic Grand Prix, Le Mans and WRC winning cars in between making appearances on the hillclimb course. There were donuts and burnouts aplenty in front of Goodwood house, not to mention the action on the dedicated rally course at the top and an apperance from the Red Arrows in the sky above. It's a must attend event for any petrolhead and if you've never been I suggest you do so soon.


Honourable Mention

Gran Turismo 5 Spec 2.0
Kazunori Yamauchi and his team at Polyphony Digital served up a whole host of improvements to their hugely popular game towards the end of this year. They also introduced some new cars and a couple of new tracks including the legendary Spa Francorchamps in Belgium. Cheers Kaz! 


228mph Skoda at Bonneville
It's not because I am now a Skoda vRS owner, but I was pleased when Skoda celebrated 10 years of their vRS performance brand by breaking the forced induction 2.0-litre production class speed record on the Bonneville salt flats when their modified Octavia, driven by journalist Richard 'Dickie' Meaden, hit a top speed of 228mph.

Here's to a great 2012.