Cars of the Year 2009

OUR TEAM OF DEDICATED GEARHEADS SPENT THE

PAST 12 MONTHS DRIVING EVERYTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN ON ROADS AND RACETRACKS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE. THE MOST PROGRES­SIVE GREEN TECHNOLOGY. THE FASTEST SPORTS CARS. LOAD-HAULING PICKUPS AND STEALTH SPEEDSTERS-IF IT'S OUT THERE. WE HAMMERED ITS THROTTLE. HERE'S THE BEST OF THE BEST.

and the editors

Of PLAYBOY

LEST YOU forget, the Mini was launched in 1959 by the British Motor Corporation and became a 1960s icon. Under the stewardship of BMW the maroup wa<;

reiauncnea in <^uu I. loday it endures as the little car

that does it all. The new and very affordable S Clubman—really an extended hatchback with a neat third door on the passenger side—adds space and rear legroom to the standard Mini. There's plenty of room for a couple of surfboards, yet the S Clubman doesn't lose any agility, go-kart adroitness or efficiency, combining the footprint of an econobox with the athletic ability of a sports machine. We took one to our favorite West Virginia back roads, where deserted byways whisper, "Get on it!" With plenty of engine, backed by a crisp six-speed manual, this automobile has more than enough to raise your blood pressure. For just under 25 grand you get 177 foot-pounds of torque and a top speed of 139 mph. The standard suspension rides a tad rough, but if you're into this car's mystique, all seems as it should. Mini claims it has around 150 trillion combinations of options, accessories and performance upgrades to personalize your model. Buy one and you're driving an icon that just gets better with age.

THE AMERICAN auto industry is in free fall. We don't even know if General Motors will be in bankruptcy by the time you read this. What a bizarre moment for the com­pany to unveil the new ZR1—the meanest, most powerful Corvette ever. Zero to 60 faster than any current production Ferrari. More horsepower than any Lamborghini you can buy in America. A top speed of 205 mph. And the $104,820 tag is half what, say, a Ferrari California will run you. This torrid beauty is the answer to every Vette owner's prayers, as well as a reason to wave the American flag. The second you step into the spare but cool cockpit, you know you're in for an experience. With superb carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes, fat and sticky Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 rubber, a competition-style dual-plate clutch and a close-ratio six-speed manual, the ZR1 loafs at legal speeds and still delivers 20 EPA highway mpg. The magnetic road-sensitive suspension compensates for surface changes. On the track, the ZR1 squats, accelerates without fishtailing and absolutely streaks. Altogether you get race-car performance and a surprisingly compliant commute. If you can get your hands on a ZR1—Chevy is building fewer than 2,000—it will hold its value for a long time.

ALFA ROMEO is a magi­cal Italian name—a main­stay on European roads and once the most domi-

nant marque in international racing. But Alfa has been gone from these shores for years. Now the swoopy 8C Berlinetta—launched as a 2009 model—has arrived in the States. Bolstered by the mighty Fiat organization, its soul a 450 bhp twin cam front mid-mounted V8 (similar to the Maserati GranTurismo's). the Alfa is poised to make history. It's packed with exotic features like carbon-fiber seats: drilled, vented and floating front disc brakes with six-piston calipers; and an electrohydraulic transaxle with normal, manual and sport modes. But the 8C's styling is what grabs us: It's quintessentially Italian yet unlike anything we've ever seen. Can Alfa Romeo make it in the States again? The 8C proves the company is willing to give it a hell of a go.

WE ADMIT, the timing for a 1970s-style muscle-car revival is horrendous. Yet Dodge's Hemi Challenger SRT8 is a blast to drive. We hustled one around

s vvmow bprmgs raceway ana couicin t Delieve its agility and poise. I he steering is spot-on, and the brakes seem fade-proof. The lusty V8 blows an exhaust rap through its oversize tailpipes that sends chills up your spine. Cutting the Chal­lenger down to merely oversize, the Dodge boys clipped a Charger sedan platform by four inches, kept the fully independent suspension all around and fitted huge Brembo disc brakes. ABS. ESP and a lateral g-force sensor that knows when you're ripping into a hot corner and primes the brakes for you. Stylists kept an original 1970 Challenger in the studio for reference, thus the born-again beauty's muscular hips and outside filler cap. Purists will want the six-speed manual with an old-style "pistol grip" shifter. To complete the effect, go for the black-on-black leather, aluminum-accented interior and four-bomb analog gauge panel. The sound system mates 13 speakers with a 322-watt amp and a booming 200-watt subwoofer. Don't try to challenge this tough coupe on any score except fuel economy. You'll lose.

THE REVISED Honda Civic Hybrid is a little late to the party that Toyota's Prius started, but it was worth the wait. For just $24,220 you get a roomy compact four-door with a 1.3-liter SOHC 14 engine and an electric motor, plus a continuously

variable automatic transmission. Feather foots claim up to 45 mpg highway (though your mileage will vary). Compared with the Prius. the Honda's price tag and mileage are roughly equal, though we prefer its plain body to the Toyota's wonkish styling. The ride is surprisingly comfortable, and the roomy trunk is a plus. No plugging in is necessary; the battery recharges automatically during braking. To keep the sticker low. Honda engineers replaced the rear discs with drum brakes and ditched the folding rear seats and sunroof. But stability control is now standard. You can jazz up your fuel sipper with a leather interior. ABS and traction control, but if you buy this greenie as a daily commuter, our advice is to keep the extras down and take your savings straight to T-bills.

The 2009 SL63 AMC traces its ancestry to the still coveted 1956 300SL (the open version of the classic gull-wing coupe) and is hands down the best-handling SL ever. MB engineers married a huge AMC engine (AMC being the exclusive perfor­mance arm of Mercedes) to a seven-speed multiclutch gearbox and tossed it all into an incredibly stylish convertible body with tots of added electronic perfor­mance voodoo. Bonus feature: Race Start, an Fi-inspired launch-control option that hammers you from zero to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds.

Dodge's redesigned Ram and Ford's new F-150 are both outstanding. It was close, but we went with the Ford (though the Platinum is pictured, we tested the Lariat 4x4 SuperCrew with a 5.4-liter V8). The F-150 will haul a 3,030-pound payload and tow a whopping 11,300 pounds. FoMoCo's biggest V8 has 390 foot-pounds of torque and runs on gas and E85. The precise steering and rigid chassis make twisty roads a treat. Ford offers 35 variations in three cab styles with four box options.

Think of the new BMW X6 crossover as a classy four-door coupe on stilts, with all-wheel drive and loads of electronic drive technology. Opt for the Sport pack­age, with 20-inch wheels and Electronic Damping Control, as well as the engine upgrade (a 400 hp V8). On the corkscrew-like Angeles Crest Highway in Califor­nia, this car dazzled sport bikers with its quickness, agility and bizarre styling. It's the best all-around BMW people package, and it hauls.

Mazda's gone edgy with the new Mazda6, a stylish, perfectly balanced six-speed sport sedan built especially for the North American market. We blazed a Mazda6 on L.A.'s challenging Mulholland Drive, with its off-camber tums and steep cliff drops. Cornering with confidence, diving into blind corners and stopping on a dime, the rock-steady Mazda6 proved it's the closest thing Japan has to a BMW 3 Series. This is a lot of car for very little money.