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EVO "2012 Car of the Year: The Track Battles" is a sports car salmagundi

EVO has come out with another gotta-watch-it video, throwing its 2012 Car of the Year contestants around the UK's 1.5-mile Blyton Park track. It's actually a 15-minute teaser for the full-length DVD detailing the magazine's Car of the Year selection, but the tease is worth every penny free second.
Tiff Needell and sports car racer Richard Meaden handle the wheel duties, the two driving five pairs of sports cars: Lotus Exige S vs. Porsche Boxster S, Morgan Three-Wheeler vs. Toyota GT86, BMW M135i vs. Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series vs. Alpina B3 GT3, the marquee event pits the McLaren MP4-12C vs. the Pagani Huayra. After a head-to-head lap with commentary during drifts, Meaden takes each car out to set a representative lap time.
You'll find the verdicts, lots of tire smoke, and lines like "Anything you can do sideways I can do sideways" in the video below.

Chris Harris gets filthy in a WRC-ready Porsche 911 RGT

Last time we rode with Chris Harris we were shotgun in the tan leather seat of his used-yet-immaculate Ferrari FF. This time we're strapped into a black racing bucket of a filthy Porsche 911 rally car, one that led Harris to effuse, "I don't think I've driven a more exciting car this year, hypercars included." The thrills come courtesy of a 997-series Cup Car that's been reworked by Tuthill Porsche to run in the RGT-class rally series that will piggyback on five World Rally Championship and European Rally Championship races this year. It's not quite the Rothmans Dakar monster, but the RGT series gives privateers an affordable way into rallying with cars that look different and are different from one another. This one kept its 3.8-liter, 444-horsepower 997 Cup engine, but the 39-milllimeter restrictor drops that to about 350 hp. Beyond that are a new rollcage, gear ratios, suspension, fuel tank, underfloor protection and just about everything else. Said the man who built it, it cost "a lot, and it's still costing." But Harris says even though you "have to have your wits about you," it's a hoot to drive. And this is one of the few times you'll hear the phrase "What a tool!" used as a compliment. Check it out in the video above. News Source: Chris Harris on Cars via YouTube Motorsports Porsche Coupe Off-Road Vehicles Racing Vehicles Performance Videos fia rally WRC chris harris porsche 997

These are the cars with the best and worst depreciation after 5 years

The average new vehicle sold in America loses nearly half of its initial value after five years of ownership. No surprise there; we all expect that shiny new car to start depreciating as soon as we drive it off the lot. But some vehicles lose value a lot faster than others. According to data provided by iSeeCars.com, trucks and truck-based sport utility vehicles generally hold their value better than other vehicle types, with the Jeep Wrangler — in both four-door Unlimited and standard two-door styles — and Toyota Tacoma sitting at the head of the pack. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited's average five-year depreciation of 30.9% equals a loss in value of $12,168. That makes Jeep's four-door off-roader the best overall pick for buyers looking to minimize depreciation. The Toyota Tacoma's 32.4% loss in initial value means it loses just $10,496. The smaller dollar amount — the least amount of money lost after five years — indicates that Tacoma buyers pay less than Wrangler Unlimited buyers, on average, when they initially buy the vehicle. The standard two-door Jeep Wrangler is third on the list, depreciating 32.8% after five years and losing $10,824. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the least depreciation over five years. On the other side of the depreciation coin, luxury sedans tend to plummet in value at a much faster rate than other vehicle types. The BMW 7 Series leads the losers with a 72.6% drop in value after five years, which equals an alarming $73,686. BMW's slightly smaller 5 Series is next, depreciating 70.1%, or $47,038, over the same period. Number three on the biggest losers list is the Nissan Leaf, the only electric vehicle to appear in the bottom 10. The electric hatchback matches the 5 Series with a 70.1% drop in value, but since it's a much cheaper vehicle, that percentage equals a much smaller $23,470 loss. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the most depreciation over five years.