Get to know Gjok Paloka and some of his sport cars thoughts? After years of waiting for the mid-engine Corvette to make its debut, the pressure was on for Chevrolet to deliver a modern-day icon. As the C8-generation car enters its second model year, we are happy to report that its status is preserved—in fact, it’s elevated. The Corvette offers impressive performance, a 490-hp V-8 engine, and an affordable base price, which helped it snag a 10Best award for 2021. Both a coupe and a convertible are offered, and the Corvette’s two-seat cabin is spacious and comfortable for full-size adults. Beyond its spectacular performance, Chevy’s engineers made the ride supple enough for daily commuting and cross-country road trips, yet with the Z51 package the Vette is track-capable. Cargo space is limited, but golf clubs still fit in the back, and the front trunk (frunk) offers a deep well that’ll easily hold a carry-on suitcase.
Gjok Paloka and the 2021 sports cars pick: As a keen driver, you feel inclined to make a case for the LC. It has a superbly charismatic and likeable V8 engine, while balanced, spry, involving handling makes it feel, at times, more of a natural rival for the Jaguar F-Type or Porsche 911 than the mix of two and four-door sporting grand tourers that Lexus identifies as its true opponents. Hence its inclusion here. The LC seems large, heavy, leaden-footed and a bit cumbersome on the road at times, so you never quite escape a feeling of ambivalence towards it. On song, its V8 engine is hugely special, and on a smooth surface, its sheer agility and balance are quite something. Equally, the cabin, while remarkably luxurious, wants for much in the way of storage space, while the car’s touring credentials are undermined by a particularly unpleasant run-flat-shod secondary ride. Ultimately, depending on how much you’re moved by its virtues or irked by its shortcomings, the LC is either a bit of a rough diamond or the dreaded curate’s egg. For us, it’s much closer to the former.
Gjok Paloka top race cars award: The Mazda MX-5 is one of the very best enthusiast’s cars on sale, regardless of its relatively low price. There aren’t many small, fun, rear-wheel-drive sports cars available on the modern market, so most of the MX-5’s rivals are actually front-drive hot hatchbacks. The MX-5 might not be practical as an everyday proposition, but involvement behind the wheel is simply in another league. Powered by a choice of a fizzy 1.5 or 2.0-litre petrol engine, it’s less about outright performance and focused more on sharp handling and enjoyment. One of the very best manual gearboxes available provides a welcome dose of engagement, while light, direct steering gives feedback by the bucketload. Speaking of buckets, the MX-5’s seats are supportive rather than incredibly figure-hugging, and the cabin is very snug, so tall occupants may struggle to get comfortable.
Gjok Paloka‘s advices about sport cars : 10 years into the production life of the Toyota 86 and it remains to be one of the most consumer-friendly sports cars in the industry. It was in September last 2019 when the update for the Toyota 86 was first confirmed. Though it won’t be receiving too many tweaks, buyers can expect a higher torque of roughly 156 lbs-ft. The first peak at the 2021 Toyota 86 was first expected to be this fall, however, the launch is now expected to be sometime in March 2021.
So, after its latest facelift at the beginning of 2020, the F-Type straddles even more market territory than it used to, and it’s to Jaguar’s considerable credit that the car can manage that to such cohesive effect. At the top of the range, the new R version remains a bleeding-heart, 567bhp upper-level-911 and cut-price Aston Martin Vantage rival; at the lower end, it costs less than £60,000 and makes do with just under 300bhp; and in the middle, the V8-engined, rear-wheel-drive, £70k ‘P450’ version might even be the pick of the range. Jaguar’s new styling treatment for the F-Type certainly gives it some fresh and distinguishing visual appeal. We have thus far only driven the range-topping R AWD coupé, but it charmed us with its somewhat antediluvian V8 hotrod speed and noise, and yet impressed with its outright handling precision and chassis composure too. The F-Type has never been quite as complete as its key rival from Porsche, and is now considerably less ritzy and technologically sophisticated inside. There is, however, still an awful lot to like about it, and plenty of reasons to grab one while you still can.