Jeremy Clarkson Names 2009 Corvette ZR1 Best Car Of 2008

Cranky Brit auto-journalist extraordinaire Jeremy Clarkson has, shockingly, named the 2009 Corvette ZR1 the best car of this past year. Of course, he also selected an American car as one of the worst.

When Jeremy Clarkson first reviewed the ZR1 he claimed love for the American-made supercar despite the propensity for it to disintegrate. In his year-end retrospective for the Sunday Times he essentially repeats this claim but says, despite this, it was the best car of the year.

And then out of nowhere came the ZR1, which has a supercharged V8 that manages to be both docile and extraordinarily savage all at the same time. I’ve been trying to think of a dog that pulls off a similar trick, but there isn’t one. And anyway, this car is not a dog.

Oh, it’s not built very well. After just three days in my care, the boot lock disintegrated and the keyless go system refused to acknowledge the keys were in the car, but I didn’t mind because there is simply no other car that looks this good, goes this fast – in a straight line and around corners – and that most of the time bumbles about like a forgetful uncle. And when you throw in the price tag of just £106,690 – lots for a Corvette but modest next to a similarly powerful Ferrari – the case for the defence can sit down and put up its feet knowing that the prosecutor simply has nowhere to go.

It is an epic car and I’m only sad that unless the healthcare and pensions company that makes it can be turned around, it will be the last of the breed.

By selecting the new Corvette ZR1 as the best car of this past year Clarkson is agreeing with our ZR1 review, in which we stated it was "the best car ever made" and had an Amerigasm so massive the earth shook. He also seconds our fear of the Carpocalypse halting the return of the great American car.

Of course, he has some bad things to say about the Chrysler Sebring but, c'mon, who doesn't hate the Sebring?

The Sebring is an extraordinary car. Ugly to behold and hateful to drive, it is not cheap, elegant, comfortable, practical, prestigious, clever, economical, luxurious, well designed, well thought out or, if the rental car I drove in America this year is anything to go by, especially well made either.

As always, it's an entertaining read. Hat tip to Manic Synic.

[Times Online]

Photo Credit: TopGear.com]

Send an email to Matt Hardigree, the author of this post, at matt@jalopnik.com.

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