Rather than focus on mere page views, we thought we’d pick our personal favorite shots from those that either we took, or were taken for us, presenting them in reverse chronological order. Better than the Ten Most Popular Stories of 2008 or the Ten Most View Photo Galleries of 2008, we think this gallery sums up our 2008.

This week we've run lists of the biggest, the most popular stories, most discussed posts of 2008, as well as the best top ten lists. Now we get to move on to another favorite "year in review" list — the most-viewed galleries of 2008.

10.) Tata Nano Debut
The Story: The $2500 Tata Nano, Unveiled In India
Date: January 10th
How Many People Saw This Gallery: 453,381

9.) 2009 Corvette ZR1
The Story: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Revealed Officially
Date: December 20th, 2007 (still popular this year!)
How Many People Saw This Gallery: 557,403

8.) Lost Supercars
The Story: Land Of The Lost Supercars
Date: October 27th
How Many People Saw This Gallery: 580,073

7.) Matchstick F1 Car
The Story: Man Builds Full-Scale Mercedes F1 From 956,000 Matchsticks
Date: February 13th
How Many People Saw This Gallery: 641,290

6.) The Legend Of SLR Guy
The Story: The Legend Of SLR Guy Continues
Date: June 16th
How Many People Saw This Gallery: 678,672

5.) KITT Is (Was) A Mustang
The Story: Exclusive First Pictures Of KITT From The New Knight Rider TV Series: Yes, It's A Shelby GT500KR
Date:
How Many People Saw This Gallery: 706,404

4.) 2008 SEMA Booth Babes
The Story: The Booth Professionals Of The 2008 SEMA Show
Date: November 9th
How Many People Saw This Gallery: 910,988

3.) Basement Lamborghini
The Story: Hand-Made Lamborghini Built In Basement Finally Sees Light Of Day
Date: October 20th
How Many People Saw This Gallery: 1,514,960

2.) Fail Cars
The Story: Twenty-Nine Automotive Fails
Date: November 17th
How Many People Saw This Gallery: 1,626,365

1.) You're Doing It Wrong
The Story: Thirty Vehicular "You're Doing It Wrong" Moments
Date: December 1st
How Many People Saw This Gallery: 1,888,652

This week we've run lists of the biggest automotive stories, the most popular Jalopnik stories and the most discussed Jalopnik stories of 2008. Now we get to move on to another favorite "2008 year in review" list — top tens — and we've cranked it up to 11. Here are the 11 highest trafficked Jalopnik top ten lists of 2008.

11.) The Ten Most Outrageous Car MSRPs

The List: With your help we were able to run up the MSRPs on a variety of luxury and non-luxury cars using the "build your own" feature and outrageously priced options. Can you say $163,573 for a non-turbo Cayenne?
Date: February 11th
How Many People Read This List: 80,177

10.) Ten Cars You Can Live In After Your Home Is Repossessed

The List: Back when we thought the Financiapocalypse was the be-all, end-all of financial pain we started looking for cars we could all live in. Thanks to Meg at Consumerist for the idea.
Date: October 20th
How Many People Read This List: 88,360

9.) The Ten Fiercest Russian Military Vehicles Of All Time

The List: Remember the Georgian conflict? Lacking in an appreciation for Georgian autos we turned to listing off the craziest, 24-wheeled vehicles in the Russian arsenal. We may have all been Georgians, but we all still appreciated crazy Russian vehicles.
Date: August 11th
How Many People Read This List: 89,751

8.) The Ten Most Outrageous Car Body Kits

The List: It's quite possible the Pontiac Fiero and Volkswagen Bug were created merely to be the canvas on which outrageous (and often hideous) custom fiberglass bodies are attached. We highlighted the ten most outstanding and strange customs.
Date: August 4th
How Many People Read This List: 98,902

7.) Ten Most Beautiful Cars Currently For Sale

The List:A list of the ten most beautiful cars for sale was sure to create a lot of conversation and our choices, though generally agreeable, were gleefully added to by the Jalopnik commenters.
Date: August 20th
How Many People Read This List: 101,861

6.) Ten Ways To Get Out Of A Speeding Ticket

The List: Building on the experience of our readers we assembled ten strategies for getting out of a speeding ticket. We're still trying to get "The Jedi Approach" to work.
Date: September 24th
How Many People Read This List: 102,022

5.) The Ten Best Post-Apocalpytic Survival Vehicles

The List: When society unravels and everyone is looking for food or guns we know the Jalops out there will be looking for a Sisu XA-185.
Date: February 25th
How Many People Read This List: 144,285

4.) Ten Best Tailgating Vehicles

The List: With college and professional football in full swing we looked to the pigskin fans to find the ten best grilles with a grill. Can you say decommissioned ambulance?
Date: September 26th
How Many People Read This List: 219,494

3.) The Ten Ugliest Cars Currently Sold In The United States

The List: U-G-L-Y these cars have no alibi, they're ugly. Yeah, yeah they're ugly.
Date: July 23rd
How Many People Read This List: 246,876

2.) America's 10 Most Confusing Traffic Signs

The List: We've rarely had as much fun as we did assembling this list of confusing traffic signs. Don't forget to yield to bikes don't wheelies backwards into the intersection.
Date: September 3rd
How Many People Read This List: 364,098

1.) The Ten Scariest-Looking Cars Of All Time

The List: With more than half-a-million views, this Halloween-themed list of scariest-looking cars was a hit. Who knew an Avanti could be so scary?
Date: October 30th
How Many People Read This List: 507,889

Yesterday we ran our list of the top automotive stories of 2008 and earlier we ran the most popular stories list. Now we get to move on to another favorite "year in review" list — the ten most discussed posts of 2008. These are the stories you, our readers, found so fascinating or controversial you couldn't stop talking about them. Are the stories you couldn't surf away from on this list? Let's hear what you have to say in the comments below. Additionally, as we tried to do with the earlier list, we've tried to divine what these stories say about the average Jalopnik reader at the bottom of the list.

10.) I Am The Guy With A Lamborghini In The Basement

Story: The idea of a man bringing to life his dream car, the Lamborghini Countach, is discussion-worthy in and of itself. But doing so in a sealed basement over the course of a decade and digging a hole to unearth the Lambo is something else all together.
Date: October 28th
How Many People Read This Story: 155,317
How Many Comments On This Story: 263
How It Ranks Among Jalopnik Most Popular Stories: 3rd

9.) Who Can Do Better Than A 38K Honda Accord?

The Story: For this Question Of The Day we wanted to know if our readers could drive the MSRP up on an optioned car higher than our $38,000 Honda Accord. The best results were listed in The Ten Most Outrageous Car MSRPs. You can't imagine what they want for a non-turbo Cayenne.
Date: February 8th
How Many People Read This Story: 8,379
How Many Comments On This Story: 271
How It Ranks Among Jalopnik Most Popular Stories: Not Ranked

8.) 2010 Pontiac G8 Sport Truck: The El Camino Is Back

Story: The El Camino is back. What more can we say? We'll forget the program may actually be canceled because, at the time, few cars on the horizon seemed as exciting to us (or you, apparently) as the Pontiac G8 ST.
Date: March 15th
How Many People Read This Story: 219,763
How Many Comments On This Story: 280
How It Ranks Among Jalopnik Most Popular Stories: Not Ranked

7.) Danica Patrick First Woman To Win Indy Car Races, Proves She's Not Just A Pieces Of Meat

Story: Danica Patrick, America's racing sweetheart, shows all those who though she was merely the Anna Kournikova of racing (i.e. more show than go) by becoming the first woman to win an IndyCar race.
Date: April 20th
How Many People Read This Story: 68,704
How Many Comments On This Story: 292
How It Ranks Among Jalopnik Most Popular Stories: Not Ranked

6.) The Ten Ugliest Cars Currently Sold In The United States

The Story: There's ugly and there's U-G-L-Y. They say Helen launched a thousand ships. These cars are so ugly they launched more than 300 comments.
Date: July 23rd
How Many People Read This Story: 244,353
How Many Comments On This Story: 309
How It Ranks Among Jalopnik Most Popular Stories: 9th

5.) Six-Wheeled Covini C6W Heading To Production

Story: When you hear of a vehicle with six wheels you probably think of a dually pickup truck or maybe a dump truck. In Italy, the dream of a six-wheeled sports car is one of the few exotic car fantasies still unrealized.
Date: December 10th
How Many People Read This Story: 564,231
How Many Comments On This Story: 313
How It Ranks Among Jalopnik Most Popular Stories: 2nd

4.) What Is Your Region's DBag Ride Of Choice

Story: What do the douches in your area drive? Using the very scientific and representative "Jalopnik reader" meter we used this info to make the Official Jalopnik Map Of United States Vehicular Douchebaggery.
Date: August 27th
How Many People Read This Story: 7,886
How Many Comments On This Story: 318
How It Ranks Among Jalopnik Most Popular Stories: Not Ranked

3.) What's Your Fastest Autobahn Run?

Story: If you've ever been to a bar, posted on a forum or driven a car and then been in a room with other people you've probably gotten into the "how fast have you driven" discussion. People really like answering this question.
Date: September 11th
How Many People Read This Story: 6,080
How Many Comments On This Story: 345
How It Ranks Among Jalopnik Most Popular Stories: Not Ranked

2.) The Ten Scariest Looking Cars Of All Time

Story: Spooky, scary cars were the topic of the hour on Halloween Eve and, as evidenced by the high commenter traffic, everyone had an opinion about what Darth Vader would truly drive.
Date: October 30th
How Many People Read This Story: 505,874
How Many Comments On This Story: 349
How It Ranks Among Jalopnik Most Popular Stories: 4th

1.) How Jalopnik Is Your Car?

What happens when a few Jalopnik writers get together with a few beers? A complicated scoring system to help you determine the Jalopness of your ride. What's even crazier than the creation of the list itself is what followed: hundreds of responses. This was our most discussed item of the year by more than 150 comments.
Date: January 22nd
How Many People Read This Story: 11,984
How Many Comments On This Story: 506
How It Ranks Among Jalopnik Most Popular Stories: Not Ranked

If there's a common thread in the most popular comment threads it's automotive knowledge, followed closely by a strong desire to share hilarious and absurd stories. These posts feature our commenters sharing some piece of obscure automotive knowledge, like the existence of a rare and spooky looking Chrysler, or retelling a strange experience, like getting a diesel Peugeot up to 120 mph downhill with a tailwind in rural Kentucky. Most of the comment threads above read like a weird and wonderful oral history, an organic artifact of our shared car culture. They may not be the most popular stories, but they sure make things more fun 'round these parts.

Yesterday we ran our list of the top automotive stories of 2008, but here's the flip-side of the coin — and ultimately, more important of the two "year in review" lists we've run — the ten most popular posts of 2008. Where'd your favorite story rank? Did it rank? We want to hear what you have to say in the comments below. Additionally, we've tried to divine what these stories say about the average Jalopnik reader at the bottom of the list.

10.) The Horrifying Scott Kalitta Funny Car Crash Video As Shown By ESPN2

The Story: Drag racer Scott Kalitta is tragically killed doing what he loved: going really fast. Kalitta, age 46, had a long and successful career, including back-to-back championships in the NHRA POWERade Series Top Fuel series.
How It Ranks In The Overall Automotiverse: 6th
How Many People Read This Story: 225,289

9.) The Ten Ugliest Cars Currently Sold In The United States

The Story: We took a look at the ten cars conceived in some sort of parallel universe where a Chrysler Sebring Convertible is attractive and everyone loves body cladding.
How It Ranks In The Overall Automotiverse: Not Ranked
How Many People Read This Story: 244,209

8.) Giant Vulva Bicycle Taxi Is Freudian Wet Dream

The Story: We have Finnish artist Mimosa Pale for introducing us to a form of transportation uncomfortably disturbing and yet somehow familiar. The construction is first class but the photos are somewhat NSFW.
How It Ranks In The Overall Automotiverse: Not Ranked
How Many People Read This Story: 252,795

7.) The $2,500 Tata Nano Unveiled In India

The Story: Who knew one of the smallest cars would be one of the biggest stories for 2008? The Tata Nano will be the cheapest car in the world when, and if, it goes on sale.
How It Ranks In The Overall Automotiverse: 4th
How Many People Read This Story: 358,026

6.) America's 10 Most Confusing Traffic Signs

The Story: The variety of driving conditions and situations arising from unique traffic patterns requires some improvisation on the part of state and local governments in regards to sign-making. Here are the ten most confusing and perplexing attempts.
How It Ranks In The Overall Automotiverse: Not Ranked
How Many People Read This Story: 362,555

5.)Boyd Coddington, Hot Rod King, Dead At Age 62

The Story: Boyd Coddington represented not only a generation of tuners, he helped shape an aesthetic of car customization. His impact on car culture can easily be seen in the great reach the sad news of his passing, broken here on Jalopnik.
How It Ranks In The Overall Automotiverse: Not Ranked
How Many People Read This Story: 448,501

4.) The Ten Scariest-Looking Cars Of All Time

The Story: With halloween on our doorstep we delved into the archives to find the scariest, spookiest and creepy cars ever to be stamped in steel. Don't click on the image above if you have a heart condition.
How It Ranks In The Overall Automotiverse: Not Ranked
How Many People Read This Story: 505,546

3.) Hand-Made Lamborghini Built In Basement Finally Sees Light Of Day

The Story: Ken Imhoff inspires and shames a generation of car lovers by building a replica of a Lamborghini Countach in his garage over the course of 10 years. Just wait to see how he got it out.
How It Ranks In The Overall Automotiverse: Not Ranked
How Many People Read This Story: 527,794

2.) Six-Wheeled Covini C6W Heading To Production

The Story: The Covini six-wheel car took three times as long as the basement Lambo to come to reality, but the results are both stunning and perplexing. The story behind the engineering of the C6W is one for the ages.
How It Ranks In The Overall Automotiverse: Not Ranked
How Many People Read This Story: 563,274

1.) F1 Boss Max Mosley Caught With Five Hookers In Nazi Orgy Video Scandal

The Story: Max Mosley, head of the FIA, was caught in a basement having sex with five hookers dressed in a way to suggest a Nazi prison camp. Oh, and Mosley's dad was the most famous British Nazi of WWII. The biggest surprise of the whole story came, months later, when Mosley survived nasty infighting to keep his job. It just goes to show you can't keep a pervy British dude down and you can't stop people from wanting to watch the incriminating video. No, zank you Max Mosley!
How It Ranks In The Overall Automotiverse: 10th
How Many People Read This Story: 1,264,465 troubled individuals...

We guess it isn't a huge surprise the biggest automotive stories of the year were not also the most popular Jalopnik stories. Especially given the biggest automotive stories of the year were, often, kind of depressing. The stories which attracted the most attention, break down into three categories: features, breaking news, and offbeat news. The most popular stories combined at least two of these categories. The Max Mosley saga, the Tata Nano and the Covini are all some combination of breaking news and offbeat news. The "Basement Lamborghini" and the "Ten Scariest Cars" are both features we created (or did a lot of groundwork on) but were also offbeat news. OK, so basically, almost all the stories drawing the most attention happened to be the most offbeat. Makes sense to us. So what's that say about the average Jalopnik reader? You tell us.

We've no doubt 2008 will go down in the books (if they print books in the future) as one of the most important years in automobile history. When selecting the biggest stories of the year we had to ignore our bias towards the most popular and entertaining stories, of which there were many, and focus on what events had the biggest impact on the car industry and culture we cherish. Here they are, from least to most important stories of 2008.

10.) Max Mosley Scandal

Max Mosley had two almost insurmountably difficult challenges in his life — one chosen and one thrust upon him. No one can blame him for the unfortunate situation of his birth, with a pater familias best known for being Britain's leading Nazi. Embracing the world of racing and taking on the role as head of the FIA, arguably one of the hardest jobs in all of motorsports, was the trial he assumed. For a time the controversies of racing kept the controversies of his past at bay. That was until March 30, 2008.

When British tabloid News Of The World published a video alleging Mosley engaged in sex acts with five prostitutes which, at the very least, were sado-masichistic. At worst, there were suggestions the acts were inspired by a Nazi prison camp (allegations not helped by Mosley clearly speaking in a mock-German accent and the prison uniforms). There were immediately calls for his head, with most observers expecting him to step down or be fired.

It didn't happen. Mosley won a series of court cases against NOTW for defamation after it became clear he was setup, inasmuch as you can setup someone with five prostitutes. Most miraculously, he got to keep his job. Talk about a comeback.

9.) The Rise Of Grassroots Motorsports

Most of us can only dream of having the skills and training to make it in a professional racing series like Formula One, the funds to compete in a series like One Lap of America, or the ability to keep oneself from dying of boredom behind the wheel of an always-turning-left NASCAR race. Then hope came in the form of a type of racing for the rest of us born with little-to-average skill and only a few dollars in our pocket. Two racing series have emerged. With a $500 maximum cost there's nothing cheaper and more competitive than the 24 Hours Of Lemons, which rewards clever wrenching as much as good driving. For the more advanced, the National Auto Sport Association has proven a fun and cost-effective alternative to the SCCA. Participation, coverage and enjoyment has hit new levels of interest, especially as the rest of world's racing leagues succumb to investor and sponsorship dollars drying up due to the Carpocalypse.

8.) Andrea Pininfarina’s Death

Pininfarina is one of the oldest and most respected design and manufacturing firms in Italy, known for countless famous design partnerships. After years of dwindling profits and business, it was hoped founder Batista Pininfarina's grandson Andrea could help turn around the business as its new CEO. Tragically, Andrea Pininfarina died in a Vespa accident at the age of 51. Pininfarina's death was a dual loss to both his family and his family's business, putting in peril the company he was in the process of reorganizing.

There's still hope for the company. The Pininfarina B0 electric car was a big hit at the Geneva Auto Show and, unlike many of the company's concepts, the vehicle will be a mass-production electric car set to roll of the lines at the end of 2009. Fittingly, the car is dedicated to Andrea.

7.) Danica Patrick First Female To Win IndyCar Race

Danica Patrick wasn't the first woman to compete in open-wheel racing but, as the first woman to win an IndyCar race, she's the most famous. After finishing second at the Detroit Grand Prix, Patrick outmatched Helio Castroneves and picked up the first win by a female driver at the Indy Japan 300. She may not have silenced all her critics, but with the wave of the checkered flag Patrick has shattered one glass ceiling.

6.) Scott Kalitta’s Death

This year saw the deaths of Boyd Coddington, Paul Newman and Phil Hill, to name a few. Though we mourn each loss, the untimely death of NHRA racer Scott Kalitta had the most immediate impact on his sport. After the horrific crash, the NHRA shortened distances to 1,000 feet for Funny Car and Top Fuel classes in advance of more safety changes the racing organization hopes will prevent future tragedies.

5.) Lewis Hamilton: Racing’s Barack Obama

Lewis Hamilton gets a dual minority win — as he's not only the youngest Formula One Champion ever, but he's also black. Well, half black. Like Tiger Woods, Lewis Hamilton was practically raised into the sport, working and fighting his way to become the World Champion. Also like Tiger Woods, the reality of his talent quickly overwhelmed the reality of his birth. He may not be allowed to drive in France and he can't beat the Stig, but Hamilton is the man. Just don't drive with his dad.

4.) The Tata Nano

Not since the original VW Beetle has a small car captured the imagination of the world like the Tata Nano. The $2,500 car from Indian motor company Tata Motors may bring a small car revolution to the Indian Subcontinent much in the same way the Beetle and Model T expanded the world of car ownership... if they ever build it. Labor troubles and factory problems have slowed the production of the car. Although a recent spy photo of the Nano reignited rumors the car could see a production debut on December 28th, Ratan Tata's 71st birthday, we'll believe it when we see it.

3.) Green Is The New Black

The rise in fuel costs during the first half of the year (more on that later) corresponded with a rise in interest in alternatives to a mere internal combustion engine. Upcoming hybrid vehicles like the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, which goes to market next year, and the 2011 Chevy Volt have captured the imagination of the press and, hopefully, consumers.

Toyota may still be king of the green car ring with its offerings, but the return of the Honda Insight will challenge the 2010 Toyota Prius for the title. But don't look now, here come the Chinese.

We've been waiting for the Tesla all-electric Roadster almost as long as the people who plopped down thousands of dollars to own one. After bad transmissions, bad management, bad legal counsel and bad PR, the company has finally gotten cars into the hands of some customers.The car is moving forward — at least when it is moving.

Electric propulsion aside, automakers are still looking for ways to cut down on emissions and fuel usage. Volkswagen has won journalists' hearts and awards with the Jetta and Sportwagen TDI offerings. However, no one yet knows whether Americans will figure out driving oil-burners is actually green.

Ford is betting on EcoBoost, a.k.a. direct-injection and turbocharging, to bring the rest of its fleet up to the higher expectations the American public has for lower consumption. GM hopes to propel sales with the Chevy Cruze, their 45 MPG answer to the question of how to bring MPG to the masses.

We're still waiting to see which of these technologies will break out from the pack, but one thing's for certain, American's want it to be easy for them to buy green — and in the first half of the year at least, they were willing to pay a premium for it.

2.) Gas Prices

The rapid rise of gas prices at the beginning of the year were followed by a just-as-stunning drop during the second half. But let's focus on that first half jump. Gas prices pushed consumers to shun large trucks and SUVs in unprecedented numbers, accelerating the marketing of alternative propulsion methods and also the collapse of the companies hoping to bring these methods to us.

When gas prices hit $5.40 a gallon in April of 2008 on the California coast we were on the verge of tears. It was so troubling Chrysler tried to sell cars by offering three years of gas at $2.99 a gallon, which seemed like a good offer to some (not so much now). Rather than offering lower price gas we told you how to save gas or, failing that, steal gas.

The Ford F-150 saw its monthly reign as the nation's top seller end at the hands of the Toyota Camry, Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. People started trading sex for gas and the spike in gas prices and corresponding drop in SUV/Truck sales presaged bad things. It would take an economy-shattering event to reverse the runaway increases in gas prices.

1.) The Carpocalypse

That economy-shattering event was the subprime mortgage crisis — a crisis in confidence forcing hundreds of thousands of potential vehicle buyers into turtle mode, hiding themselves and their money under their shells. It showed us first-hand a truism we should have remembered from those post-9/11 months before the U.S. automakers stepped up with 0% financing to "help keep America rolling" — that is, when people are scared, they don't buy cars. We call it the Carpocalypse, and with ramifications beyond just Detroit and the not-so-Big Three, it could almost get its own top ten list. It was just that big of a story. Frankly, even post-bailout, it's still that big of a story. So what happened?

The problems have been around for a while. The domestic automakers were in the process of restructuring when the collapse of the housing market precipitated the partial collapse of the banking industry which caused the economy to accelerate into a recession at the worst possible time for the auto industry. People, worried about their jobs or their homes, stopped buying cars. This hit Ford, GM and Chrysler the hardest because they were already reeling from slumping truck and SUV sales following the increase in gas prices.

On September 30th we reported on how the stock market collapse took GM and Ford stock down to a price per share of $8.51 and $4.17, respectively. In the following months Ford dropped to a low of $1.26 and GM reached as low as $2.79 a share. Car sales, for all automakers, fell off a cliff in October. With it came gas prices, hitting levels we haven't seen in half a decade. All of a sudden a bankruptcy for GM seemed plausible. Then things went even more crazy when Chrysler and GM began merger talks.

Eventually, the not-so-Big Three took to begging Congress. Unfortunately, they raised more ill will than operating capital by taking private jets instead of flying commercial. In addition, because none of them have watched cable television in years, they didn't expect the three-ring circus of Congressland, and came bearing no real plan. They learned their lesson, created real plans and drove to the Capitol where they were greeted with a big "no" orchestrated by Senate Republicans.

Having been rebuffed by Congress, the automakers won their bridge loans from The White House, though it may not be enough. The toll of the Carpocalypse is far from certain, but we know it's spreading. Chrysler has ceased production and no one knows when or if they're coming back. Honda posted its first half-year operating loss in more than a decade and Toyota, for the first time since the 1930s, may have a one-year loss.

The Acura NSX is dead. The Chinese may buy Hummer. GM is selling other stuff, too. If you have a job producing cars in the US you better start praying. If you have a job with a manufacturer-sponsored racing team you ought to join them.

We know where this started but we're not sure we know where it'll end. The Carpocalypse is the biggest story of 2008. We'll be drinking on New Year's to the hope it won't be the biggest story of 2009 as well.