Porsche Cayman

Picking a winner in this category is a tough task – the best sporting car needs to offer driver involvement by the bucketload and bring a smile to your face every time you hit the road. Beautifully sorted handling and communicative controls are also a must. With contenders coming from a wide spread of hot hatches, coupés and super saloons, it’s a fiercely contested category.

Which makes it all the more impressive that despite a bevy of new contenders arriving over the past 12 months, last year’s winner retains its crown. With a classic mid-engined layout, sturdy mechanicals and silky handling, few cars are as involving as Porsche’s Cayman.

Beautifully accurate steering, wonderfully strong brakes and a truly supple, rewarding chassis mean that every journey comes alive when you’re behind the wheel. Whether in standard or S trim, the flat-six engine delivers a lovely soundtrack, and the blend of performance and handling is close to perfect for real-world driving. With a boot front and rear, plus a surprisingly accomplished ride, it’s comfortable and practical, too. So don’t think of the Cayman as the 911’s poorer relation. In this instance, the younger sibling is capable of teaching its bigger brother a few lessons.