TouringCarTimes’ top ten touring cars of 2016

Here is the TouringCarTimes top ten touring cars of 2016 where we have pitted the cars from the BTCC, DTM, STCC, TCR, V8 Supercars and the WTCC.

The top 30 touring car drivers of 2016 can be found here.

10 – Honda Civic WTCC 

The Honda Civic WTCC made a giant leap forward in 2016 in terms of performance, with the Japanese marque actually leading the championship at the start of the year. A controversial incident with the flat floor was a blight on their season, though it was soon apparent the car’s performance wasn’t disadvantaged, as the car continued to rack up victories throughout the season.

09 – SEAT León TCR 2016

The SEAT León TCR is the most sold car in the TCR series to-date and a strong performer, just missing out on defending its 2015 International Series title to its sister the Golf GTI TCR this year. Strength in numbers is part of this car’s appeal, and it still has the looks, and clearly the aerodynamic advantage, over its sibling, but for that it pays a penalty which it struggles to overcome.

08 – Audi RS 5 DTM

The Audi RS 5 was the most consistent of the DTM performers in 2016, racking up points and almost took Edoardo Mortara to the drivers’ title. The Mercedes was quite often hot on the Audis’ heels in terms of performance and the BMW ultimately claimed the title in the hands of Marco Wittmann, but there was always a little something extra the drivers could find in the RS 5 later in the season.

07 – Subaru Levorg GT – BTCC

Team BMR shocked the BTCC by bringing Subaru into the championship with its controversial boxer-engined Levorg estate. Bringing four cars out for the Brands Hatch opener was an achievement in itself, but the car struggled and then withdrew from Thruxton, but when it came back, it was the class of the field, but couldn’t quite catch the always-quick Honda before the season’s end.

06 – Honda Civic TCR 

The JAS Motorsport prepared Honda Civic TCR was the principal privateer challenger to the might of the Volkswagen Audi Group cars in TCR in 2016, and although they endured a tough season on the international stage, the car was far more successful in the national championships, wrapping up the TCR Germany, Italy, Benelux, ETCC and Guia Race of Macau titles.

05 – Honda Civic BTCC

The Team Dynamics have run “NGTC” specification Civics since 2012, always varying the model from year-to-year, running the famous tourer model in 2014, before switching back to the conventional hatchback in 2015. This year, they also introduced a new engine, based on that from the Type R, and took Gordon Shedden to a second straight title, his third with a Team Dynamics’ prepared Civic.

04 – BMW 125i M Sport – BTCC

West Surrey Racing has steadily improved the BMW 125 since its debut in 2013, with 2016 arguably its strongest showing yet, especially in the hands of Sam Tordoff who came just two points away from claiming the British Touring Car Championship title. WSR’s rival teams still rate their BMW as the best car on the grid, and the one they aspire to beat.

03 – Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR 

The Volkswagen Golf ran for its first full season this season and claimed the TCR International Series title with Leopard Racing and Stefano Comini, as well as the Asia Series title with Engstler Motorsport and Andy Yan. While closely related to the SEAT León TCR, the engineers of Volkswagen Motorsport made a thorough job with the Golf, a customer favourite in the Benelux and Germany series as well, earning its spot on the top three of our list.

02 – Holden Commodore VF – V8 Supercars

The Holden Commodore has dominated the V8 Supercars for a long while. Last year however saw Ford have the edge, but the GM brand was back on top this season, especially the models prepared by Triple Eight Race Engineering. The Commodore model will soon be out of production and out from V8 Supercars and will no doubt be remembered as one of the, if not the, best cars ever in the championship.

01 – Citroën C-Elysée WTCC

While not having the strongest of opposition in the 2016 WTCC, there is no doubt on the outright performance of the Citroën C-Elysée that has dominated the World Touring Car Championship since its debut in 2014. It is quick on all circuits and on all areas, especially in the hands of newly crowned champion José María López, but also with privateer drivers such as Mehdi Bennani, who took two victories this year. Citroën will be gone as an official manufacturer in the WTCC next season, but the C-Elysée will doubtlessly continue to fight for victories.