Car lovers young and old: it's time to update your car posters.
Like those before them, a generation of young car enthusiasts is growing up with car posters on their walls (or screensavers on their iPads). These iconic images of the latest sheetmetal will shape their automotive tastes as they grow into adulthood.
As part of our 2019 Awards, we wanted to highlight models for our Poster Car of the Year that we could imagine kids wanting to own one day. In order for a car to be poster-worthy, it has to serve the role of an aspiration device that inspires people (both young and old) to become addicted to the car hobby for life.
Not all poster cars have to be insurmountably expensive. In fact, two of our three finalists (and our winner) cost less than $100,000. Some cars that just missed the cut include the Acura NSX, Aston Martin DB11, Dodge Challenger Hellcat, Lexus LC 500, and Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster. Any of these striking designs would look good on a bedroom wall, but the following three are a little bit more special. And one in particular.
What kid wouldn't want a poster of an orange supercar on their wall? We tested just such a car this year, the 2019 McLaren 720S Spider. Powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 710 horsepower, the 720S takes just 2.8 seconds to hit 60 mph on its way to a 212 mph top speed. McLaren designed the 720S to be as fast as possible while also making it drop-dead gorgeous. Plus, the doors open upward, adding to the visual drama.
The 720S Spider starts at $306,000, making it by far the most aspirational vehicle on this list. Kids will hang the McLaren up on their wall, dreaming of the day they can afford to own one.
Not all poster cars have to be outrageously expensive, which is why the 2020 Toyota GR Supra makes our top three. The first time we saw the new Supra out on the road, we knew the shape would be instantly recognizable in traffic. Many people grew up with a poster of the fourth-generation Toyota Supra as their poster car after it appeared in the original 'The Fast And The Furious' film in 2001. This fifth-generation model will appear in the 9th installment of the Fast franchise, set to hit theaters in 2020. With an appearance in a major Hollywood blockbuster, we are certain the new Supra will find its way to many a bedroom wall in the near future.
The Supra is also pretty quick with a BMW-sourced 3.0-liter inline-six delivering 335 horsepower to the rear wheels, netting a 0-60 mph time of around four seconds. With pricing starting at just $49,990, this is a poster car that kids might be able to own someday.
When it came time to debate the winner of our Poster Car for 2019, we realized that a poster of the Shelby Mustang was either hanging on our office wall or had adorned our bedroom wall as kids. This is the iconic poster car and after a six-year hiatus, the 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 has joined the Mustang lineup sitting above the more purist Shelby GT350 model. This new GT500 is the fastest and most powerful production Mustang ever with a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 producing 760 horsepower, yielding a 0-60 mph time just 3.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time in the 10-second range.
And Ford hasn't just taken a GT350 and added more power, the GT500 features its own unique styling that is sure to pop off the paper of every poster it's featured on. It helps that Ford has included some dazzling color and stripe options and the optional carbon-fiber wing in the back makes the GT500 look even more aggressive. Like the Supra, the GT500 is "relatively" attainable with a starting price of $73,995. We're certain there will be children with parents that own a Mustang, who will put a GT500 up their wall hoping to own one when they get older.
Acura
Alfa Romeo
Aston Martin
Audi
Automobili Pininfarina
Bentley
BMW
Bollinger
BrightDrop
Bugatti
Buick
Cadillac
Caterham
Chevrolet
Chrysler
Dodge
Ferrari
Fiat
Fisker
Ford
Genesis
GMC
Gordon Murray Automotive
Hennessey
Honda
Hyundai
Ineos Automotive
Infiniti
Jaguar
Jeep
Karma
Kia
Koenigsegg
Lamborghini
Land Rover
Lexus
Lincoln
Lordstown
Lotus
Lucid Motors
Maserati
Mazda
McLaren
Mercedes-Benz
Mini
Mitsubishi
Nissan
Pagani
Polestar
Porsche
Ram
Rimac
Rivian
Rolls-Royce
Spyker
Subaru
Tesla
Toyota
VinFast
Volkswagen
Volvo
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