There are those who breathlessly dissect numbers, narrow the focus, or decide to revisit the same old models when contemplating what they believe to be the best car (or cars) of the year. That鈥檚 not us. Instead, during our annual All-Stars event, we set out to simply tell you which vehicles left us breathless and why. Throughout each year, we鈥檙e constantly evaluating the best in breed. Everything from mainstream models to the world鈥檚 most mind-blowing supercars can get the nod to join the All-Stars fray, and just being asked to be a part of the field is an accomplishment. This isn鈥檛 an all-inclusive group, but it鈥檚 a wildly diverse one, meant to represent the most aspirational, attainable, and otherwise exceptional offerings of the past calendar year. Although we try to secure for our evaluation an example of everything we think has All-Stars potential, it鈥檚 not always possible. Sometimes an automaker won鈥檛 let a car out to play (hello, Tesla Model 3) or timing can interfere (we鈥檒l see you next year, BMW Z4 and 8 Series). The ones that do show up are subjected to several days of driving, on track and off.

There are those who breathlessly dissect numbers, narrow the focus, or decide to revisit the same old models when contemplating what they believe to be the best car (or cars) of the year. That鈥檚 not us. Instead, during our annual All-Stars event, we set out to simply tell you which vehicles left us breathless and why. Throughout each year, we鈥檙e constantly evaluating the best in breed. Everything from mainstream models to the world鈥檚 most mind-blowing supercars can get the nod to join the All-Stars fray, and just being asked to be a part of the field is an accomplishment. This isn鈥檛 an all-inclusive group, but it鈥檚 a wildly diverse one, meant to represent the most aspirational, attainable, and otherwise exceptional offerings of the past calendar year. Although we try to secure for our evaluation an example of everything we think has All-Stars potential, it鈥檚 not always possible. Sometimes an automaker won鈥檛 let a car out to play (hello, Tesla Model 3) or timing can interfere (we鈥檒l see you next year, BMW Z4 and 8 Series). The ones that do show up are subjected to several days of driving, on track and off.

For our 2019 event, we shifted our venue from Las Vegas to the Streets of Willow road course at Willow Springs International Motorsports Park about an hour north of Los Angeles. Along with a challenging new road route near the facility, we put this year鈥檚 24 contenders鈥攜ou can view all the contenders here鈥攖hrough one of the most rigorous events in Automobile history. Whittling down a stellar field to seven standouts was far from easy, and as always, there were some surprises. But it鈥檚 all part of the process, and we wouldn鈥檛 want it any other way. Because in the end, it鈥檚 about the year鈥檚 greatest cars鈥攁nd what makes them so special. Sometimes, you know a car is going to fare well at All-Stars just by watching our editors鈥?faces as they climb out of it. On the short, tight Streets of Willow circuit, there鈥檚 really only one place to detonate the 12 cylinders of fury residing under the Ferrari 812 Superfast鈥檚 sculpted hood鈥攄own the front straight.

Light the fuse out of the last turn and unleash the 812鈥檚 prodigious power, and you鈥檒l feel it wiggle out back with each shift. 鈥?asked contributor Steven Cole Smith, who then proceeded to answer himself: 鈥淭his much fun. It pays to look ahead in the McLaren 600LT. Far ahead. You sit incredibly low, laid back a little further than perhaps seems 鈥渘ormal鈥?in the context of most road cars, and the view out is as vivid as an IMAX cinema screen thanks to the low scuttle and slender A-pillars. You feel you could reach out and touch the road. Not that you need to. McLaren has resisted the call of electric power steering, and the simple Alcantara-covered wheel dances in your hands, putting you intimately in touch with the contact patch between tire and tarmac. Just ask Dodge how hard it was to design a new Challenger, or Chevrolet how much is riding on a new Corvette.

Better still, ask Porsche about the conflicting goals and considerations that go into every all-new 911. Then you鈥檒l have a pretty good idea just how risky it was to build an all-new G-wagen after nearly 40 years of success. But fear not, G fans, for Mercedes-Benz has nailed the formula with the 2019 G550, a vehicle that鈥檚 as true to the original as it should be and better in every possible way. It happens every year during our All-Stars evaluations: At least one car arrives anonymously. It garners little interest from most of our evaluators up front鈥攔elatively speaking, especially when there are six-figure supercars on hand. Yet it slowly raises its head above the proverbial waterline, eventually also raising eyebrows. We鈥檝e noticed something. Once someone drives a 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS, they change. Expressive faces freeze, talkers become mute, the silent bark like dogs. Then we suspect you haven鈥檛 driven one.