TG's favourite car details of 2015

Yes, yes, we know that they’re just some bits of metal, but there’s something about the web of support structures under the fast Porsche’s rear spoiler that is just cool. Probably the fact that it looks like it’s been motorsport-pared back to the exact geometry to provide the most support for the least actual material. Makes you want to touch it. (This could be just us).

And then there’s the...

Seriously, how does this thing even work? You can barely get your hand under there, but the GT3 RS still manages to drive without ripping its rear wheel arches to shreds. You want ‘stance’? You got it - manufacturer-approved.

Every time you either a) look in the side mirrors or b) follow an i8 down the road, you can’t help but be struck by how the floating winglet-buttresses make the car look like a slice of the future that’s slithered through from 2046. The only car that looks more concepty than the original concept. The comforting thing is that all the stylistic wandering is functional.

It’s not so much the GT’s rather awesome shape that strikes, but what it’s missing. Approach it from most angles and it looks quite solid, but once you turn the visual corner, the cockpit is massively waisted. The negative space really hits home. The other detail that appeals is the fact that the rear light is actually tubular - the hole in the middle is used for cooling…

Not actually a thing, but when the Dodge Viper American Club Racer hits full throttle, it switches off the air-con for six seconds. Because, y’know, POWER. A good one for pitlane trivia fans.

We thought we’d seen the last of the exposed manual gearbox linkage outside of racing cars, but the Exige 350’s visual and tactile wonder has a clockwork fascination that’s impossible to ignore. If you’re a bit geeky like us, it is possible to lose entire lunch breaks sat in a carpark making it go click-clack.

We like the Ford engineering department. We know that the Mustang doesn’t need a line-lock that disables the rear brakes so that you can do perfect burnouts, and we know that the AWD Focus RS doesn’t need a button that allows the rear wheels a bit more torque to allow sideways corner exit, But we appreciate the fact that they exist anyway. Because they’re fun. Only to be used twice and then left well alone, but fun.

Technologically inevitable and a bit showy, but we defy you not to use the big BM’s touchscreen key to impress your friends. Ditto the 7-series’ gesture control system that means you just have to wave your hands about in the cockpit looking like you’re at a ‘90s rave every time you want to change the volume. Or you can just use the knob.

Bonkers, a bit pointless, but utterly brilliant. Tesla’s ‘falcon wing’ rear doors actually open in a smaller space than a conventional door, popping open, then rising vertically before spreading like a …er…. set of wings. Low roof? Don’t worry, the doors have sensors so that they only open in the space available. Elon Musk is mad. But also cool.

It’s been around for years, but the best bit about the MX-5’s utterly brilliant roof-mechanism is that its been left well alone. Not motors, no waiting, no fuss. Satisfaction from simplicity.

They call them ‘shark fins’ and the 488’s door handles are aerodynamically-shaped to funnel air up and back into the rear wing intakes. They also open the actual doors.

The S660 looks like a tiny brother to the forthcoming NSX, is RWD, manual and brilliantly packaged. A pocket roadster. Can we have one please?