2017 Performance Car Of The Year contenders

On the evening of February 1, our performance car champion for the next 12 months will be revealed.

Before then, however, you have the chance to have your say on which one of these talented dozen hotties deserves the prize.

We've assembled arguably the best - certainly the fastest and most expensive - field in Performance Car of the Year history, so whichever car wins can rightly claim to be the best performance car on sale today.

Vote at the bottom of the article, and check back on February 1 for the winner.

The performance car of the year will be announced at the Australian Motoring Awards on February 1, 2017.

Watch this space and stay tuned for more Performance Car Of The Year action!

Audi R8 V10 plus
449kW/560Nm, 1555kg,$389,616
Two-time PCOTY winner is faster, fitter and more high-tech than ever.

Mercedes-AMG C63 S Coupe
375kW/700Nm, 1725kg, $162,400
Forget the Merc badge, this is the quintessential German muscle car.

BMW M2 Pure
272kW/465Nm, 1495kg, $89,000
We thought BMW had forgotten how to make cars like this – it hasn’t.

Ferrari 488 GTB
492kW/760Nm, 1475kg, $469,988
The fastest, most powerful and most expensive car in the field.

Ford Focus RS
257kW/470Nm, 1575kg, $50,990
Blue Oval’s blue-collar hero has redefined what a hot hatch is capable of.

Ford Mustang GT
306kW/530Nm, 1739kg, $57,490
First global Mustang also happens to be the best. Handy, that.

HSV Clubsport R8 LSA
400kW/671Nm, 1907kg, $80,990
Supercharged Aussie brute the people’s champion.

Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2
427kW/540Nm, 1503kg, $378,900
Italian exotic ditches the front driveshafts for added fun factor.

Lexus GS F
351kW/530Nm, 1825kg, $151,490
A refreshingly old-school V8 sedan from an unlikely source.

Nissan GT-R
419kW/680Nm, 1765kg, $189,000
Now an elder statesman, Godzilla’s had its biggest makeover yet.

Porsche 911 Turbo S
427kW/750Nm, 1600kg, $456,200
Granddaddy of the 911 range wants to tear your head off.

VW Golf GTI 40 Years
195kW/350Nm, 1357kg, $48,990
This year’s hottest front-driver takes the Golf concept and turns it up to 11.