The MOTOR Awards 2021: Most Dynamic Manufacturer

Welcome to the MOTOR Awards 2021, where our team offer a tip of the hat to those that displayed automotive excellence in the last 12 months.

Most Dynamic Manufacturer Winner: Toyota

Is Toyota the most exciting manufacturer in the world right now? For a company that seemed to have disappeared down a route of white-goods Camrys and Corollas not so long ago, the question would have once seemed ridiculous.

The introduction of the 86 coupe showed that there was still soul within Toyota, championed by Akio Toyoda himself. Since the introduction of that car, we’ve been treated to the GR Supra, the GRMN Yaris, the all-wheel drive GR Yaris and the new (and greatly improved) 2.4-litre GR 86.

What’s more, there’s a GR Corolla in the works and, if industry reports are to be believed, a possible reincarnation of the MR2 and Celica. That could be six concurrent sports models on the roster for a mainstream manufacturer, which is quite an achievement. Factor Lexus in as well and you have one heck of a portfolio.

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Only Volkswagen comes close to offering such a breadth of sporting models at these price points, and an onslaught of new R-badged models is due to make landfall in the next 12 months, which ought to give Toyota pause for concern. Where Toyota scores is in sheer breadth of engineering and appeal, from a WRC-refugee hatch to a boxer-engined coupe right up to fierce straight-six coupe.

Of course, Toyota has leant on Subaru and BMW along the way, but that is norm rather than exception these days. You only have to look at Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, a joint venture factory in the US that will be employing 4000 people by next year for evidence of that.

Toyota remains the last manufacturer standing at La Sarthe, having claimed the last four Le Mans titles, it snagged the WRC Constructors’ crown in 2018, and, at the time of going to press, its drivers stood at 1-2 in the 2021 WRC standings, requiring a disaster in the final round in Monza for Toyota not to wrap up another title.

What’s more, Sebastien Ogier has made no secret of his desire to drive for Toyota in the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship. Who’d bet against him? - AE– AE

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Honourable mention: Porsche

Porsche’s bona fides need little in the way of burnishing, but it’s how the company is transitioning to new technologies that earns our undimmed admiration.

With the Taycan EV selling like hot schnitzels and electric Macans, Caymans and Boxsters incoming, Porsche will also sell plug-in hybrids and is even at the forefront of synthetic fuel development. At Zuffenhausen, the customer remains king.

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Honourable mention: Hyundai

From zeroes to heroes in the space of 48 months. Yes, really. That’s what Hyundai’s N Division has achieved. Prior to the launch of the i30 N, Hyundai Motor Company had laboured for half a century and never built a convincing sporting car. Since then it has released a string of hits and they keep coming. Whatever Albert Biermann is being paid, give him a raise.

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