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Performance Car of the Year 2012

Which is the best driver's car of 2012? We count them down from 10 to one

Welcome to Britain’s best Performance Car of the Year contest. Over the past 12 months, a bumper crop of fast cars has gone on sale, ranging from great-value pocket rockets to mid-engined exotics. In celebration, we’ve gathered together 10 of the best for our annual high-octane shoot-out.

We’ve rated each contender for handling on the road, performance, desirability and price, before going against the clock at the challenging Anglesey circuit in Wales.

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We've also been in search of cheap thrills with eight performance bargains and gone for a drive on the wild side in a pair of crazy racers for the road. Buckle up...

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New & used car deals

Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £1,509 off RRP*Used from £13,195
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £2,233 off RRP*Used from £15,297
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,135Avg. savings £5,568 off RRP*Used from £12,606
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,785Avg. savings £3,331 off RRP*Used from £10,195
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
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