If anyone has made an alarm that sounds good at 4.45am on a Saturday, I have yet to hear it. But since ignoring the unpleasant ‘squawk squawk squawk' emanating from my bedside table, would have meant missing out on driving some rather yummy cars at the Yas Marina Circuit, I begrudgingly dragged myself out of bed and into the land of the living. Or as close to it as I can manage at 4.48am. In fact it was nearly two hours later, when Amit kindly passed me the keys to the XKR-S, that my thought processes and my actions achieved genuine coordination.

Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Sports Saloon & Car of the Year
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Grand Saloon
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best GT
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Premium SUV
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Exotic Car
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Coupé
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Small Car
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Hot Hatch
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Super Sportscar
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Convertible
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Supermini
Wheels Car of the Year 2011: Best Family Saloon

Had I been given free rein to make my own way from Al Safa to Yas Marina Circuit, I'd have probably gone there via Al Ain since I could happily drive the Jaguar all day, but instead I was tasked with herding cats on Shaikh Zayed Road. More specifically, I was asked to lead a dozen vehicles down to Yas Island. Have you ever tried to maintain a convoy of 12 sleepy journalists and assistants behind the wheels of cars as diverse as a Lamborghini Aventador and a Toyota Yaris? Let's just say I won't be volunteering next year!

By Tim Ansell, <i>wheels</i> magazine

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The making of Wheels Car of the Year 2011