15 Icons that Defined Supercar Driver

Growing up, my teenage years were defined by the sound of engines and the smell of burning rubber at race tracks across the UK. My father, a racing car designer, often took my mother and me to race weekends, particularly F3, Group C, some BTCC, and eventually the GT1 Championship in the mid to late ‘90s where we watched the McLaren F1 GTRs take on the Porsche GT1s and the Mercedes CLK GTRs.

Tracks like Donington, Brands Hatch and Silverstone became second homes, and I was later blessed with a couple of special trips to Le Mans. Memories from 1999 are still so clear, watching the Panoz LMP Roadster take on the BMW V12 LMR, Toyota GT-One and the Bentley Speed 8. Without doubt, those early years ignited my passion for cars.

With years of wandering the paddocks and car parks, my fascination with supercars blossomed, and back then, without the power of social media, I used to take photos of all the cars that caught my attention. These pictures would fill photo albums as well as my bedroom walls. My passion only grew, and in my teens I delved deeper into car culture, devouring every issue of EVO magazine, playing every racing game I could find and religiously watching Top Gear every Sunday.

Sitting here with our fiftieth issue and 2025 on the horizon, I have been thinking back to the early days of Supercar Driver in 2009 when it all started. Our evolution has been entirely organic and fuelled by passion with a simple motivation: to bring supercar owners together and offer a reason to drive. Back then, there wasn't anyone else doing it.

My love and excitement for supercars from that moment in 2009 right through to now has never wavered, meanwhile, the evolution of the supercar in that period has been truly monumental. It felt only right this issue would contain a feature with supercars that I think shaped our future, supercars that have left such an impression on me and in turn defined Supercar Driver.

I have vivid memories of key moments in the supercar world from the last 15 years and members joining with the latest and greatest at the time. We were often the first people to see the newest models and were treated to witness them being driven and enjoyed as intended. Looking back now, I remember experiencing one of the first Lamborghini Aventadors in 2012, amazed by the sheer presence the car had, let alone the noise! Or the McLaren 650S, that car literally took my breath away under acceleration, never had I experienced anything like it outside of a race car. It is all quite normal now, but back then, it was otherworldly.

In 2009, the supercar scene was dominated by now-legendary models like the Ferrari 360 and F430, Porsche's 997 GT3, the Lamborghini Gallardo and the iconic Murciélago with that howling V12 engine. These vehicles epitomised the engineering prowess and design that had come to define supercars, yet, as the decade progressed, the supercar landscape experienced a transformative period that reshaped the industry and set new standards for performance and innovation, marking the end of an era for these cars.

This was a time when the market for special and limited edition supercars was niche, with far less demand than we see today. The supercar market was simpler, the cars were produced in lower numbers, and everything — from the cars themselves to the thrill of buying one — felt a bit more special. Back then, you could simply purchase your dream car if you had the means to. Buyers did not face the current complexities of allocations, waiting lists and the requirement to purchase multiple vehicles to gain access to exclusive models. The focus was on delivering exceptional driving experiences and creating machines that pushed the boundaries of engineering and design.

As the next decade unfolded, the stage was set for a new generation of supercars that would redefine the market and captivate a new audience of enthusiasts. McLaren’s rebirth, Lamborghini’s new era with the Aventador and Huracan that would span a decade and Ferrari’s continued innovation with the game-changing 458 Italia and F12berlinetta.

The world of supercars has evolved significantly from its simpler beginnings. While it is easy to look back on the past with nostalgia, supercars today are technological marvels, equipped with cutting-edge features and performance capabilities that redefine what is possible on the road and track — you only have to drive any modern McLaren or Ferrari to agree. While the market has become more complex and competitive, it has also become more dynamic and rewarding. The increased demand has driven manufacturers to push the boundaries of what is possible, resulting in cars that offer unparalleled performance and innovation.

All the cars featured in this piece were carefully selected because they hold special significance for me and represent milestones in my journey at various points throughout the evolution of Supercar Driver. The world of supercars has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past few decades. As demand increased and supercars became more useable, so did the purpose of Supercar Driver. We have thrived by connecting enthusiasts through shared experiences, events, and the celebration of automotive passion, but it is the cars that have been the stars and it is the cars we will celebrate in this issue.

These were the cars that ignited my passion and excitement for supercars and have played a pivotal role in defining Supercar Driver. Whether through personal encounters, a burning desire to see them, or memorable experiences, these cars left a lasting impression. They each moved the game forward in a big way, causing a significant stir in the supercar world at the time of their launch and purveying the essence of modern supercars. These vehicles also provided a platform and landscape for the supercars we know today, each contributing to their development in one way or another. They are all special and have earned their place in supercar (and Supercar Driver) history.

In the next three parts of this feature, our writers Matt Parker, Tim Pitt and I will aim to convey what makes these vehicles so special and share members' stories of owning them.

Written by: Adam Thorby