This year's best sports car named - costs £221k and not a Ferrari or Lamborghini

A British manufacturer has edged out Europe’s top brands to be named as AutoExpress’ Performance Car of the Year. McLaren’s stunning Artura model secured the prize ahead of commended vehicles such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Porsche 911.

Italian giants Ferrari and Lamborghini didn’t make the top three despite often being considered the market leaders of the performance class. The 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 motor is paired with an electric motor to produce an eye-watering 690bhp. As well as packing a punch for petrolheads, AutoExpress also praised the Artura’s chassis.

They suggested the supercar was fitted with a “beautifully balanced chassis and wonderfully communicative steering” which made it stand out from its rivals.

AutoExpress added: “There aren’t many opportunities to explore the limits of such a fast machine on the road, but the Artura is so easy to live with on a daily basis.

“Key to this is the ride comfort, because McLaren’s chassis engineers have worked wonders to create a car whose body control is so staggering at high speeds, yet can also deliver a relaxing, supple ride.

“The Artura is genuinely a more comfortable place to be than many family hatchbacks. Then there’s the forward visibility, which is about as good as in any car currently on the market.”

Inside, McLaren has built a stylish interior with a central portrait touchscreen at the heart of the dashboard.

Experts have previously praised the screen for being responsive with owners navigating menus with a stalk.

AppleCarPlay is available but has to be wired into the Artura with no wireless connection available.

However, motorists will need deep pockets to get their hands on a set of keys to a McLaren Artura model, with the machine coming with a hefty price tag.

The Spider model, preferred by experts at AutoExpress, will set road users back a staggering £221,500 on average.

AutoExpress added: “The Artura comes in Coupé or Spider forms, but we’d take the latter. Its roof opens in just 11 seconds and at speeds of up to 31mph, plus there’s only a modest 62kg weight penalty compared with the Coupé – a small price to pay for the joys of open-air motoring.”