Jeremy Clarkson is no stranger to controversial statements.
Over the years he's offended everyone from truck drivers to the British Prime Minister.
The former host of the BBC's "Top Gear" is also a long-time automotive journalist and reviewer, with more than three-decades worth of experience.
Suffice to say, when Clarkson speaks, people listen.
In August, Clarkson revealed the cars he loved driving the most over the past year, through his weekly column in the Sunday Times.
His top 10 ranges from diesel SUVs to high-powered supercars. According to the bombastic TV personality, each of the cars he selected was able to stand out above the fray by making the driver "feel special" every time he or she climbs inside.
"A car must have something to elevate it from the norm. It may be speed, or cleverness, or the fizz, or styling to die for," The host of Amazon Prime's "The Grand Tour" wrote in his column.
"But there must be something. Something that makes you excited every time you climb inside. Because if it doesn’t, then it’s just a tool. And if it’s just a tool, you may as well use the bus."
Here's a closer look at a selection of Jeremy Clarkson's favorite cars from the past year.
SEE ALSO: These are the cars former 'Top Gear' host Jeremy Clarkson hated the most this year
Ferrari 488 GTB
The latest generation mid-engined supercar to emerge from Ferrari is the 488 GTB. And it's about as good as it gets.
"As a driving machine, it’s — there’s no other word — perfect," Clarkson wrote in his review.
The TV host loved the 488's thoroughbred racing technology, melodic engine note, and docile driving dynamics.
"When you drive a Ferrari 488 GTB round a corner on a racetrack, it doesn’t feel like a tool that you’re operating. Or even a comfy, well-fitting glove. It feels like an extension of your very self," he added.
The Ferrari 488 GTB received a total of four out of a possible five stars from Clarkson.
Mazda MX-5
In his review, Clarkson praised the all-new Mazda MX-5 for its joyful personality and driving dynamics. In fact, the Mazda proved to be so wonderfully lovable that Clarkson compared it to a cure for depression.
"The new one is better than ever. Because it’s so organic and raw and simple, it feels how a sports car should. It sings and fizzes and jumps about. It always feels eager and sprightly, and that makes you feel eager and sprightly too," he wrote.
Clarkson gave the MX-5 a full five stars.
Vauxhall Zafira Tourer
Your eyes have not deceived you. A Vauxhall Zafira Tourer with a diesel engine is one of Jeremy Clarkson's favorite cars.
(For those of us in the US, the Zafira is a small MPV/van produced in Germany by GM's European Division.)
Clarkson was impressed by the Zafira's strong turbo-diesel engine, good efficiency, and well-executed interior. But most of all, Clarkson was simply blown away by the Zafira's comfortable ride.
"And then I went over a speed hump and I simply didn’t feel a thing. Never in all my years in this business have I encountered any car — including the Rolls-Royce Phantom — that’s quite so good at refusing to transmit road surface irregularities into the cabin," he wrote in his review.
Naturally the Vauxhall Zafira Tourer received a full five stars from Clarkson.
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