It’s that time of year again. The time when we gather together the most exciting cars from the last twelve months on some of the best roads that Europe has to offer. This year we’ve been enjoying the mountain roads south of Clermont Ferrand in France, and an unforgettable day at the stunning Mas du Clos circuit.

But not even the spectacular scenery could outshine the list of cars that 2007 has brought us: Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series, Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Mini Cooper Works, Honda Civic Type-R (the Japanese market car, of course), Audi R8, BMW M3, Lotus 2-Eleven, Vauxhall VXR8, Nissan 350Z, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and the brand new Aston Martin DBS. Even by the high standards of eCotys past, this is an epic list.

Seeing the cars together, driving them back-to-back on road and track, hearing the Ferrari chasing down the Porsche at Mas du Clos or the fierce hammer of the Lamborghini emerging from the echo of the AMG’s deep bellowing V8 was something we’ll never forget. Such an incredible week deserves some space to breathe, so there are no fewer than 46 pages dedicated to our biggest feature of the year – if we’ve done our job, reading it will be the next best thing to being there in person.

If this eCoty issue illustrates anything, it’s that the performance car is alive and in rude health. And with R8 V10, Nissan GT-R, Porsche GT2 and a whole host of other contenders already shaping up for next year, its future looks secure. Roll on eCoty 2008… and enjoy the latest issue, on sale from 14th November.