Our most popular Instagram posts of 2021, as voted by you

For many, Christmas is a time of celebrating family – and ours is as diverse and varied as it gets in the automotive world.

We’re lucky enough to reach our audiences across WhichCar, Wheels, MOTOR, Street Machine, and 4X4 Australia titles, publishing news, reviews, and feature stories from enthusiasts for enthusiasts.

But while the writers are the ones get the glory, our photographers and videographers are the ones tasked with bringing our words to life.

Across those five titles we have more than 180,000 followers on Instagram, who collectively liked our posts more than 1.3 million times in 2021 alone – most of which came from Street Machine fans!

Here’s our top 10 Instagram posts for 2021, with the most popular posts taken from all five titles, as voted by you.

10. M3 cop car

The new addition of an M3 to Victoria Police's Highway Patrol fleet ruffled some feathers in December, but some people didn’t realise the vehicle was actually a loan from BMW Australia.

9. RIP Sabine

The news that rocked the global car community – Sabine Schmitz died of cancer back in March at just 51 years of age. She was a hugely talented and fearless driver who knew the Nürburgring like the back of her hand, as well as being a joy to watch on Top Gear. Clearly our audience felt it as deeply as we did.

8. Blown V8 on Patrol

Vogue Industry’s Harrop-supercharged Nissan Y62 Patrol turned out to be one of the most popular vehicles posted on 4X4 Australia’s Instagram page this year, no doubt thanks to its tough and sinister looks, perfectly captured on the beach.

7. On top of the world

This 2014 Toyota N70 HiLux was a contender for the Ryobi 4X4 of the Year for 2021, proving that a clean dual-cab HiLux build is still one of the most popular off-road vehicles for Aussies.

6. Zed ain’t dead

The 2022 Nissan Z has got everyone excited at the prospect of a new Zed car. We published a gallery of images when the car was revealed in August, showcasing the production car’s wonderful design.

5. Track Edition on track

Want to drive a Lexus RC F Track Edition at 10/10ths on a circuit? Scott Newman gave us a first-hand look at what’s required to wrestle a high-performance V8 coupe around Bryant Park at full noise – and what a noise!

4. Sliding ‘Stang

Another track video, but this time it was the RTR Mustang Spec 3, with so much power it could barely drive in a straight line. The stunning work by our videography team made this the most popular post from MOTOR in 2021.

3. Stevo’s walkaround

Apparently you all couldn’t get enough of the Lexus RC F. Following the video at Bryant Park, Mike Stevens gave a walkaround of the vehicle before handing back the keys to the car for good. Given the rarity of the Track Edition, it’s no wonder so many of you appreciated getting up-close and personal with the RC F.

2. Frankenstein FG

A raised-up FG Falcon ute that does 11-second runs? We loved seeing Kyle Breed’s ingenuity and uniqueness in his build – and so did you. This workshop ute got the thumbs-up from more than 8300 Street Machine fans, taking it straight to second position in this top 10.

1. Fire-breathing Kingswood

It was February when we published a short video of this Holden HQ Kingswood wagon with four bottles of NOS in the boot. The glorious sound from that V8 and the fire-spitting exhaust clearly resonated with our audience, making it the most popular post on Instagram for 2021.

Bonus: Taste the rainbow

One of our favourites from the news team was the Mazda NA MX-5 shot by Alastair Brook, showcasing the timeless design of the convertible, as well as its hugely fun personality.