2023 has truly been a landmark year for automotive adventures. Bold Detourists have, quite literally, driven to the ends of the earth.

In classic cars, electric cars and sports cars they’ve all felt the calling of the road: these believers in the romance of the road trip, taking the longer way. Let’s take a moment to salute the Detourists of the year.

Our own Ben Coombs rings in the new year on the side of a volcano in Chile as he bids to get his classic Mini to 6,000 metres above sea level on the Mini 6000 Expedition, while just before Christmas Chris and Julie Ramsey became the first people ever to drive a car from pole to pole. Amazingly, they did it in an all-electric Nissan Ariya (above) with relatively minimal modifications.

Other EV explorers include Lexie Alford, who is currently making her way around the world, appropriately enough, in a Ford Explorer, Maarten van Pel and Renske Cox who took a Skoda Enyaq from the Netherlands to South Africa and back, and brothers Ross & Hugo Turner who are on the road to China in the new MG Cyberster. What these EV-angelists prove is that the future of Detourism has nothing to fear from electrification.

We also followed father and son Phil and Will Churchill as they embarked on a multi-stage global adventure in their Aston Martin and Charles and Céline Morin who just can’t stop exploring in their Mercedes-AMG. Tanya Ritchie and Helen Hahn trekked overland through Africa in a classic Benz and YouTubers Tia and Cheveyo proved even a humble hatchback can cross a continent.

Former Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott, model David Gandy, World Rally Champion Petter Solberg were among the big names who shared their Favourite Detour with us as well.

Finally, a word of thanks must got to the contributors whose road trip guides, Pit Stop discoveries and tales from the road keep this site going. Cheers to Antony Ingram, Ben Barry, Indi Bains, Charlotte Vowden, Sudhir ‘Banzai’ Matai, Paranjay Dutt, Will Gray, Jade Braham, Simon Heptinstall, John Scott Lewinski, Kaya Lemaire and Sam & Carl from Roadster! Magazine.

We’re looking forward to bringing you more amazing automotive adventures in 2024. To keep up with the latest road trip news, driving adventures and recommended Pit Stops why not bookmark our homepage or sign up to our newsletter?