We love Porsche. And although we’re yet to drive one, we love 911 GT3s. Indeed, if when our lotto numbers come up, the first task will be deciding which GT3 to buy while we wait for the new one.
Just as essential as it is to have fine taste in motor cars, it’s also best to have a healthy sense of humour as you make your way through life. It would seem the World Car of the Year judges share this view, too, after awarding the 991 911 GT3 the 2014 World Performance Car.
The joke, of course, being that the car named the world’s best performance weapon cannot be driven. Not until it has a new engine, anyway. Fires tend to attract a bit too much attention, you see.
For now, the 911 GT3 is the ultimate garage queen, with the trophy to prove it.
Despite this minor oversight, the judges proudly state: “The latest 911 GT3 is 100 percent at home on any track, with surprising buckets of fine balance and handling prowess even with the engine theoretically in the ‘wrong’ place. Heavy aero work, the stripping down of the car’s weight, and 469 horsepower from the 3.8-liter flat-six engine, all help with lap times and launch time.”
The GT3 was named ahead of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Ferrari 458 Speciale for the shiny trophy.
And now there is one…
Porsche 911 GT3 declared 2014 World Performance Car
NEW YORK – April 17, 2014 – For Immediate Release
At a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show and Bridgestone Corporation, the Porsche 911 GT3 was declared the 2014 World Performance Car.
This is the third consecutive year that Porsche has won the prestigious World Performance Car title and the fourth overall. The Porsche Boxster / Cayman won last year’s award, the 911 won the award in 2012, and the Cayman was the recipient of the inaugural World Performance Car award in 2006.
This year’s winner was chosen from an initial entry list of twenty-six new cars from all over the world, then a short list of three finalists: the winner as well as the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and the Ferrari 458 Speciale.
“To be chosen as the winner of the World Performance Car by this global jury is extremely rewarding,†said Detlev von Platen, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. “Each generation of the 911 GT3 epitomizes our vision of the ultimate pure bred, track ready sports car. And our newest iteration is no exception. To be elected against such formidable competitors by a large number of auto experts pays a huge compliment to our designers and engineers.â€
The World Car jurors observed that, “Essentially race-engineered cars are Porsche’s original bread and butter. The latest 911 GT3 is 100 percent at home on any track, with surprising buckets of fine balance and handling prowess even with the engine theoretically in the “wrong†place. Heavy aero work, the stripping down of the car’s weight, and 469 horsepower from the 3.8-liter flat-six engine, all help with lap times and launch time.â€
Candidates for the World Performance Car award must demonstrate a specific and overt sports/performance orientation while satisfying the same availability criteria as for the overall World Car of the Year award. Candidates may be chosen from the World Car of the Year list of eligible vehicles, or they may be newly introduced variants that satisfy the same criteria, but are derived from existing rather than brand-new models. In all cases, they must have a minimum annual production rate of five-hundred (500) vehicles.
Previous World Performance Car winners were the Porsche Boxster/Cayman in 2013, the Porsche 911 in 2012, the Ferrari 458 Italia in 2011, the Audi R8 V10 in 2010, the Nissan GT-R in 2009, the Audi R8 in 2008, the Audi RS4 in 2007 and the Porsche Cayman S in 2006.
Vehicles are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of sixty-nine top-level automotive journalists from twenty-two (22) countries around the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of many millions world-wide.