Porsche 911 wins 2012 World Performance Car of the Year award

Sports cars around the world achieve their true glory on racing circuits and amidst the cheer of a thousand fans. But when you’re a chosen candidate for the World Car Awards under this particular category the stakes get a lot higher and the anticipation of victory far more meaningful.

German sports car maker Porsche had very similar aspirations for its all new 911 coupe, which from an initial entry list of nineteen (19) new sports cars from all over the world, was shortlisted to a fleet of just ten, and finally narrowed down to one amongst three finalists, which included the horrifyingly quick 700PS Lamborghini Aventador and one the most technologically advanced supercars in the world today, namely the McLaren MP4-12C.

Amongst an international jury panel comprised of sixty-four (64) top-level automotive journalists from twenty-five (25) countries around the world was our very own Editor-in-Chief Adil Jal Darukhanawala, who happens to be in his third consecutive year on the World Car Awards panel.

Using their expertise, experience, credibility and influence, the jury with the support of carefully collated data by Prime Research International, the World Car Award’s research partner finally decided that the all-new Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S was the most deserving candidate for the World Performance Car of the Year award.

Thoroughly impressed by the 911’s leaps in innovation and risk-taking design choices, while at the same time maintaining and improving upon the driving thrills we look for in any Porsche two-door, the elite panel of experts declared the new 911 Carrera and Carrera S as winners of the 2012 World Performance Car of the Year award.

Elated at this prestigious recognition on a global stage, Detlev von Platen, President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, said "We are honored that the new Porsche 911 S Coupe was chosen by this distinguished group of jurors as the 2012 World Performance Car of the Year. The new 911 is more powerful, delivers extraordinary driving dynamics, is more fuel efficient than ever, and is still a pure Porsche. Winning the 2012 World Performance Car is excellent validation from a global team of world-class journalists for the work and dedication of everyone at Porsche."

This is the sixth out of seven times that Porsche has made it among the top three positions in the World Performance Car category; and prior to 2012, it was the Porsche Cayman S that had the honour of bagging the same award in 2006.

The new Porsche 911 Carrera now joins the rank among previous World Performance Car winners that include 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.

VIDEO: NEW PORSCHE 911 Carrera Highlights!