Four left in the running for the 2013 World CotY award

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The 2013 World Car of the Year announcement is nigh! For now, the 10 finalists shortlisted earlier have been filtered down to just four top contenders – listed in alphabetical order: Mercedes-Benz A-Class, Porsche Boxster / Cayman, Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ and the ever-present Volkswagen Golf.

This is the second consecutive year that Volkswagen is listed among the top contenders and the fourth time since 2009. The Volkswagen Polo and up! won the 2010 and 2012 World Car of the Year awards respectively. With the 2013 European Car of the Year title under its belt, can the Golf Mk7 emerge victorious again and continue the VW Group’s winning streak?

The Ferrari F12berlinetta, Porsche Boxster/Cayman and Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ are under consideration for the 2013 World Performance Car award. Ferrari and Porsche have a title each from the last two years, so it’s all looking good for Toyota and Subaru’s joint entry.

New for this year is the World Green Car award, and the top three finalists are the Renault Zoe, Tesla Model S and the Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid. Rounding up the awards is the World Car Design of the Year, this time contested by the Aston Martin Vanquish, Jaguar F-Type and, surprise surprise, the Mazda6.

The overall winners in all categories will be declared at the New York International Auto Show on March 28. What would be your dream result? List down your choices below.

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Hafriz Shah

Preferring to drive cars rather than desks, Hafriz Shah ditched his suit and tie to join the ranks of Malaysia’s motoring hacks. A car’s technical brilliance is completely lost on him, appreciating character-making quirks more. When not writing this ego trip of a bio, he’s usually off driving about aimlessly, preferably in a car with the right combination of three foot pedals and six gears.

 

Comments

  • I know Proton and Perodua will not be in the list any time soon, but this being World COTY, I wonder if they even take our Malaysian cars(chinese and indian cars too) into consideration.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 5
  • Faith on Mar 12, 2013 at 7:20 pm

    Mazda 6 competing with Aston Martin Vanquish and Jaguar??!! Wow. Mazda way to go!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 26 Thumb down 4
    • Jimmy on Mar 12, 2013 at 11:25 pm

      Good. Please support Mazda 6, only the full spec one ya.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 3
    • Carnoisseur on Mar 13, 2013 at 10:40 am

      did you ever realise that there are some parts of Mazda in the Aston Martin? take a good look at the DB7 and Astina’s rear lights !

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Petrolhead on Mar 12, 2013 at 7:42 pm

    It got to be the Toyota 86, a fun car with a cheap price tag. Well.. it isn’t relatively cheap in Malaysia but as referring to other countries. We get Toyota 86 price from abroad, in Malaysia we could only afford the Preve

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 3
  • With the European COTY taken up by the ubiquitous Volkswagen golf mk VII, I got feeling either that or the Mercedes Benz A-class. For effort, the Mercedes A-class proofed that even being Mercedes first proper hatchback, they did their study and pulled out quite am amazing little hstch. The VW Golf on the other hand stick to their original ideals and made it better, it’s a good car and to me that’s about it.

    But I’ll back the little 86 even though its the underdog in the Quattro. This are the people responsible for the dull as grey Toyota Camry and put ‘profit’ first. So for a soulless company to team up with someone with no experience in either performance NA engine nor RWD and suddenly decided to make a fun-to-drive car that wont bring much revenue to the company and made it work, that’s one point for Akio toyoda.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 6
    • Jimmy on Mar 12, 2013 at 11:21 pm

      Every citizen needs to do some social services. A good and respectable company will have one or two servicing items which come with marginal profit. So a big plus from me to Toyota for making 86 if the real momentum is passion.
      I will vote for 86 if it is 100% from Toyota even though if the design and technical things were not as good as, say, Merc A class.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 6
      • springbok on Mar 13, 2013 at 12:32 am

        Jimmyboy, what the heck are u talking about? Did you copy text from a Chinese blog and used Google translate?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
      • The blue period of Toyota in the 00s really took a toll on Toyota, the brand image of Toyota was viewed as boring, bland and outdated. Recently though current CEO, Akio Toyoda is trying to move the brand from the dull as drying grey paint image of the blue period and attempt to liven up the brand. The JV with Subaru to produce a relatively affordable RWD NA coupe was the start, and the relatively improved design of the new RAV4, Auris and not to mention, if the spy image was true, the upcoming Corolla and Vios, shows there are promising things yet to come. Toyota has also developed one of the best in-car connection system in the US, the Entune system, which most view as a better system than Ford’s Sync or GM’s MyLink.

        But with engines and transmission dating back to the 80s and the scared image of Toyota received in their blue period, I wonder weather Akio has the right cards to play, considering they sacrifice all ICE and transmission underdevelopment for their hybrid system, resulting the catch-up they are doing right now in DCT and direct injection tech. Hope Subaru can also teach Toyota one or two things about small displacement Turbo engine.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • honda-fan on Mar 12, 2013 at 8:19 pm

    i vote for honda civic!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 25
  • PauKaya on Mar 12, 2013 at 8:32 pm

    i really want the 86 to win. to me, they really made what a car should be.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 4
    • Jimmy on Mar 12, 2013 at 11:27 pm

      You meant Subaru, didn’t you?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 10
      • PauKaya on Mar 13, 2013 at 12:53 am

        subaru, toyota, whatever. go have a look at subaru’s current offerings and you have to be sort of glad they collaborated with toyota otherwise it would turn out as another alycone…plus how subaru is being screwed up by our beloved glenn tan, don expect much sales of the BRZ

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Kalun on Mar 12, 2013 at 9:41 pm

    As usual. Most car reviewers always choose Toyota 86 or Mazda 6.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 8
  • Proton & Perodua is basic entry level car. Get the job done with bit of compromised quality.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
  • Wait…

    So the Vanquish, F-Type and the new Rangie didn’t make the cut, but the Golf did?! I’m starting to question the design COTY panel right now…

    Anyways, I think the A-Class should win, the car’s such a beauty compared to the other three! Heck I think it’s one of the most beautiful Mercs!

    And the Japanese twins (86 & BRZ) should get the performance COTY, they just redefined what people are looking for in a sports car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 5
    • Jimmy on Mar 12, 2013 at 11:32 pm

      No, the performance crown should be given to Subaru only.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 8
      • PauKaya on Mar 13, 2013 at 12:56 am

        why are you like so paranoid about mentioning subaru? i think it common sense that everyone knows when we mention 86 we also talk about the subaru. the fact is the 86 is simply easier to pronounce and has more heritage than the brz. either way, i think both companies have done a good job and its now time for both to perhaps expand in their own ways…toyota in some fancy hybrid booster and Subaru as usual with some oversized turbo.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
      • frenzyaustin on Mar 13, 2013 at 1:07 am

        86/BRZ is the collaboration between Subaru and Toyota.
        Tetsuya Tada, Chief engineer of the 86 rpoject when convincing those folks at subaru, they say it is a joke for a sport car without a 4WD and turbo. But he impressed them with a prototype which using the oxer engine. So toyota use their D4-S technology in a Subaru Boxer unit.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • koozold on Mar 12, 2013 at 10:18 pm

    wondering, ft86 short-listed how about subaru?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 4
  • unforgiven on Mar 12, 2013 at 10:33 pm

    My vote to d A-class, as well as turunkan harga for Benz.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 2
  • kadajawi on Mar 13, 2013 at 12:02 am

    Tesla Model S. Of all the cars in the list, that’s the one I’d really want. Though the GT86 is quite nice too.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • 2013 car of the year? Am i in 2014?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • frenzyaustin on Mar 13, 2013 at 1:10 am

    My vote to 86/BRZ
    This is what a sport car should be, fun to drive and affordable price (Not in Malaysia of course) without fancy and useless gadget and no complicated mechanism..
    It just a pure sport car, nice to drive with reasonable power (In public road).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • this is wrong! car of the year shud be camry wt trd sportivo watever ….sportiest car of the is vios trd watever…

    toyota shud be the best engine to…those vvvttii..etc are the most powerful & very low fc..lol

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 5
  • Mat Global on Mar 13, 2013 at 10:57 am

    Three of the best cars in Malaysian now to me are Proton Preve cfe, Mercedes C Class CGI and VW Golf. All the three have superb handling, drive comfort and safety.

    All are turbo equipped engines for good power delivery and relax driving.Sorry for T & H and K & H not under this category yet.

    Among the shortlisted candidates for World Car of The Year i choose the new VW Golf.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
  • Chow 1 on Mar 13, 2013 at 3:20 pm

    Proton said Preve is a Global car. What’s the status now?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Sam Loo on Mar 13, 2013 at 9:41 pm

    there should be a RV car of the year award. confirm camry win.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Mat Global on Mar 14, 2013 at 10:23 am

    Buying a car is more than RV factor.No more matter what it still depreciates in value.
    However, when i buy a property for investment then only i give a serious considerations for RV.In this case it appreciates in value.
    Resell Value by percentage drop between Toyota and Honda n Nissan n Proton n Merc n Bmw are about the same.
    I am a co- dealer (sleeping partner) used car near Zoo Negara.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • carfan on Mar 14, 2013 at 12:26 pm

    Due to the suspension setup differences between 86 vs BRZ, here’s hoping the judges prefer low speed drifting (86) vs. high speed cornering (BRZ).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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