Porsche scores big on a number of year-end awards

In a year that has been full of uncertainty, recalls, and what-have-you, at least one brand is ending it on a really high note.

For better or for worse, Porsche has had a really good year and their fortunes haven’t gone unrecognized by a lot of their peers. The automaker from Stuttgart, Germany is being recognized by a variety of media outlets for a year where it has released a steady diet of high-performance and ultra-popular cars. While some people might think that the company was lucky to have the year it has had, the folks at Porsche would prefer to describe it as “business as usual”.

Over in their homeland of Germany, the Deutsche Automobil Treuhand (DAT) listed three of Porsche’s sports as having the best value retention with the Porsche 911 leading the pack, followed by both the Boxster and the Cayman. Thee cars in the top-three. Pretty impressive.

On the other side of the world in the Land Down Under, a jury comprising of eleven motor journalists from the “Sydney Morning Herald”, “The Age” and “drive.com.au" chose the Porsche Boxster as the best convertible of 2010 and more importantly, giving it the “Drive Car of the Year Award” for the second year in a row.

Porsche 918 RSR Racing Lab scoops up EyesOn Design award for ’Best Concept’

The Audi A6 may have bagged this year’s EyesOn Design award at the Detroit Auto Show for “Best Production Vehicle”, but another auto manufacturer is taking home the award for “Best Concept Vehicle”.

That award goes to Porsche’s stunning 918 RSR Racing Lab prototype. Defined by a design that features muscular wheel arches, dynamic air intakes, and a pulpit-like cockpit, the 918 RSR Racing Lab was the unquestioned showstopper of the 2011 NAIAS. It was even dressed up in a new “liquid metal chrome blue” paint finish to complement Porsche’s now famous hybrid orange finish on the front-to-rear racing stripes.

The 918 RSR Racing Lab wowed the judges comprising of Willie G. Davidson, Harley-Davidson’s EVP & Chief Styling Officer; Tom Matano, the Academy of Art University’s Executive Director of Industrial Design and Jack Telnack, Ford’s now-retired global VP of Design, beating out the likes of Kia’s KV7 Crossover and Ford’s Vertrek SUV for the title.

TopSpeed’s Best of 2011: Geneva Motor Show

The Geneva Motor Show is one of the biggest shows of the year and the 2011 event certainly did not disappoint. With over 70 cars lined up and ready to take our breaths away, choosing our favorites between them all was not an easy task.

Sure, there were some easy choices, like the brand spanking new Lamborghini Aventador or the Jaguar XKR-S, or brilliant tuning projects like the ABT R8 GT S. Then there was the job of tossing out the not-so-brilliant vehicles like the Mitsubishi Global Small or the rather useless Rinspeed Bamboo. The 2011 Geneva Motor Show brought out cars from one side of the spectrum to the other, and rifling through them took some time. Some may not agree with our choices and that’s okay. However, everyone can appreciate a beautiful or highly efficient car when they see one, and we’ve gathered some exceptional specimens to share.

2011 World Car of the Year finalists officially announced

The Geneva Motor Show is now in the rear-view mirror, which means that the spotlight has now turned to the New York Auto Show this coming April, and if there’s one thing that we can all look forward to in New York, it’s that it will be the site of the 2011 World Car of the Year awards.

All in all, 39 vehicles were included in the initial entry list comprising of new cars from all over the world. From these 39 cars, the list was whittled down to ten finalists with the top three contenders from these 10 cars receiving the final nominations for the 2011 World Car of the Year title.

The cars that are subject for nomination are selected and voted on by an international jury panel consisting of 66 automotive journalists from 24 countries around the world. Each member of the panel has been appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the merits of their experience, credibility, and influence within the auto industry in their respective countries and, to an extent, in the region.

Eligibility for the World Car award is important in determining which cars can be nominated for the awards. This year, all candidates for the awards must become available for sale on at least two continents from January 1, 2010 to May 30, 2011.

Apart from the World Car of the Year title, other awards that will be announced at the New York Auto Show include the World Performance Car of the Year, the World Green Car of the Year, and the World Car Design of the Year.

2013 Ferrari 599 Replacement

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a replacement for the Ferrari 599 Fiorano, but this is the first time we can offer more details about the new sports car. For starters, expect it to make its official at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March with sales beginning later in the year.

The 599 replacement will be built on an all-new chassis and will borrow design elements from both the 2012 Ferrari FF and the Ferrari California. The model will get modified bumpers and new headlamps, a modified bonnet, and a new exhaust system with tips that sit higher than on the current 599.

Fans of true sportscars can also breathe easier knowing that the replacement 599 will not be a hybrid model. It will instead be powered by a direct injected 6.3-liter V-12 - the same as in the the FF - with a total output of 700 HP. The engine will be combined with a rear-wheel drive system and the Ferrari’s latest seven-speed dual clutch gearbox.

Ferrari 246 Dino

Built in 1968, the car becomes a very attractive car in its era. This is an added value for Ferrari to produce the car. The shape is very not convincing. But behind the hood there is a machine that is claimed to be strong enough when asked to racing-kebutan. There are 2 engine options, namely 6-cylinder 2400 cc and 3,000 cc engine with 8 cylinders.

Ferrari Enzo

Who does not know the Ferrari Enzo. The car that was released in 2002 it shot to fast cars strongest ever. Feature adopt mobi Formula 1. Beneath the hood there is a capacity of 6000 cc V12 engine is mated with 6 semi-automatic.