The Mazda MX-5 has beaten the Audi A4 sedan and the Mercedes-Benz GLC to win the coveted 2016 World Car of the Year title.
25 Mar 2016 | 4361 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
The Mazda MX-5 has been declared the 2016 World Car of the Year. The winner was announced during a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show, Bridgestone Corporation and Autoneum yesterday.
The Mazda MX-5 was chosen from an initial entry list of 23 vehicles from all ...
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The Mazda MX-5 has been declared the 2016 World Car of the Year. The winner was announced during a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show, Bridgestone Corporation and Autoneum yesterday.
The Mazda MX-5 was chosen from an initial entry list of 23 vehicles from all over the world, then a short list of ten, then three finalists: the Audi A4 Sedan/Audi A4 Avant, the Mazda MX-5, and the Mercedes-Benz GLC.
“What a wonderful honour, to have the Mazda MX-5 named World Car of the Year,” said Masahiro Moro, president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations, and Managing Executive Officer, Mazda Motor Corporation. “As our iconic MX-5 roadster approaches one-million units of production, this award is proof that it is as young, vibrant, fun and relevant as ever. While I accept this award on behalf of the company, I do so representing every Mazda employee, retail partner and customer around the world who has ever felt the joy of driving a pure roadster. We say ‘Driving Matters’ in our advertising, and we prove it in our cars.”
The World Car Awards jurors observed that, “With the launch of its all-new MX-5, Mazda has thrown out the blueprint and gone back to basics – back to 1989 basics. Shorter, lower, wider and – most importantly – lighter, the new MX-5 comes with a choice of either 1.5 or 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engines and the promise of unparalleled ‘Jinba ittai’ – a term meaning oneness between car and driver. And yes, it’s still one of the best driver’s cars around.”
To be eligible for the overall World Car award, the candidates must become available for sale on at least two continents during the period beginning January 1, 2015 and ending May 31, 2016.
This year, vehicles were selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 73 top-level automotive journalists from 23 countries around the world.
Previous World Car of the Year winners were the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (2015), the Audi A3 (2014), the Volkswagen Golf (2013), the Volkswagen Up! (2012), the Nissan Leaf (2011), the Volkswagen Polo (2010, the Volkswagen Golf (2009), the Mazda2 / Mazda Demio (2008), the Lexus LS460 (2007), the BMW 3-Series (2006), and the Audi A6 (2005).
2016 World Car Design of the Year: Mazda MX-5
The MX-5 roadster also drove away with the 2016 World Car Design of the Year
The World Car Design of the Year category, and the corresponding award, are meant to highlight new vehicles with innovation and style that push established boundaries.
A design panel consisting of six highly respected world design experts was asked to first review each candidate, and then establish a short-list of recommendations for the jurors. The experts commented that, “The new MX5 design is exciting, distinct and fresh. It’s a design that wholly fits with being the unique small sports-car this Mazda is. It captures the spirit of the first-generation MX5 design but introduces a very leading twenty-teens aesthetic whilst remarkably also connecting visually to its sibling designs. An exceptional design in all ways.”
2016 World Performance Car: Audi R8 Coupé
The Audi R8 Coupé won the ‘2016 World Performance Car’ award. With a total of four awards, the Audi R8 is the most successful model in the history of the World Car Awards. The predecessor to the R8 had already taken home two World Performance Car awards and a World Car Design of the Year award in the prestigious competition.
The R8 Coupé offers more performance than any other Audi production model. The mid-mounted V10 and newly developed quattro drive offer extraordinary driving performance. The top version, with 610PS, sprints from 0 to 100kph in just 3.2 seconds and can continue to a 205mph/328kph maximum speed.
High-revving ten-cylinder power, state-of-the-art lightweight construction principles and extremely dynamic suspension with quattro drive in addition to fully variable torque vectoring all make the R8 Coupé a truly exceptional car.
2016 World Green Car: Toyota Mirai
Toyota’s Mirai was, expectedly, chosen as the winner of the 2016 World Green Car award.
The Mirai was chosen from an initial entry list of eight new vehicles from all over the world, then a shortlist of three finalists that included the winner as well as the Chevrolet Volt and the Toyota Prius Hybrid.
To be eligible for the 2016 World Green Car award, a vehicle had to be all-new, or substantially revised, in production and introduced for sale or lease to the public in quantities of at least 10 in at least one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2015 and ending May 31, 2016. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle's environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration.
“Just as Prius changed the world nearly 20 years ago, the hydrogen-powered Mirai is ready to make history,” said Bill Fay, group vice-president and general manager, Toyota Division. “With a range of over 300 miles/480 kilometres per tank, a refueling time of under five minutes, and emissions that consist only of water vapor, Mirai is leading the world forward toward a more sustainable future.”
Previous World Green Car winners were: BMWi8 (2015) and the BMW i3 (2014), then the Tesla Model S (2013), the Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY (2012), the Chevrolet Volt (2011), the Volkswagen BlueMotion (2010), the Honda FCX Clarity (2009), the BMW 118d with Efficient Dynamics (2008), the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec (2007) and the Honda Civic Hybrid (2006).
2016 World Luxury Car: BMW 7 Series
The opulent BMW 7 Series has been declared the 2016 World Luxury Car.
The World Luxury Car category was created in 2014 to acknowledge higher-priced premium models selling in more limited numbers worldwide. This year’s winner was chosen from an initial entry list of eight prestigious cars from all over the world, then a short list of three finalists: the winner as well as the Audi Q7 and the Volvo XC 90.
The World Car jurors observed that, “This is the flagship model for the Bavarian car maker, and so it simply has to be the epitome of what the brand represents in terms of technology, design and performance. And the new 7 Series certainly delivers. It is very much the new face of BMW in the new family design – and yet it is a classic BMW all at once. It drives phenomenally well courtesy a new range of engines, and has a sporty drive dynamic that the rivals in the segment cannot claim as their USP. This comes from a 130kg drop in weight thanks to the new ‘Carbon Core’ frame. Twenty-five new features, of which 13 are segment firsts! Inside the cabin, BMW has taken things up a notch on luxury, pampering the owner with not just very comfortable and well designed seating, but with loads of technology, entertainment too. The new 7 Series brings in new features like the ambient ‘sky lounge’ sunroof, the ambient air package and the all-new gesture control.”
Previous World Luxury Car winners were the Mercedes-Benz S Coupé (2015) and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (2014)
Vehicles in all award categories are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 73 top-level automotive journalists from 23 countries around the world. The international accounting firm KPMG tabulates the jurors’ ballots.
Photographs: Kevin Hagen