Audi A3 wins World Car of the Year Award 2014
Results of the annual World Car of the Year Awards have just been announced at the New York International Auto Show with the Audi A3 named as overall winner beating the BMW 4 Series and Mazda3 to the prize.
The A3‘s win remarkably continues a winning streak of sorts by ensuring another VW Group MQB-based vehicle wins the overall gong for the second-year running following the Volkswagen Golf VII’s success last year.
The World Car Awards jurors observed that, “It might borrow styling hints from its bigger brothers, but the A3 still offers classic, chiseled contours and even better interior trim levels. With a superb choice of engines and 4 body styles, the A3 range packs a hefty premium punch in the small luxury segment. Audi should be complimented for making this A3 ride like no other A3. All the old shimmer over rough surfaces has gone, replaced by a silky smooth ride that approaches limousine quality.”
Globally, the A3 is available as a hatchback in three- and five-door configurations, two-door convertible, and a four-door sedan. We understand the sedan is being prepared for a Malaysian launch soon. Engine options are taken from the Golf’s powertrain pool, with all-new turbocharged petrol and diesel four-cylinder engines available for selection.
Another big winner at the awards was the BMW i3 which took home a brace of trophies, winning the World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year categories. Munich’s revolutionary electric car edged out the Audi A3 Sportback g-tron (+ Audi e-gas) and Volkswagen XL1 for the Green award, and also surpassed the new Mazda3 and Mercedes C-Class for the Design award.
The Porsche 911 GT3 was named World Performance Car ahead of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Ferrari 458 Speciale, making it Porsche’s third consecutive win of this category and its fourth ever since the award’s inception. The company had previously won the award through the Boxster and Cayman last year, the 911 in 2012, and the previous Cayman in the augural awards of 2006.
Finally, the all-new Mercedes-Benz W222 S-Class continues the fine tradition of that honoured nameplate in setting new standards for the industry by winning the World Luxury Car award, beating the Bentley Flying Spur and Range Rover Sport.
The World Car jurors observed that, “Mercedes dominates the big luxury sedan market worldwide and the challenge of the sixth-generation S-Class was to be even better than the fifth-gen model. They did it by creating a car so far advanced in this segment that competitors pretty much have ceased trying to go head-to-head with the S.”
KON
Pictures: Official manufacturer release.
