A number of years ago Motor Trend started a contest that pitted some of the best sports cars in the world against each other to determine the “Best-Handling Car”. Then, in 2009 Motor Trend decided this contest could be improved. It could be more than just handling. How does the car feel? What are the ergonomics like? Does it inspire driver confidence. They named this new improved contest the “Best Driver’s Car”.
What Determines the Best Driver’s Car Award
In an article from 2009, then Editor-in Chief Angus Mackenzie explained it like this,
“Motor Trend is not looking for the quickest car over the quarter mile, the car that pulls the highest lateral g through a turn, or even the fastest lap time around a racetrack. “The Best Driver’s Car” award process looks at expert qualitative feedback as well as quantitative data. The winner will be a car that delivers a balance of useable performance, accessible handling, and driver-friendly design; a vehicle with a multidimensional personality that will delight and reward the enthusiast driver on any road at any time, regardless of weather and traffic conditions.”
So now, “The Best Driver’s Car” honor is decided after a yearly competition among the best new or improved performance cars available in the U.S. market and is the highest honor Motor Trend gives to a performance vehicle. Congratulations to Porsche for the win!
Video of Randy Pobst Testing the Porsche 911 Carrera S for Motor Trend’s Best Driver Contest
What Kind of Tests Did The Porsche Perform in to Win This Award?
According to a press release earlier today, each contender is run through a battery of dynamic tests, a 500-mile road trip, hard canyon driving on a closed course and finally, evaluation at the hands of professional driver Randy Pobst at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. They then take this info, review it amongst seven judges and declare a winner. “The test aims to go beyond the numbers, uncovering the one vehicle that offers enthusiasts the most engaging and rewarding driving experience possible.”
What other Sports Cars Did Porsche Compete Against?
- Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4
- Jaguar XKR-S
- Ford Shelby GT500
- Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
- McLaren MP4-12C
- Subaru BRZ
- 2013 Nissan GT-R Black Edition
- Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series Coupe
Conspicuous by their absence are any offerings from Corvette, Ferrari and Audi. Regardless it’s still a fairly impressive group to come out as the winner.
Watch a Run Down of all Cars That Competed in Motor Trend’s Best Driver Car Contest
As usual, if you can’t see either of the two videos above you can jump to Porsche 911 Carrera S Named 2012 Motor Trend Best Driver’s Car to watch them directly on our site. If you would like to read the complete story, here’s a link to do so on Motortrend. Or, if you want to see how all the cars performed in each video hot lap, you can view them on YouTube. Enjoy!
Other Porsche Blog Posts You Might Enjoy
2012 Porsche 911: Our First Drive and Review
Porsche Cayenne is MotorTrend’s 2011 SUV of the Year
Pricing, Pictures and Specs of the 2012 Porsche 911