Nissan GT-R is the 2009 World Performance Car of the Year
Getting an award for top car is something special, but imagine being judged by fifty nine judges from twenty five countries, and then you will know how special it feels to win the 2009 World Performance Car of the Year, announced at the New York International Auto Show.
WCOTY’s jurors observed that the “Nissan GT-R stole the headlines in the sports car world in 2008. This GT-R – the R35 – throws even former GT-Rs into the weeds via an all-new 3.6-liter providing 480 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. The drive of the GT-R, especially on a track, reveals an incredibly flexible all-wheel-drive chassis that lays down the rubber whenever you request it. Acceleration to 60 mph from a stop takes just 3.5 seconds, or a tick behind fellow Performance finalist the Corvette ZR1. This is a complete effort put forth by the normally conservative Nissan and the pleasure is in doing laps of a favourite circuit and feeling the sheer capabilities of the car. For $77,000 it may be the world’s best enthusiast car”.
The GT-R went up against the Corvette ZR1 and the Porsche 911 Carrera, these cars made into the top three out of an initial entry list of around twenty three cars. That must have been some list to work from!
“On behalf of the global team of designers, engineers and others behind the development of the Nissan GT-R, Nissan proudly accepts the 2009 World Performance Car of the Year award. This recognition validates their unique vision in creating a true world supercar that can be enjoyed by anyone, anytime and anywhere. Beyond power, beyond performance, GT-R goes beyond expectations. Thank you, jurors, for this unexpected honour”, said Brian Carolin, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Nissan North America, Inc.
To win at one of these events, the car has to excel in a wide range of standards so it is not just down to one thing like speed or looks, these cars have to be at the top of the game all round.
Mobil 1 announced its sponsorship of the World Performance Car award in November 2007. “Over the past several months, it has been our pleasure to see three Mobil 1 partners recognized for their automotive engineering excellence and vie for the world’s top performance car honour,” said Nancy Carlson, strategic global alliances – sales director, ExxonMobil Lubricants & Petroleum Specialties. “For more than 35 years, ExxonMobil research and engineering teams have collaborated with auto manufacturers around the globe to ensure that Mobil 1, the world’s leading synthetic motor oil brand, continues to deliver exceptional protection for all types of vehicles and evolving engine technologies. Consequently, we know first-hand how deserving all three finalists are for this recognition and congratulate everyone at Nissan and the team behind the Nissan GT-R for earning the title of 2009 World Performance Car.”
Source [GTR Blog]
The Nissan GT-R High-performance Manual: An International Guide to High-performance Components (Speedpro Series) (Paperback)
Product details
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Veloce Publishing PLC (15 Sep 2009)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1845842243
ISBN-13: 978-1845842246
Product Dimensions: 24.9 x 24.9 x 0.7 cm
Priced at $36
Source [Amazon]
Nissan Skyline GT-R 1989-2002 Limited Edition Extra (Paperback)
Product details
Paperback: 136 pages
Publisher: Brooklands Books Ltd; Limited edition (1 Jun 2003)
Language English
ISBN-10: 185520634X
ISBN-13: 978-1855206342
Product Dimensions: 27 x 20 x 1 cm
Priced at $60
Source [Amazon]
