World Car Awards, the most coveted automotive awards have been declared, and here’s what you need to know
The World Car Awards is one of the most coveted recognitions in the global automotive arena. These awards for the year 2021 have now been declared, and we have a bunch of interesting winners. The winners have been chosen by a jury panel consisting of 93 journalists and automotive experts from around the world with an Indian representation of 6.
2021 World Car Design : Land Rover Defender
The all new Land Rover Defender has been named 2021 World Car Design of the Year. The all new Defender does justice to the iconic nameplate in terms of design, while making no compromise on the capability front. Much like its predecessor, the all new Defender is also available in the 90 and 110 bodystyles. Also, there are a wide range of accessory packs on sale as well.
The silhouette is what stands out in the all new Defender. It is the side view that instantly renders it the familiar Defender persona! The SUV stands quite upright and has iconic components like the alpine light windows on the roof, beautifully integrated into its design.
The all-new Defender is built upon the D7x Aluminium platform from Land Rover and has a bunch of advanced all-terrain technologies incorporated into it. The new Defender has a 5-star EURO NCAP safety rating.
This is the third time that a Land Rover has bagged the ‘Best Car Design’ title at the WCOTY. In the previous years, the Range Rover Velar (2018) and Range Rover Evoque (2012) had also been recognized for their outstanding designs. The Defender had to battle the Honda E and Mazda MX30 to claim its victory.
2021 World Urban Car: Honda E
Honda’s electric hatchback, the Honda E, has been crowned the World Urban Car Of The Year 2021. The hatchback was originally launched in Europe last year and looks rather retro for a car of our times. The E is quite compact and goes easy on the eye as well.
The Honda E has two different electric powertrains on offer. There is a 100kW (134 bhp) motor and a stronger 113 kW (151 bhp) motor on sale, both mated to the same 35.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and with the same torque output of 315 Nm. Honda claims a range of 220 km for the E and says the car can be charged up to 80 percent in under 30 minutes, via a fast-charger. The other contenders for this title were the Toyota Yaris and Honda Jazz/ Fit.
2021 World Performance Car: Porsche 911 Turbo
The Porsche 911 battled the Audi RS Q8 and Toyota GR Yaris to earn its ‘World Performance Car 2021’ title. The 911 is Porsche’s legendary sports car, which in its contemporary Turbo guise, comes powered by a 580 PS, six cylinder boxer engine, which can put out a stunning 750Nm of torque. 0-100 km/h comes in 2.8 seconds with the Sport Chrono Package on and the top speed is a good 320 kmph. What is more interesting is that the 911 Turbo is an everyday sportscar, something which you can live with…
2021 World Luxury Car: Mercedes Benz S Class
The Mercedes S Class has won the World Luxury Car Awards 2021 for the immense luxury it offers. This is the third time that Mercedes Benz wins this title and the second time that the S class nameplate bags it. The 2021 S class had to beat the Polestar 2 and Land Rover Defender to claim its win.
The S Class has always remained the epitome of luxury. Mercedes Benz had recently brought out its latest generation through a virtual event, stuffing more technologies and features inside their most respected luxury car. There is now more luxury on offer inside the cabin and even more equipment and features as well. The powerplants on offer are a 3.0L six-cylinder petrol, petrol V8 and a 3L diesel.
2021 World Car Of The Year: Volkswagen ID4
Meet the World Car Of The Year 2021 (WCOTY)- Volkswagen ID 4. The ID4 is Volkswagen’s first all electric SUV. Quite recent a product, it follows the carmaker’s electric offensive and is based on the MEB platform. It is currently produced and sold in China, the US and Europe. The ID.4 has scored a full five star rating in the Euro NCAP crash tests and comes in two different variants. The car draws its power from a 150kW (204 PS) electric motor mated to a 77 kWh batterypack. 0-100 can be done in 8.5 seconds and the top speed is a good 160 km/h as well. The VW ID4 has a WLTP range of 490 km.
This is the fifth World Car Of The Year victory for Volkswagen AG with the Volkswagen Golf (WCOTY 2013), UPI (WCOTY 2012), Polo (WCOTY 2010) and Golf VI (WCOTY 2009) being the previous wins. The other competitors for the title were the Honda E and the Toyota Yaris
