Porsche 911 GT3 named Performance Car of the Year by Road & Track

Thu, 13 Nov 2014

The Porsche 911 GT3 is a very, very good performance car. Yes, we know this is like saying fire is hot and a shovel to the head hurts. What's different about this proclamation, then? Well, we bring up the 911 GT3's inherent goodness because our friends at Road & Track have named it their 2015 performance car of the year.

This is, our joking aside, a big accomplishment for the 911 GT3, due largely to the field of cars it beat out. There were many equally track-focused wonders in attendance, including the Ferrari 458 Speciale, Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 and Dodge Viper SRT TA, as well as more capable everyday vehicles, like the Jaguar F-Type R Coupe, BMW M3 and Ford Mustang GT.

But it was the 475-horsepower, rear-engined track star that R&T fell for, with editor-in-chief Larry Webster calling out the Porsche's ridiculous, howling, 9,000-rpm redline, while other editors cited its phenomenal handling character.

"But as much as the Porsche's looks and sound were enough to pull our heartstrings, it also topped the speed charts across every category. It's just an incredibly well-rounded and entertaining machine. It's a car to dream about," Webster said in a release.

Scroll down for Road & Track's press release on the winning car, and then head over to the R&T website for a full look at the 2015 Performance Car of the Year feature.

ROAD & TRACK NAMES PORSCHE 911 GT3 THE 2015 PERFORMANCE CAR OF THE YEAR

New York, NY (November 11, 2014) – Road & Track today announced that the Porsche 911 GT3 has been named the 2015 Performance Car of the Year, beating out 13 of the world's best new sports cars. The article appears in the December/January issue, on newsstands November 18 and on RoadandTrack.com.

"The GT3's wailing 9000-rpm redline was reason enough to include it in our Performance Car of the Year testing," said Larry Webster, editor-in-chief of Road & Track. "But as much as the Porsche's looks and sound were enough to pull our heartstrings, it also topped the speed charts across every category. It's just an incredibly well-rounded and entertaining machine. It's a car to dream about."

The 475-hp Porsche 911 GT3 garnered early attention for its prodigious cornering and handling capabilities, and continued to impress with an unshakeable chassis, detailed steering feedback, and blistering pace. The car combines a massive and accessible performance envelope with a luxurious, comfortable interior, giving it the edge over other top contenders.

To be eligible for the Performance Car of the Year honor, a car must be new for this year or feature significant functional changes. Road & Track's testing process takes place over the course of one week during which the editors and writers evaluate the year's best cars on both road (Ohio's mountainous Hocking Hills) and track (the magazine's own Motown Mile in Detroit).

Above all, the article notes, a car wins the prestigious honor by displaying "the most potent mix of emotion, performance, and value – in that order."

Other cars in the running this year were the Alfa Romeo 4C, BMW M235i, BMW M3, Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, Dodge Viper SRT TA, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Ford Mustang GT, Jaguar F-Type R Coupe, Lexus RC F, Nissan GT-R Nismo, Subaru WRX STI, and Volkswagen Golf GTI.

The Porsche 911 GT3 succeeds last year's Performance Car of the Year winner, the Chevy Corvette Stingray.

About Road & Track
Through vibrant storytelling, sharp style, instrumented technical testing and seasoned wit, Road & Track (http://www.RoadandTrack.com), illuminates the passions of the enthusiast and celebrates modern car culture like no other. After six decades, the nation's longest running car magazine continues to inspire those who know that cars are more than mere transportation. With cars and the world they inhabit as the starting point, we strive to entertain, inform, and inspire our readers. Follow Road & Track on Twitter at @RoadandTrack.

By Brandon Turkus