The Porsche Boxster has been named 2013 South African Car of the Year, the first Porsche to win since the competition began in the 1980's.
The SA competition has for the past few years been based on the European Coty points-based scoring system but is unique in that each finalist, 12 vehicles in 2012, is also put through a series of tests at the Gerotek Vehicle Testing Facility west of Pretoria.
FIRST PORSCHE TO WIN
The competition claims to reward automotive excellence and the winning vehicle must score highly in its own class, not against the other finalists.
A parallel Wheels24 Coty voting poll open to the public and eventually taking a total of 19 431 votes was won by the Ford Ranger.
Wheels24 reader DIRK VAN DER MERWE shares his thoughts...
The Porsche won? Ridiculous!
If they wanted to choose a sports car it should have been the Toyota 86. It’s at least something the average person can own and a lot of people really aspire to own. The 86 is an affordable, reliable and good-looking sports car.
The Porsche, however brilliant it may be, is just not a viable alternative for the AVERAGE GUY who wants something in the “sports car” class.
Just look at dealer network, price and schlep to have it serviced etc. If you do not live in one of the big cities, the Porsche is simply out of your reach. Yes I know both have service plans but these do not continue for the life of the vehicle.
The Porsche is simply not a car that will sell more than the Toyota 86, for obvious reasons.
'THEY GOT IT WRONG'
SA Coty has got it wrong. They are not supposed to look at top technologies at all cost. They must look at the best technology available to the average South African. Some years in the past they (Coty) got it right and some years slightly wrong.
In 2013 however they got it so wrong that I cannot see that anyone will trust their judgement again. The focus simply cannot be around what 5% of the population wants.
The focus has to be on the average South African and what they aspire to. They should look through the eyes of the average South African. Just compare Coty’s results with that of the Wheels24 Readers COTY results and it will be clear how far they got it wrong.
Please bring in different classes for the Coty awards. Maybe it will then start to make sense again.
Email us and we'll publish your thoughts or use the Readers' Comments section below...
The SA competition has for the past few years been based on the European Coty points-based scoring system but is unique in that each finalist, 12 vehicles in 2012, is also put through a series of tests at the Gerotek Vehicle Testing Facility west of Pretoria.
FIRST PORSCHE TO WIN
The competition claims to reward automotive excellence and the winning vehicle must score highly in its own class, not against the other finalists.
A parallel Wheels24 Coty voting poll open to the public and eventually taking a total of 19 431 votes was won by the Ford Ranger.
Wheels24 reader DIRK VAN DER MERWE shares his thoughts...
The Porsche won? Ridiculous!
If they wanted to choose a sports car it should have been the Toyota 86. It’s at least something the average person can own and a lot of people really aspire to own. The 86 is an affordable, reliable and good-looking sports car.
The Porsche, however brilliant it may be, is just not a viable alternative for the AVERAGE GUY who wants something in the “sports car” class.
Just look at dealer network, price and schlep to have it serviced etc. If you do not live in one of the big cities, the Porsche is simply out of your reach. Yes I know both have service plans but these do not continue for the life of the vehicle.
The Porsche is simply not a car that will sell more than the Toyota 86, for obvious reasons.
'THEY GOT IT WRONG'
SA Coty has got it wrong. They are not supposed to look at top technologies at all cost. They must look at the best technology available to the average South African. Some years in the past they (Coty) got it right and some years slightly wrong.
In 2013 however they got it so wrong that I cannot see that anyone will trust their judgement again. The focus simply cannot be around what 5% of the population wants.
The focus has to be on the average South African and what they aspire to. They should look through the eyes of the average South African. Just compare Coty’s results with that of the Wheels24 Readers COTY results and it will be clear how far they got it wrong.
Please bring in different classes for the Coty awards. Maybe it will then start to make sense again.
Email us and we'll publish your thoughts or use the Readers' Comments section below...