Pick your Car of the Year 2014

THE 2014 WesBank/SAGMJ Car of the Year finalists were announced in mid-October in an exciting reveal event hosted by WesBank, the competition’s headline sponsor and the South Africa Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) at the Johannesburg International Motor Show.

The announcement of the 2014 Car of the Year finalists follows a vote cast by a 30-member jury elected by their peers on the 40 semi-finalists.

Here is a re-cap of the nine finalists for the 2014 WesBank/SAGMJ Car of the Year competition, which is also South Africa’s premier motoring event.

In alphabetical order, these are the models all 2013 models lining up for this coveted award:

• Audi A3 Sportback 1.4T FSI Manual.

• Jaguar F-TYPE 3.0 V6 S.

• Lexus IS 350 F-Sport.

• Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG.

• Peugeot 208 GTI.

• Porsche Cayman S.

• Renault Clio4 66kW Turbo Dynamique.

• Volkswagen Golf 7 1.4 TSI 90kW Comfortline DSG.

• Volvo V40 D3 Geartronic Excel.

The next step in the process is a stringent two-day evaluation session to be held in Gauteng in January. Of this evaluation, testing procedures at the world-renowned Gerotek test facility near Pretoria remains a critical aspect and allows the jury members to assess the cars independently under the conditions individual vehicles would be expected to perform under.

The routes and modules are designed to test the vehicles in a similar way the average consumer would use them.

The evaluation days offer the jury the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with the vehicles and specific aspects such as aesthetics, build quality, ergonomics, fuel consumption, environmental friendliness, safety features and value for money, to name but a few.

The jury will also have access to independent performance test data, comparative pricing and specification data from RGT Smart as well as comparative parts pricing data, compiled by Malcolm Kinsey.

While all of the models are deemed to represent examples of outstanding automotive engineering, there can be only one winner and in the eyes of the COTY jury that model will characterise all-round automotive excellence, the sole criteria for Car of the Year.

The winner of the 2014 WesBank/SAGMJ Car the Year will be revealed at a gala banquet in February 2014.

Interesting facts:

• BMW has won the SA Car of the Year title a record six times (1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2011).

• Audi, Opel and Volkswagen have all won the SA Car of the Year title three times each, with Honda, Renault and Toyota taking the crown twice.

• Alfa Romeo, Ford, Hyundai, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Volvo has won the title once each.

• 2013 was the first year in which Porsche took part in the competition and won. The Boxster was also the first sports car and the first convertible to win the coveted title.