What will be the World Car of the Year 2021? It's less and less to know the answer. An answer that will depend on the choice of a panel of judges, composed of 93 journalists, representing the main world markets.
Guilherme Costa, director of Razão Automóvel, is the judge representing Portugal, in what is considered the most relevant award in the automotive industry worldwide for the 8th consecutive year — based on a market study carried out by Prime Research. To know the profile of each of the judges, see the World Car Awards website.
The finalists for World Car of the Year 2021
After the first round of voting — whose procedure was audited by the consultancy KPMJ — we were today introduced to the first finalists in the five categories of the World Car Awards.
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Of the 24 models in the competition in the category World Car of the Year (WCOTY) the top 10 finalists are (in alphabetical order):
- Audi A3
- BMW 2 Series Grand Coupé
- BMW 4 Series
- Honda and
- Kia Optima
- Kia Sorento
- Mazda MX-30
- Mercedes-Benz GLA
- Toyota Yaris
- Volkswagen ID.4
In the Urban Car of the Year category (World Urban Car) the five finalists are (in alphabetical order):
- Honda Jazz
- Honda and
- Hyundai i10
- Hyundai i20
- Toyota Yaris
In the Luxury Car of the Year category (World Luxury Car) the five finalists are (in alphabetical order):
- Aston Martin DBX
- BMW X6
- Land Rover Defender
- Mercedes-Benz S-Class
- Polestar 2
In the Sports of the Year category ( World Performance Car) the five finalists are (in alphabetical order):
- Audi RS Q8
- BMW M2 CS
- BMW X5 M / X6 M
- Porsche 911 Turbo
- Toyota GR Yaris
We will have to wait until April 20th to meet the winners of the World Car Awards 2021
The best design of the year 2021
All cars that competed in the four WCA categories were eligible for the award. World Car Design of the Year, but only five made it to the finals. For the 2021 edition of the World Car Awards, the finalists in the category World Car Design of the Year they are:
- Honda and
- Land Rover Defender
- Mazda MX30
- Polestar 2
- Porsche 911 turbo
Unlike the other categories, the award World Car Design of the Year it is awarded by former professionals in the automotive industry or by personalities with a relevant curriculum in the field.
For 2021, the jury for this award is composed of the following personalities: Gernot Bracht (Germany – Pforzheim Design School); Ian Callum (UK – Design Director, CALLUM); Gert Hildebrand (Germany – Owner Hildebrand-Design); Patrick le Quément (France – Designer and Chairman of the Strategy Committee – The Sustainable Design School); Tom Matano (USA – Academy of Art University, Former Head of Design – Mazda); Victor Nacif (USA – Chief Creative Officer, Brojure.com and Professor of Design at the New School of Architecture and Design); and Shiro Nakamura (Japan – CEO, Shiro Nakamura Design Associates Inc.).
Towards the World Car of the Year 2021
The next highlight of the World Car Awards 2021 will take place on March 30th, when the three finalists of the World Car of the Year will be known. You can follow this moment through the World Car Awards YouTube Channel.
The 2021 World Car Awards winners will be announced on April 20
A moment that, as is already tradition, will also be used to look to the future of the automotive industry. The Global Trends Report, a study of Cision Insights which will be co-presented by BREMBO – world leader in brake system development. A study that presents the emerging and future trends that are transforming the automotive industry.
Daniele Schillaci, CEO of BremboWe are proud to partner with the World Car Awards for the third year in a row. Our company's vision, “Turning Energy into Inspiration”, perfectly matches the values of the judges. Inspiration, leadership and innovation are in our DNA.
Since 2017, Razão Automóvel has been a member of the panel of judges at the World Car Awards, representing Portugal, together with some of the most prestigious media in the world. At an institutional level, the World Car Awards are supported by the following partners: ZF, Cision Insights, brembo, KPMG and Newspress.