It's that time, folks! Pour yourself the finest drink you can, put on the finest attire you have, and join us on the red carpet for the
2019 GTPlanet Car Of The Year Awards!!!
Beater or Sleeper? It's a question we ask every week, and every time the answer is different. Sometimes it's an enthusiastic "Sleeper!" Other times it's a disgusted "Beater." Sometimes we can spot a beater a mile away, other times our expectations are proven wrong, either in a good way or a bad way.
Tonight we look back on the year we've had, the cars we've driven, the people we've raced with and the good times had by all.
For those who have joined us in the last year, Car Of The Week was initially set up back in the Gran Turismo 5 days by
@Turismo.M.G! Here's the first ever COTW thread, dating back to 2012. Yes that's right, in the beginning each car got their own thread, before McD decided to group them all into one thread for the GT6 edition. Much easier that way.
Basically, the idea was to get people behind the wheel of cars they wouldn't typically drive otherwise. Maybe the car was overlooked, maybe it was unpopular, maybe it was just downright slow, but as part of a Gran Turismo game it deserved a fair chance. And thus, Car Of The Week was born!
Without too much more rambling, let's get into some awards, shall we?!
Half of a car's appeal is it's looks. It has to catch your eye, make you drool a little, and make you giggle like a little boy, all without any regard for how fast (or not) it actually is.
The Best Looking award goes to the car purely seen as the most visually attractive. The one you'd have wanted to get dropped off to elementary school in.
The nominees are -
Ferrari 458
Ferrari 458 Gr.4
Ferrari F50
Mitsubishi GTO TwinTurbo
Aston Martin V8 Vantage S
and the winner is...
The Aston Martin V8 Vantage S!!!!
On the flip side, there are some cars that have the exact opposite effect on people. Women faint, children scream and somewhere an automotive designer writhes at the thought of the behemoth he is responsible for. Who wants to live with that burden?
The Worst Looking award goes to the ugliest car from this year, again with no regard for it's actual performance.
The nominees are -
Honda Project 2&4
VW Beetle Gr.3
BMW i3
Suzuki Swift
and the winner is (by a considerable margin)....
The BMW i3!!!!
American cars are in their own genre. Literally. While, in my opinion, they get more and more European each year (A mid engined Corvette? Come on!), there's no denying there's still a particular air about them, they're brutal. They're loud. They're wasteful. They're quick in a straight line, and they'll kill you if you try to push them an inch too far. And we wouldn't have it any other way!
The Most American car award goes to the finest piece of American engineering to ever roll out of Detroit, Michigan, or wherever else they're building cars these days!
The nominees are -
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
Ford GT40 Mk1
Dodge Viper GTS 2013
Shelby Cobra
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Ford F150 Raptor
and the winner is...
The 2013 Dodge Viper GTS!!!!
One of the big things that sets Car Of The Week apart from other Gran Turismo clubs is the drivers. More to the point, it's the drivers' attitudes during a meet. The racing is usually clean, the camaraderie is amazing, and generally it's a good time all round!
The Member's award goes to the driver who, in your eyes, really helps contribute to the COTW atmosphere.
The nominees are -
@Baron Blitz Red
@Racer283
@Nismonath5
@Alex p.
@Vic Reign93
and the winner is...
@Baron Blitz Red!!!!
Good things cost money, we all know this. Unfortunately the best things cost A LOT of money, and then there are the luxuries that only the 1% could ever consider affording. Either the marquee is legendary, the craftsmanship is second to none or it just happens to have diamond studded everything (Or sometimes all three).
The Sky High Roller's award goes to the car that will both bring a smile to your face and help you out with your money laundering.
The nominees are -
Ferrari 365 Daytona
Dallara SF19 Super Formula
Pagani Huayra
McLaren F1
Ford GT40 Mk1
Ferrari F50
and the winner is...
The Pagani Huayra!!!!
The transition to GT Sport was a pretty big one for this club. Some features were omitted, such as AGS and Playing With TT's, and others were introduced, like fully customizable liveries. Previously, if we wanted to express our artistic side, we had to make do with a new coat of paint, some new rims, and if we felt particularly daring, maybe a custom race number! But now, drivers are free to dress up their cars however they please. Stripes, flames, replicating other models, even something totally original! Anything goes!
The Crayola Arts and Crafts award goes to the member who always rocks up to the meeting with fresh wheels, a slick livery that oozes style, and you can't help but admire it in spectator view before the race.
The nominees are -
@Vic Reign93
@Nismonath5
@JackRyanWMU
@Draggon
@Baron Blitz Red
and the winner is...
@Baron Blitz Red!!!!!
In 2008 the first GT Academy was held, and the day before the finals began, young Ted Thomas lost his life due to tragic and bizarre series of events. Ted's memory was honored each year by awarding the Grand Prize winner of GT Academy with a Red Helmet. COTW also presents a
Ted Thomas Memorial award to The Most Improved Driver over the course of the year.
The nominees are -
@Draggon
@RobboGTAddict
It would seem most are in agreement, the winner is...
@RobboGTAddict!!!
We've seen our share of talent come through this club over the years. Legendary races, epic rivalries, the tales of speed and skill are still sung about to this day.
From a dead heat duel to a
four wide finish in one of the slowest cars in GT history, these moments wouldn't be possible if our drivers didn't have a serious amount of finesse behind the wheel.
The Driver Of The Year award goes to the person who, in the eyes of their peers, has the right stuff.
The nominees are...
@Vic Reign93
@Nismonath5
@Alex p.
@Draggon
and the winner is...
@Vic Reign93!!!!!
And now, we come to the final two awards. The bottom of the barrel, and the grand prize. Naturally, first we shall scrape the bottom of the barrel and see what sort of turds we can find, but most importantly, which is the worst? As voted by you, of course.
THE BEATER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES ARE....
Suzuki Swift Sport
Dodge Viper GTS '13
Nissan Fairlady 300ZX TwinTurbo
Nissan GT-R NISMO
Mitsubishi GTO TwinTurbo
BMW i3
And the winner is...
The BMW i3!!!
And now, the one you've all been waiting for. There was a good variety of nominations for COTY, and it all came down to one vote. SO here goes!
THE 2019 CAR OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS ARE....
Ford GT40 Mk1
Ferrari Dino
Ford Mustang Gr.3
Porsche 911 Turbo (930)
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE
Honda S2000
Nissan Silvia S13
and the winner is....
The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE!!!!
And there you have it, folks! the 2019 Car Of The Week awards for another year wrapped up! As the COTY, we will be driving the Camaro again next week! Thank you all so much for an epic year of racing, of reviews, of good fun and hearty banter, and here's to doing it all again in 2020!
Thank you and cheers to all!!!