The 2012 GT Awards Finalists Category Winners Announced

Jordan Greer · · 156 Comments

Kazunori Yamauchi toured the show floor at SEMA in Las Vegas today, visiting all of the individual category winners in this year’s Gran Turismo Awards. They are:

  • Best European Import: 2013 Volkswagen Turbo Beetle (VWVortex.com 2013 Super Beetle Project)
  • Best Truck or SUV: Antron Brown’s Family Dragster Toyota Sequoia
  • Best Hot Rod: Eckerts Ford Mach Forty
  • Best Domestic Automobile:2014 Ford Mustang GT RTR Spec 3
  • Best Asian Import: 2013 Scion FR-S Evasive Motorsports

One of these cars will be chosen for inclusion in a future Gran Turismo title. The “best in show” winner will be announced tonight at the RAIN Nightclub at the Palms Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, where Snoop Dogg/Lion will also be performing.

I will be representing GTPlanet at the awards and will update this post to confirm the winner as soon as it is announced at the event. Good luck to all of the finalists!

Update: …and the winner is, Eckert’s Ford Mach Forty! Stay tuned for more info on the car in a full wrap up on the event soon.

See more articles on , , , , and .

Comments (156)

  3. stupidstormy36

    I would’ve gone with either Mustang, preferably the 2014 model. GT needs a proper modern Mustang. Glad to see at least the Mach Forty win.

    I wasn’t crazy at all about the Toyota Sequoia, and I had mixed feelings about the Beetle. That particular FR-S looks nice, but we already have about 4-6 different variations already.

    1. tpark103

      I agree with you. It’s a shame that we want get to enjoy the supercharged FRS, the 500hp Beetle, the 650hp Dragquioa with its light weight and extreme regidity,etc Why tease us?????? Why Kaz Why?

  5. Zuel

    After looking over the car and thinking of what was going through the designers mind on how he came about this. What I see is his embodiment of the Ford Mach 1, or what the next Mach 1 should be in his eyes. The GT 40 was never designed to run against the Corvette it was design to run against and beat Ferrari. The Mach 1 was designed to be the Corvette killer though it didn’t turn out that way, though it still was a nice car. With the new Corvette being unveiled soon maybe Ford will take not of this design and attempt to make a Mach 1 similar to this or have the designer help in the design of the next Mach 1 if Ford decides to build another. I would like to know more that went into the thought and design on this car now. With the extra weight does it handle better or worse, what was done to the frame. The engineer in me what to now….. MAHHH LOL.

    Joking aside though I would really enjoy learning more of this car.

  6. Spirithockey61

    I would’ve enjoyed a new body-style mustang, but that Mach Forty is WELL worthy of winning. I can’t wait untill i get to drive the thing!

  8. bigwick02

    I wanted that Beetle just for the fifteen52 wheels on it!!! And I’ve been wanting an RM version of the fr-s/86/brz, and with all the fr-s at SENA this year I figured it was a shoo-in

  9. e30 freek

    Kazonuri loves his GT40s last time I heard he had 2 no wonder he went for it personally I think it looks like pure sex

  10. liampage123

    Family Drag Car? Is this a clue that GT6 might have drag racing and a drag strip? Cool. Looking forward to all of these cars!

  12. RACECAR

    Ahem:

    “I’ll raise the stakes: $100,000 the winning car won’t be a Nissan. Better be prepared to pay up ;)”

    Now, wheres mah money? ;)

  13. GT HP Nut

    Rims are terrible, and because I have a habit of keeping a stock version of every car in the game, I’d have to stick with it. :(

    He could’ve gone for the FR-S, or the Mustang, or the Beetle…

  15. Pit Crew

    Thank You Kaz for proving me wrong. Hopefully the SEMA and Pebble Beach cars get their own events in future GranTurismo titles.

    Let us change rims on the Eck 40 Stang. Im cool with them but they seem to be a point of contention amongst the masses.

    3. MuoNiuLa

      Not to mention this Mustang has the engine in the back instead of in the front, so it’s not going to handle like a typical ’69 Mustang.

  17. DigitalBaka

    Oh boy, another old Mustang. :P On a positive, at least it wasn’t another FR-S/86/BRZ/car that PD will replicate into stupidity (again).

  19. panjandrum

    When it comes to aesthetics everyone has their own opinion. Personally, I think they took a gloriously beautiful Ford GT and completely ruined it.

  21. fordskydog

    Sweet! By far the best car won, in my humble opinion.

    Ya’ll realize that thing is a Ford GT underneath, right? It is a Ford GT with a 69 mach 1 skin on top of it. (!)

  26. ORPHANTHIRTY7

    So glad that Mustang didn’t win. That is the stupidest looking Mustang i have ever seen. RTR BIG FAIL.

    Happy to see the Mach Forty won. Crazy but unique design.

  27. JackC8

    Cool ’69 ‘Stang. Really unfortunate hubcaps though. They stuck the engine in the back? Yikes, that’s gonna be a bit tail happy.

  34. SVT Cobra GT

    The first thing I’d do to that Mach Forty when it comes to GT is change those horrible wheels! They’re hideous!

  37. Youngun

    Yay Old Mustang, Best looking model too.
    Wouldn’t of minded turbo beetle, would of been a 911 Turbo in disguise lol

  40. Teejay143

    Just put them all in, that would make a nice DLC pack and I’m sure loads of people would buy it, including me.

  42. Jay

    I wanted the Ford Mustang 2013 RTR to win just so we could have a current Mustang in GT, I had a feeling the Ford Mach Forty would win going by previous winners anf kaz’s tastes. I just hope GT6 will have a current Mustang model.

  47. Gturbo5

    Oh yeah, i know think will sure 2012 GT awards add cars on GT6 or GT5 DLC list:

    -VW Beatle 2013
    -Ford Mustang 2013 RTR
    -Scion GT-86 (Look great)

    :D

  48. Drevenger

    Ford Wins!!
    Thats cool, its hard to judge in between categories.
    My pick was the FR-S
    Any cars was overdone or bad colors choice unfortunately.

  53. honda32v

    2013 Mustang GT RTR…yes, nice looking….
    Toyota Sequoia Dragster….it a drag car, if win, he will need a drag racing track…..
    Mach Forty…look funny….if win, it will been three old Mustang in the row…no need get other one……
    Evasive Motorsports FR-S…yes, also nice looking, I like this car……
    Super Beetle….wow look good hp, new model and we don’t have new Beetle in the game….why not….

    So I like three out of five…..the Mustang GTR, FR-S and Super Beetle

  55. Snaeper

    I’m trying to like the Mach Forty… but I just can’t. Either the FR-S or the Super Beetle please. Having followed the Super Beetle project on VWVortex, I’m excited that it got the award for Best European car. For APR, VWVortex and VW, I’d love to see that Beetle make it.

    1. Gunma36

      I bet my two cents it will be the Scion. It will be easier to implement in GT6, ’cause they already modeled it…

  58. SOUL ON D3LAY

    If Kaz is going to continue his trends of picking old fashion muscle cars, then its definitely going to be the Eckerts Ford Mach Forty

    1. hobanator24

      Yea but he’s picked them 3 years running. I think he needs a change of pace, such as the Sequoia or Super Beetle.

  60. Quakebass

    Ok, all of these choices are great in my eyes, but how long are we going to be waiting on them? We’ve still got all of these plus the NSX on the waiting list…
    |
    \/

    http://www.gtplanet.net/71-chevrolet-camaro-wins-2011-gt-awards-best-in-show/

    http://www.gtplanet.net/1969-chevrolet-camaro-wins-at-the-2010-gt-awards/

    http://www.gtplanet.net/1960-plymouth-xnr-ghia-roadster-wins-gran-turismo-trophy-at-pebble-beach-will-appear-in-gt6/

    http://www.gtplanet.net/abarth-1500-bertone-b-a-t-1-coupe-wins-gran-turismo-trophy-at-pebble-beach-2010/

    http://www.gtplanet.net/1954-ferrari-500-mondial-pinin-farina-coupe-wins-gran-turismo-trophy-at-pebble-beach-2012/

    Considering that we don’t have any of the 2010 winners yet, I’m just going to assume their being held for GT6.

    *Not a complaint, just speculation, to make that perfectly clear.*

  61. fishard517

    both mach 40 and fr-s look good. but i can see the vw in the game too, just because there aren’t many honerable production vws

  62. Pit Crew

    Have a Blast Jordan.

    My Winner: Eckerts Ford Mach Forty

    Kazs Winner: 2013 Scion FR-S Evasive Motorsports

    *Sigh*

  63. Zuel

    The Mothers Mustang is a proper Mustang; they didn’t over do it in the power and gave it the right part to keep it glued to the road and the track. I would love to have a Flat Black Stang like that.

  65. carfanatic45

    My favorites are the BRZ and the 2013 Mustang. I think the truck is a bit over-done and I don’t really like the Beatle, tuned or not.

  66. Leonidae@MFT

    The Beetle is a must have. Out of all these it doesn’t have overdone bodykit and its specs speak of a true racecar rather than trailer queen. We already have a SEMA Mustang, we don’t need yet another one.

  67. dmeech

    At the risk of sounding cynical, the way Polyphony keeps adding in GTRs and FR-Ss, it’s probably going to be the FR-S.

  69. hobanator24

    My Diagnosis on each car:
    Mustang GT RTR: Very nice, probably a great road car, but I’m not a big Ford guy.
    Mach Forty: Amazing power output, good balance, but not a real looker.
    Toyota Sequoia Dragster: Probably amazing on a drag strip, but terrible on a road course.
    VWVortex Super Beetle: 500hp, AWD, Probably handles good.
    Evasive Motorsports FR-S: Like the FR-S, good drift car, but alittle ordinary and not sure of the hp.

    My vote would have to go with ethier the Sequoia, as long as it comes with a real 1/4 mile drag strip, or the Super Beetle, but I’m a VW Guy so my opinion is alittle biased

    1. hadjimurad

      haha…i was thinking the same thing. i never like the ones he picks at SEMA. i think there was something at Pebble Beach he was involved with, and thought his choices sucked too!

    2. Snaeper

      The category winning cars are not selected by Kaz, but by a group of judges. Yamauchi then picks from the five cars that are presented to him.

  76. dylansan

    I’d really like to see the regular 2013 Beetle actually. Not sure if I like this particular one as I don’t quite like the wheels.

    The Old Mustang would be nice, but a Mustang won before so I’m not sure how likely that is.

    I’m not super interested in the FR-S in general but this one looks incredible; I would love to have it in the game.

    And of course, who doesn’t want the Sequoia?

    Looks like Kaz has his work cut out to have to choose one of these.

  78. TomBrady

    I put money on the fact that he will pick the Old Mustang. Past few years he picks old cars from the 60s/70s because that’s when he grew up

    I would pick FR-S but they’re not releasing the amount of horsepower. I’ve tried finding it on the internet and that seems shady to me. It’s great looking and I like the aero package but if the horsepowers low what’s the point.

    The SUV would be cool because it would be the most unique addition to GT

    The Mach 40 is just ugly, those rims are HIDEOUS, same with the beetle. The beetle is already an ugly car but with those rims it’s even worse.

  80. Swagger897

    Meh… I would like to have something that you don’t see on the road…. (As in a better euro import… Seriously, a bug?) somthing more along the lines of a merk or Aston Martin…..

  81. ORPHANTHIRTY7

    Hummmm here’s what I am stuck on.
    1. I like the RTR Mustangs. But the one in pictures and yes the red one. It has to be the worst one i have ever seen. Those fender flares are ugly. I know it is supposed to be a race car but they should have at least painted them. Do I need to say anything about the rims? RTR what and why?
    2. The Toyota. Ok cool it is a drag car. I say no to it if there isn’t a proper drag strip in GT6 (proper drag strip as in at least a 1/4 mile strip with a tree with working lights. So no more ghosting bull crap)
    3. The VW Beatle. It is cool and a pretty normal car. It would be ok.
    4. The FR-S. Ok cool to put that in. But GT6 needs to have the right classes and regulations for it.
    5. The Mach Forty. That thing is pretty cool. Great beautiful creation.

    I am between the Beatle and the Mach Forty

  85. Sum1s2pid

    Surprised at the number of people rooting for the Scion, considering all the GTP tantrums about BR-Z / FT-86 / FR-S being the same car and how we need more variety. Yeah, yeah… but it’s a tuner! Maybe I missed a meeting.

    Just give us all of them. DLC. Now. Shut up and take my money.

  87. zman1350

    sure I would kinda like to have the RSR or the Mach or the FRS But all these arent that good….disappointed. Some should tune a Porsche, so that KAz can put it in GT. Or something like the DTM C 63 or BMW M3 GT3.

  89. TokoTurismo

    Please please please choose both the Scion and Beetle Turbo, and even the rest along with the dragster if possible. Either choose the Scion or Beetle Turbo, I’ll forgive you Kaz. I Promise. :)

    I think I read somewhere about that tuned Scion FR-S may compete at Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. *.*

  92. AKps3

    Great Job Snoop Dogg!(for all the haters) ; )
    2013 Volkswagen Turbo Beetle (VWVortex.com 2013 Super Beetle Project) <— This please
    Kaz you are awesome!
    Thank you

  97. Swonz

    Rooting for that Mustang RTR, we really need the newer version in GT and also the VW Beetle because it looks like a 911 GT3

  101. A_Higher_Place

    The scion would be good to use in custom class races like the ones I do with my online buddies… Like using the tuned HKS Evo in Super GT 300..

    That Scion could be added to the grid easily!

  102. nuclearfire

    2013 Volkswagen Turbo Beetle, i want this car in the game since i sat in it at the Philadelphia auto show last year

  108. hobanator24

    Well I feel Kaz has an affinity towards VW’s with the ’66 1200, Golf R & Scirocco R, so I’m hoping it’s the Beetle

  111. Fire Yoshi

    I want that beige mustang to win…love that body style. The red mustang is a bit too extreme, the beetle’s exterior is a bit plain for my taste. The FR-S is pretty cool, but I don’t really want it in the game for some reason. The dragster is ugly as frick, but man does it bring back GT2 memories. lol

    1. Teejay143

      we need drag cars in gt5 and a proper drag strip with working tree, say like an atomatic tree that lights green every 30 seconds or somthing so people can line up and drag their turn, with a light at the end to show who won….

Comments on this post are now closed.

About the Author
More Videos
Subscribe to GTPlanet on YouTube!
Related Articles

Gran Turismo 7 Weekly Challenges: C How They Run

Andrew Evans · · Comments
A new set of Gran Turismo 7 Weekly Challenges is becoming available as midnight Thursday passes around the world, with five more races to complete over the next seven days for bonus rewards.

Gran Turismo 7 Daily Races: Three’s a Crowd

Andrew Evans · · Comments
After a week with some high-performance road machines, the newest set of Gran Turismo 7 Daily Races return to an all-race car line-up, and there’s a bit of mischief going on in the regulations.