The Porsche 911 has once again earned top honors from automotive enthusiasts, taking first place in two categories in the BEST CARS 2026 readers’ choice awards organized by German automotive publication auto motor und sport.
In the 50th edition of the annual survey, the Porsche 911 was voted the winner in the Sports Car category. The Porsche 911 Cabriolet/Targa likewise finished first in the Convertible category, giving the model line two category victories in this year’s poll.
The two victories add another chapter to the remarkable history of the 911 in the long-running readers’ poll. When auto motor und sport held its first readers’ choice survey in 1976, the Porsche 911 was already among the winning cars. Fifty years later, it remains at the top of the results.
The scale of the BEST CARS competition itself has changed considerably over those five decades. The first poll featured just 60 vehicles across six categories, with classifications largely based on engine displacement. By 2026, the field had expanded to a record 480 candidates across 26 categories, reflecting a significantly more diverse automotive landscape.
Despite that expansion, the 911 continues to stand out among sports cars.
A total of 94,911 readers participated in BEST CARS 2026, making the anniversary edition one of Europe’s largest automotive reader votes. Rather than being selected by a judging panel, the winners are determined directly by readers, providing an indication of which models have the strongest appeal among automotive enthusiasts.
The double victory also reflects the breadth of the current 911 family. In the Sports Car category, the 911 maintains the formula that has defined the model for generations, combining its characteristic rear-engine layout with continued development in performance, chassis technology and everyday usability.
The Cabriolet and Targa bring a different character to the same 911 foundation, giving the model family another first-place finish in the Convertible category.
Since its introduction in 1963, the Porsche 911 has undergone continuous technical evolution while retaining key elements of its original concept and unmistakable silhouette.
Its BEST CARS 2026 results therefore carry particular significance: half a century after winning recognition in the first edition of the poll, the Porsche 911 is still being voted to the top by readers.
