Showing posts with label Car of the year. Show all posts

Saturday, January 29, 2011

WHATCAR?: CAR OF THE YEAR 2011!

INTRODUCTION:
http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/what-car-car-of-the-year-awards-2011/254786

Your new car search starts here…

Welcome to the 2011 What Car? Awards – the 34th annual car Oscars celebrating the very best cars you can buy across 17 categories.

I can’t remember a more exciting year of car launches, with every car maker fighting harder than ever for your attention with loads of brilliant new models. There’s more choice, for sure, but there’s also more quality, more value and more fun to be had from your next new car.

What Car?’s tests have always been the most thorough out there, and we’re constantly tweaking our assessments, taking your needs and expectations into account.

So, after hundreds of thousands of miles of testing and analysis, we’re confident that the winners you’ll read about over the following webpages will put a smile on your face now and for many years to come.

Steve Fowler What Car? editor-in-chief
steve.fowler@whatcar.com

Without further ado, here are the Roll of honour:

AND THE OVERALL WINNER IS:

Where do you go when you need a city that can provide 16 different, but equally stunning backdrops? Liverpool.

The European Capital of Culture 2008
Liverpool was the perfect venue for our Car of the Year photography. It’s modern and cosmopolitan, yet steeped in history.

Wherever I took my camera there was a fantastic atmosphere – helped no end by the can-do attitude of so many of the locals.

My thanks to them, and I hope everyone enjoys the pictures.John Bradshaw

John Bradshaw Chief Photographer
John.Bradshaw@whatcar.com

END OF SOURCE...

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

Friday, January 21, 2011

VW Polo is Wheels Mag 'Car of the Year' - again

Polo is 'Car of the Year' - again

Wednesday, January 19, 2011 1:41 PM

Wheels Magazine's 'Car of the Year' award for a second year running, the Australian Associated Press reports.

The VW Polo has followed the VW Golf to small-car fame, winning over judges with its "beautiful" engineering.

Wheels Magazine editor, Bill Thomas, said Nissan's Micra and the Renault Megane, both small cars, joined the Polo as top three finalists for the award.

Thomas said it was not surprising to see small cars taking the limelight.

"It's a fair indication of the way trends are going in car buying in Australia. Small car sales have gone up by 55 per cent.

"It means that a third of cars in Australia now are small cars," he said.

The Polo sells for about A$20,000 (RM60,000).

Thomas said the finalist nod was a first for the Nissan Micra, impressing judges with a complete overhaul.

"The Nissan Micra is probably the best car ever sold for under A$13,000 (RM39,000) in Australia. The features and extras make it excellent value,"

Among the more expensive small cars, the Renault Megane hot-hatch sells for about A$42,000 (RM126,000).
-Bernama

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Car and Driver: 2011 10Best Cars!

Car and Driver: 2011 10Best Cars - 10Best Cars

Here it is: New-car candyland, 2011 edition.

BY THE EDITORS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN ROE
November 2010

FOR FULL VERSION: Surf to: (SOURCE)
http://www.caranddriver.com/features/10q4/2011_10best_cars-10best_cars

From the dry lake bed of El Mirage, California, we present these pinnacles of automotive achievement; cars that affirm that, for all the hand-wringing about the coming electrified future, the dinosaurs and the mammals are playing together quite nicely. For the first time ever, we have an electrically powered car on the list, the Chevy Volt. You may have heard of it. But we haven’t forsaken its antipode, the Cadillac CTS-V.

Nor have we left off significant events of the past year—the coming technologies, the best performers, and our pitiless look at this year’s winners and losers.

Was it all perfect? No. But perfection is a funny thing—just ask Toyota. It is elusive. Slippery. None of the winning cars is ultimately perfect, but each one is as close as you can get for less than $80,000. They all fulfill their intended missions; they all make you feel smart; and they all practically grab you by the lapels and pull you in for a drive. More important than actual perfection may be that these cars are constantly evolving toward that impossibility.

The Nominees

Nominees consist of all-new cars, 2010 10Best winners, cars that were not available for the 2010 competition, and those with significant updates. All cars must fall under our base-price cap of $80,000 and be on sale in January 2011.

Acura TSX wagon* • Audi A8 • Audi S4 • BMW Z4 sDrive35is • BMW 3-series/M3 • BMW 5-series • BMW 5-series GT • BMW 740i/Li • Buick Regal • Cadillac CTS/CTS-V • Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport • Chevrolet Cruze • Chevrolet Volt • Chrysler 300* • Dodge Charger* • Ford Fiesta • Ford Fusion hybrid • Ford Mustang/Mustang GT/Shelby GT500 • Honda Accord • Honda CR-Z • Honda Fit • Hyundai Elantra* • Hyundai Equus • Hyundai Sonata • Infiniti G25* • Infiniti IPL G Coupe* • Infiniti M37/M56 • Jaguar XJ/XJL • Kia Forte 5-door • Kia Optima • Lincoln MKZ hybrid • Lotus Evora • Mazda MX-5 Miata • Mazda 2 • Mazda 3/Mazdaspeed 3 • Mercedes-Benz E-class cabriolet and wagon • Mercedes-Benz E350 BlueTec • Mercedes-Benz F-Cell* • Mini Cooper Countryman • Nissan Juke • Nissan Leaf • Porsche Boxster/Boxster Spyder/Cayman • Porsche Panamera V-6 • Saab 9-5 • Scion tC* • Smart Fortwo Electric Drive* • Subaru Impreza WRX/WRX STI • Toyota Avalon • Toyota Corolla 2.5* • Volkswagen Golf/GTI • Volkswagen Jetta • Volvo S60.

For more information: Surf to: 2011, 10 BEST CARS:

1) Winner 1: BMW 3-series/M3: "THE SECRET RECIPE"

2 )Winner 2: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V: "Some won’t recognize it as Cadillac. Good."

3) Winner 3: 2011 Chevrolet Volt: "NO PLUG? NO PROBLEM"

4) Winner 4: 2011 Ford Mustang GT: "PONYBOY GOING GOLD".

5) Winner 5: 2011 Honda Accord: "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY"

6) Winner 6: 2011 Honda Fit: "MICROMANAGER."

7) Winner 7: 2011 Hyundai Sonata: "The Student suddenly has become the teacher."

8) Winner 8:2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata: "Easy to live with, easy to race, easy to LOVE"

9) Winner 9: 2011 Porsche Boxster/Cayman: "The Baby Porsche is Secretly the Better Porsche"

10) Winner 10:2011 Volkswagen Golf/Golf GTI: "Everyday Excellence"

END OF ARTICLE...

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Nissan Leaf is 2011 European Car of the Year

YOKOHAMA: In a historic moment for Nissan and zero emission vehicles, the fully electric Nissan Leaf was awarded 2011 European Car of the Year.

The world’s first mass-marketed, affordable, zero-emission vehicle for the global market beat 40 contenders to win motoring’s most important accolade.

This is the first time in the 47-year history of the annual competition that the award has gone to an electric vehicle.

Nissan Leaf’s rivals included vehicles from brands such as Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Dacia, Ford, Opel/Vauxhall and Volvo. The jury included 57 leading motoring journalists from 23 European countries.

“The jury acknowledged today that the Nissan LEAF is a breakthrough for electric cars. Nissan Leaf is the first EV that can match conventional cars in many respects,” said Hakan Matson, President of the Jury, Car of the Year.

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.’s President and CEO Carlos Ghosn said: “This award recognises the pioneering zero-emission Nissan Leaf as competitive to conventional cars in terms of safety, performance, spaciousness and handling. It also reflects Nissan’s standing as an innovative and exciting brand with a clear vision of the future of transportation, which we call sustainable mobility. With three other electric vehicles in the pipeline from Nissan – and with the imminent market introduction of four additional electric vehicles from our Alliance partner Renault – Nissan Leaf represents a significant first step toward a zero-emission future.”

Nissan Leaf is powered by a compact electric motor in the front of the car, which drives the front wheels. The AC motor develops 80kW of power and 280Nm of torque, enough for a maximum speed of 145kph.

The electric motor is powered by a Nissan-developed laminated lithium-ion battery with an output of more than 90kW. The car has a range of 175km between charges making it a practical proposition for many urban drivers.

The vehicle is fully equipped with features such as regenerating braking, air conditioning, satellite navigation, parking camera and advanced on-board IT and telematics systems. Innovative connectivity will allow an owner to set charging functions to monitor the car’s current state of charge and the remaining battery capacity, as well as to heat or cool the interior of the car remotely via mobile phone or computer.

The Nissan Leaf will be available in five colours in Europe – blue metallic and pearl, white pearl, silver metallic, black solid and red pearl. The single option is a solar panel mounted in the rear spoiler that supports charging of the car’s 12V battery used for powering accessories.

Deliveries in Japan and the United States begin this December. In Europe, deliveries start in early 2011 to Portugal, the Republic of Ireland, Britain and the Netherlands. The zero-emission car is currently being built in Japan, but will also be produced in North America and Europe when new manufacturing facilities open in late 2012 and early 2013.

In Europe, the company will soon launch an advanced petrol-electric hybrid luxury sedan wearing the Infiniti badge, while crossover vehicles, such as Nissan Qashqai and Nissan Juke, have created new vehicle segments.

Next year will also see the arrival of the fourth generation Nissan Micra powered by a supercharged version of an all-new 1.2-litre three cylinder direct injection petrol engine with an Idling Stop system to offer spirited performance and CO2 emissions of just 95g/km.

Nissan has won the CoTY award in Europe before. In 1993, the British-built Nissan Micra became the first car from a Japanese automaker to win the accolade and started Europe’s love affair with the little car that continues today with the recent launch of the newest Nissan Micra model.

SOURCE: http://www.star-motoring.com/News/2010/Nissan-Leaf-is-2011-European-Car-of-the-Year-.aspx

Sunday, November 28, 2010

NST: Car of the Year 2010 Winners announced

SOURCE:
http://www.cbt.com.my/101126/car-year-2010-winners-announced

The News Straits Times MAYBANK Car of the Year 2010 Winners were announced at the COTY Gala Dinner held at The Saujana, Kuala Lumpur on 26 November 2010.

Appended are the winners by their respective categories.
The Gala Dinner pics are available at the CBT Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/cbtpage
COTY 2010 Category Winners

1 - Entry Level Car
Hyundai i10 (1.25 Kappa)

2 - Compact Car
Ford Fiesta - (Hatchback/Sedan)

3 - Family Car
Naza Kia Forte

4 - Executive Car
Hyundai Sonata

5 - Premium Executive Car (below RM300,000)
Volkswagen Passat CC

6 – Premium Executive Car (above RM300,000)
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (E200 CGI)

7 - Limousine
Jaguar XJ

8 - Performance Car (below RM300,000)
Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk6

9 - Premium Coupe/Cabriolet
Audi A5 Coupe

10 – Compact MPV (Below RM150,000)
Perodua Alza

11 – Large MPV
Mazda 8
Ssangyong Stavic

12 - SUV (Below RM200,000)
Hyundai Tucson (2.4 L)

13 – Premium SUV
Mazda CX-7

14 - SUV (RM280,000 - RM350,000)
Mitsubishi Pajero

15 - SUV (RM350,000 and above)
Porsche Cayenne (S Hybrid)

16 - Pickup Truck (4x4)
Isuzu D-Max 2.5 Super Common Rail

17 - Pickup Truck (4x2)
Ford Ranger Double Cab 4x2 XL

Public's Choice (Vote): Naza Kia Forte

Overall Car of the Year 2010 – Volkswagen Passat CC

Best Design Award – Volkswagen Passat CC

Automotive Man Of The Year : Naza Group joint group executive chairman SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin

CLICK HERE FOR LAST YEAR'S RESULTS:
http://otoreview.blogspot.com/2009/12/nstmaybank-car-of-year-award-2009.html

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Japan Car of the Year (JCOTY) 2010/2011

RJC Japan Car of the Year 2010/2011

Another hybrid model has been picked as Japan’s Car of the Year (JCOTY), certainly a reflection of the growing popularity of such vehicles which were first introduced in the late 1990s. Last year’s JCOTY was the Toyota Prius and this year, it’s the sporty Honda CR-Z pictured above (the Honda Insight, also a hybrid model, was second-placed in last year’s JCOTY).

Volkswagen Polo - runner-up
and Import Car of the Year

The runner-up was an imported model – the latest Volkswagen Polo – which was the highest position ever achieved by a non-Japanese make. It impressed the 60 judges so much that only 9 points separated it from the winner. It was also winner of the Import Car category, of course. Incidentally, the VW Golf was third in last year’s JCOTY and also the Import Car of the Year winner.

Third is the New Suzuki Swift (sold in Japan), followed by the Peugeot RCZ and the Nissan March rounding off the top five. The other five models making up the top ten (in order of points scored) are the latest BMW 5-Series, Jaguar XJ, Mazda Premacy (new Mazda5), Toyota Mark X and Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Click here to see last year's JCOTY winners

PAST JAPAN CAR OF THE YEAR WINNERS:

1980/1981: Mazda Familia (323)

1981/1982: Toyota Soarer

1982/1983: Mazda Capella (626)

1983/1984: Honda Civic

1984/1985: Toyota MR2

1985/1986: Honda Accord

1986/1987: Nissan Pulsar (Sentra)

1987/1988: Mitsubishi Galant

1988/1989: Nissan Silvia SX

1989/1990: Toyota Celsior (Lexus LS)

1990/1991: Mitsubishi Galant

1991/1992: Honda Civic

1992/1993: Nissan March

1993/1994: Honda Accord

1994/1995: Mitsubishi FTO

1995/1996: Honda Civic

1996/1997: Mitsubishi Galant

1997/1998: Toyota Prius

1998/1999: Toyota Altezza (Lexus IS200)

1999/2000: Toyota Vitz (Yaris)

2000/2001: Honda Civic

2001/2002: Honda Fit (Jazz)

2002/2003: Honda Accord

2003/2004: Subaru Legacy

2004/2005: Honda Legend

2005/2006: Mazda MX-5

2006/2007: Lexus LS460

2007/2008: Honda Fit (Jazz)

2008/2009: Toyota iQ

2009/2010: Toyota Prius

END OF ARTICLE:

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

SOURCE:

http://www.motortrader.com.my/Cars/NewsHeader/News-in-2010/World-News/Japan-Car-of-the-Year-2010-2011.aspx

AUTOCAR ASEAN Car of the Year 2010

SOURCE: http://www.motortrader.com.my/Cars/NewsHeader/Highlights/AUTOCAR-ASEAN-Car-of-the-Year-2010.aspx

In this blog entry, I'm presenting you "AUTOCAR ASEAN Car of the Year 2010"

sourced from the above link. Hope it helps you to decide on your next car. Enjoy:

Supermini/Small Sedan: Hyundai i10 1.25 'Kappa'

Compact Sedan/Hatchback: Naza Forte

Midsize Sedan/Hatchback: Ford Focus 2.0 TDCi Sport

Large Sedan/Hatchback: Toyota Camry (facelift)

Compact Luxury Sedan/Hatchback: VW Passat cc

Luxury Hatchback/Coupe: Audi A5 2.0 TFSI quattro

Midsize Luxury Sedan/Hatchback: BMW 5-Series

Large Luxury Sedan: Lexus LS 460 Sport

Small/Midsize SUV: 2nd Generation Nissan X-Trail

Large SUV: Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GL

Premium SUV: Renault Koleos

Large Luxury SUV: Range Rover (facelift)

Pick-up Truck: Mitsubishi Triton (facelift)

Small/Midsize MPV: Perodua Alza

Large MPV: Mazda8

Performance Car: Lotus Evora

Overall Winner - Autocar ASEAN Car of the Year 2010:
Audi A5 2.0 TFSI quattro

Past winners (top row): 2004 - Honda Accord, 2005 - Toyota Hilux,

2006 - Honda Civic (above) 2007-Honda CR-V, 2008-Nissan Sylphy,

2009 - Renaultsport Megane.

THAT"S ALL FOLKS, Thanks for having the time and patience
to read this blog entry!

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

NST/Maybank Car of the Year award 2009

Peugeot 308 Turbo wins “Overall Car of the Year 2008” Award

Source: Cars.Bike.Trucks website:
http://cbt.com.my/091214/peugeot-308-turbo-wins-%E2%80%9Coverall-car-year-2008%E2%80%9D-award

Submitted by salihin on Mon, 14/12/2009 - 12:36pm

The new Peugeot 308 Turbo made its mark when it won the New Straits Times/Maybank “Overall Car of the Year 2009” Award. The 308 Turbo was also a winner in the Family Car Award.

The winners for the New Straits Times/Maybank 2009 Awards were announced at a gala dinner at The Saujana Kuala Lumpur, hosted by the New Straits Times and title sponsor Maybank Berhad.

The guest-of-honour for the night was Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Deputy Prime Minister.

Also present was Datuk Aishah Ahmad, President of the Malaysian Automotive Association.

A panel of 10 judges, comprising motoring editors, an automotive blogger and other distinguished personalities unanimously voted for the Peugeot 308 Turbo as winner of the coveted “Overall Car of The Year” based on its impressive road handling, powerful performance, comfort and safety.

Judges were impressed by the car’s fuel efficiency, and the performance of the 1.6-litre direct injection turbo petrol engine, already an award winner internationally - but it was the 308 Turbo’s competitive price point and build quality that was the key factor in its win. The car also has a full-length panoramic glass roof, the only car in its class to offer such a feature.

The 308 Turbo is completely knocked down (CKD) and consists of imported parts from France. It is distributed by the official franchise holder of Peugeot Automobiles in Malaysia, Nasim Sdn Bhd (NSB), a member of the Naza Group of Companies.

The winner of the Good Design Award is the Toyota Prius. Already the number one selling hybrid car in the world, The Prius was selected not just for its beautifully sculpted shape, but also how much of its styling have been made to help its aerodynamic efficiency. Judges were also won over by the flowing lines of the car’s interior, the overall “cockpit” feel of the cabin, right down to the innovative use of storage space in the car.

The Volvo XV60, winner of the Luxury SUV award, added another feather to its cap by winning the Safety Award for its impressive list of safety features, which include the laser-based City Safety feature, Lane Departure Warning System and Collision Warning with Auto Brake, which uses radar technology for vehicle tracking.

The winners were selected from 68 new models introduced between December 2008 and October 2009, and judges took into account criteria such as exterior and interior design, comfort and ergonomics, performance, safety, emotional appeal, and after sales service including the comprehensiveness of its warranty. Points were awarded to the cars, and the vehicle with the most points wins the category. The overall Car of The Year winner was then selected from the list of 15 winners.

The night also saw history in the making when two distinguished names in motoring were selected as the “Automotive Man of The Year 2009” Award, Dato’ Dr Ang Bon Beng and Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar.

Dato’ Dr Ang is the Executive Director of Edaran Tan Chong Motor while Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz is the Managing Director of Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua).

Dato Dr Ang was selected for his efforts in keeping the Tan Chong business thriving and making it the icon it is today, all this in spite of internal turmoil and pressure from its Japanese principal.

yed Hafiz was recognised for presenting a product loved by Malaysians for its quality, reliability and styling.

The Car of the Year Awards is the country’s first motoring award, and was launched in 2002 by Cars, Bikes and Trucks, the motoring section of the New Sunday Times, as a means to acknowledge achievements within the motoring industry.

The event is endorsed by the Malaysian Automotive Association.