World Car of the Year Finalists Named

Top three finalists are announced in four categories for the 2009 World Car Awards

Winners to be announced at the New York Auto Show

The WCOTY competition was established just six years ago and marks the culmination of the big auto shows held in the U.S. The World Car Awards are different than most of the other awards that are bestowed on manufacturers at the other shows. Unlike those given out at, for example, the North American show in Detroit, World Car nominees aren’t required to be marketed in North America. As such, many of the vehicles that appear on the list of finalists will be, if you pardon the expression, “foreign” to many U.S. enthusiasts (as well as to a few here at LotPro.com).

2009 award nominees fall into four categories: 2009 World Car, 2009 World Performance Car, 2009 World Green Car and 2009 World Car Design of the Year. Here’s how they shake out:

Ford Fiesta

2009 World Car. In order to qualify for the overall award, the vehicle had to be in production as well as available for sale on at least two continents during 2008. It also must “excel in a broad range of attributes.” The three finalists for this award are:

Ford Fiesta
Toyota iQ
Volkswagen Golf VI

Nissan GT-R

2009 World Performance Car. Unlike the overall award, the performance car must “demonstrate a specific and overt sports/performance orientation” while still satisfying the criteria of model production and availability. Vehicles in this category also must satisfy a minimum annual production rate of 500. The three finalists for this category are:

Corvette ZR1
Nissan GT-R
Porsche 911 Carrera

Honda FCX Clarity

2009 World Green Car. Unlike the other two categories, vehicles in this category only needed to be available in one major market in 2008. In addition to production models, prototypes were allowed as long as at least ten or more were released for individual or press fleet evaluations during the year. Emissions, fuel consumption and powertrain technology aimed at increasing a vehicle’s “environmental responsibility” were all taken into account during the selection process. This year’s candidates are:

Honda FCX Clarity
Mitsubishi iMiEV
Toyota iQ

Fiat 500

2009 World Car Design of the Year. Taken from the broad list of World Car candidates, a panel of four judges that included Silvia Faruffaldi, Robert Cumberford, Akira Fujimoto and Tom Matano recommended a short list to jurors who then voted on the three finalists, which are:

Citroen C5 Sedan/C5 Tourer
Fiat 500
Jaguar XF

Stay tuned, as the awards will be announced on Thursday, April 9th.

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