World Car of the Year Announces Top 10 Finalists

From an initial entry list of twenty-eight (28) new vehicles from all over the world, a short list of ten finalists for the third annual World Car of the Year (WCOTY) awards were announced by the international accounting firm KPMG. The winners of the 2007 WCOTY will be unveiled during Press Preview at the upcoming New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) on Thursday, April 5, 2007.

Vehicles are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 45 top-level automotive journalists from around the world. To be eligible, the car must be in production, and sold in at least five countries on two continents.

World Car - Top Ten Finalists: The following Top Ten World Car finalists are listed below in alphabetical order:

* Audi Q7
* Audi TT
* Citroen C4 Picasso
* Citroen C6
* Fiat Grande Punto
* Jaguar XK
* Lexus LS 460
* Mercedes CL
* MINI
* Suzuki SX4 / Fiat Sedici




World Performance Car - Top Ten Finalists
In addition, the following Top Ten World Performance Car finalists are:

* Audi RS4
* Audi S6
* BMW 335i
* BMW M / Z4 M Coupe/Roadster
* Ferrari 599 GTB
* Jaguar XKR
* Mazda 3 MPS / Mazdaspeed3
* Porsche 911 GT3
* Porsche 911 Turbo
* Renault Clio Renault Sport


The jurors' next steps are to re-evaluate the "Top Ten" cars in the above categories in preparation for a final round of voting on March 1st. Jury members will specifically rate each vehicle in terms of overall merit, value, safety, environmental responsibility, emotional appeal, and significance. KPMG will tabulate the vote results and the top three finalists will be announced no later than Thursday, March 8th, 2007.

There are no Top Ten finalists for World Green Car or for World Design of the Year. Instead, jurors will vote in those categories on March 1st. The Top Three finalists in all awards categories will then be announced on Thursday, March 8th.

The 2007 World Car of the Year, as well as the winners of the World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year titles will all be declared on Thursday, April 5, 2007 during a press conference to be held at the New York International Auto Show.

"Announcing the annual World Car of the Year awards at the New York show is a fitting finale to the auto show season that begins each fall with either the Paris or Frankfurt motor shows," said Gerry Malloy, co-chair, WCOTY. "Next, it's on to Tokyo in alternating years. The Detroit show takes centre stage in January while Geneva claims the spotlight in March. Finally, in April, the season reaches its exciting climax at the New York International Auto Show."

About World Car of the Year
The World Car of the Year Awards program is initiated by, organized by, and conducted by, automotive journalists from around the globe. A non-profit association guided by a steering committee of journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America administers the awards program. WCOTY is intended to complement, not compete with, existing COTY awards by raising consumer awareness of regional Car of the Year award programs as well as the World Car of the Year.

OBSERVER1984 - 1/31/2007 2:05:31 PM

0 Boost

Lexus LS 460 and Ferrari 599 GTB

SteveL - 1/31/2007 2:10:39 PM

+1 Boost

“Conducted by automotive journalists” this gives the award so much credibility. I value these people opinion as much as I do Hugo Chavez’s. Most of the cars are great but give me a break. These people are just like all the other main stream media. Biased and closed minded.

EL34 - 1/31/2007 2:20:06 PM

-2 Boost

Hugo Chavez is well on his way to becoming a communist dictator.

In other words, a failed Capitalist.

XYZZ - 2/2/2007 5:35:40 AM

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Hugo Chavez is SO SUCCESSFUL and popular as a leader, the Bushies are constantly frustrated trying to take him out.

if he's failing as a capitalist, it's ONLY 'cuz he's not your typical greedhead. he GIVES AWAY oil to the poor, f'chrissakes!

S4cabriofoxone - 1/31/2007 6:22:41 PM

-1 Boost

The A6 won the first year of this award (2005), but the 3 Series won last year.

Of course Audi would win, Will. They win all the awards. All the critics love them.

EL34 - 1/31/2007 2:18:48 PM

-5 Boost

The Sumo Lexus LS460 is way to bloated and needs to go on a diet, today!

EL34i - 1/31/2007 2:27:52 PM

+11 Boost

The Sumo EL34 is way too redundant and needs stick to his futile pursuit of clients, today!

webguy - 1/31/2007 4:32:06 PM

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For reference last year’s awards looked like this.
Overall: BMW 3 (Anyone remember Bimmer’s taunting Audi ads?)
Performance: Cayman S
Green: Civic Hybrid
Design: Citroen C4


I’m surprised to see Suzuki up there. Sure the SX4 is lacking the crappiness you might expect from Suzuki; but that’s like awarding an alcoholic for drinking less. The LS seems like the painfully obvious choice to me, but the TT somehow remains a "journalist" favorite... So I bet it’ll go to one of the two.

The Mazda 3 is an interesting inclusion in performance. The 335 is the freshest in everyone’s mind, the 3 got WCOTY last year and the RS4 was already a mere runner-up; so the 3 will probably get the nod... though I’d pick the S6.

Lexus - 1/31/2007 6:06:36 PM

-1 Boost

No Lexus IS350! hmmm...

Lexus

S4cabriofoxone - 1/31/2007 6:23:04 PM

+1 Boost

The IS350 was probably on the list last year, but only new cars can be on the list.

Rupert - 1/31/2007 6:06:52 PM

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C6 and Rs4.

S4cabriofoxone - 1/31/2007 6:23:51 PM

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Ha! Audi has a 1 in 5 chance of winning!

rom64 - 1/31/2007 7:58:45 PM

0 Boost

Dont be surprised if Audi does win World Car of The Year.

My Picks >>

World Car Of The Year - Audi TT
World Performance Car Of The Year - Porsche 911 GT3

S4cabriofoxone - 1/31/2007 10:44:13 PM

-1 Boost

The RS4 SHOULD be the world car of the year. It's kind of a combination of "overall" and "performance", and it's executed masterfully, down to the last detail.

Of course, it probably won't, because it's simply a special edition of a current model. I won't be bashful if the beautiful new TT wins.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/1/2007 10:50:31 PM

+1 Boost

Please, spell "celebrities" right.

Some of the spelling errors on this site are astonishing...

Matthew1 - 2/1/2007 12:14:31 AM

+4 Boost

Caltrans,

Sadly, I have a feeling all three are one of the same.

EL34 should be banned, bot for his conduct per se, but his lack of contribution to ANY article EVER posted on Autospies.

He isn't even funny.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/1/2007 10:51:30 PM

+2 Boost

They're not. EL34 is the dumb all-German fan, 43LE is the bitter Lexus fan, and EL34i makes fun of EL34.

Matthew1 - 2/2/2007 12:23:23 AM

+1 Boost

That's what makes it so sad. he has all these little characters. Notice they all have the same syntax, incomplete sentences, and two even have the exact same photo.

XYZZ - 2/2/2007 5:39:34 AM

+1 Boost

i don's see 43LE as "bitter."

he seems like he's HAVING FUN bursting EL34's often ignorant, pompous statements.

and as of this post, he's +17 above EL.

Matthew1 - 2/1/2007 12:14:51 AM

+2 Boost

*not

EL34 - 2/1/2007 2:07:02 AM

-1 Boost

I can't believe a Suzuki made the list because I wouldn't even buy one of their motorcycles let alone a car.

XYZZ - 2/1/2007 7:15:00 AM

-4 Boost

in german auto surveys, Suzuki tends to rank ABOVE the home brands. not necessarily in desirability, but in reliability and OWNER SATISFACTION.

XYZZ - 2/1/2007 7:21:43 AM

-4 Boost

and your comment about suzuki bikes reveals your IGNORANCE as well as prejudice.

the suzuki HAYABUSA is one of the BEST, and arguably the MOST POPULAR, of high performance motorcyles. (it will also SMOKE any german Sports CAR or sedan, even without using 6th gear!)

JUGNU - 2/1/2007 6:05:19 AM

-2 Boost

Surprise S class unabled to qualify for the finals.

BTW my picks.

LS460

911 Turbo

JUGNU

M53R - 2/1/2007 7:17:04 AM

+1 Boost

Surprise! the s class is 1 year old. ( all are new cars ). My choice would be :
Mercedes Cl

BMW 335i

S4cabriofoxone - 2/1/2007 10:52:18 PM

+1 Boost

Only new cars can be on the list. The S-Class was a finalist last year, if I remember correctly.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/1/2007 10:53:45 PM

0 Boost

For "World Car", my top three would be:

1. Audi TT
2. Mercedes CL
3. Jaguar XK

For "Performance Car":

1. Porsche 911 Turbo
2. Audi RS4
3. BMW 335i

louisvuittondon - 2/2/2007 2:18:20 AM

+2 Boost

I just saw that one if its the always biased clarkson top gear episode. XKR looks gorgous.

I'll root for the XKR and MPS, Ford could use a little good news.

SuperstarDriver - 2/2/2007 9:24:52 AM

-1 Boost

Audi TT and RS4 or S6 will win the prizes also could be Q7 because of being the standard in SUV class...so BMW has not a chance winning:)))World car of the year is Audi for sure!

Kostin - 2/2/2007 10:33:29 AM

+1 Boost

If the new X5 would have been launched globally and not only in USA i really don't know if the Q7 would have any chances of winning.

MSC06 - 2/3/2007 5:43:12 PM

0 Boost

You all seem to be passionate enthusiasts what do you think of Cadillac? Are they on the same field as the Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Lexus group?

Kostin - 2/5/2007 11:14:01 AM

+2 Boost

Probably to Cadillac fans...

MSC06 - 2/5/2007 10:55:55 PM

+1 Boost

I've been hearing Cadillac has stepped up their game with the 2008 CTS and has created an interior comparable to BMW. If this is the case can Cadillac compete with the Eurpoean cars? Can Cadillac be a car for the younger crowd or are they forever the "old persons" car?

Kostin - 2/7/2007 9:06:40 AM

+1 Boost

A Caddy will always be a Caddy.Probably the best American car although i think it takes much more than building one car to compare it to Europe's premium brands.