Fifty-nine jurors from around the world, ten hopeful candidates, and just one overall winner…the countdown to the 2009 World Car of the Year awards has begun.
By Gareth Dean
Now in its sixth year, the annual World Car of the Year awards has become a household name when it comes to recognising and rewarding automotive excellence on a global scale. Although the award ultimately goes to a single car encompassing the above mentioned merits, special recognition is also given to a selection of outstanding performance cars, car design, and green motoring technologies.
The jury of fifty-nine international automotive journalists have been selected by means of a secret ballot based on their experience in their respective professional fields. Jury members hail from such regions as Asia,, Europe, North America, South America, and South Africa – represented by CAR magazine’s Deputy Editor Hannes Oosthuizen.
The juror’s initial top eleven (normally ten, but a tie ensued) selection has been tabulated by international accounting firm KPMG, and are listed below in alphabetical order:
- Audi A4 / Avant
- BMW 7 Series
- Citroen C5 Sedan / C5 Tourer
- Fiat 500
- Ford Fiesta
- Honda Fit / Jazz
- Jaguar XF
- Mazda Atenza / Mazda6
- Nissan GT-R
- Toyota iQ
- Volkswagen Golf VI
The 2009 World Performance Car, in association with Mobil 1, will be chosen from one of these top ten finalists:
- Audi RS 6 Avant
- BMW 135i Coupe / Cabriolet
- Corvette ZR1
- Lamborghini LP560-4 Gallardo
- Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG
- Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG
- Mitsubishi Evo X / Evo MR
- Nissan GT-R
- Porsche 911 Carrera
- Subaru Impreza WRX STI
The jurors’ next step will be to re-evaluate the “top ten” cars in both classes, in preparation for a final round of voting in February. They will specifically rate each vehicle in terms of overall merit, value, safety, environmental responsibility, emotional appeal, and significance. KPMG will again tabulate the vote results; then announce the top three finalists at a press conference at the New York International Motor Show on March 9, 2009.
The finalists of the World Car Design of the Year category are handled differently; a panel of four highly respected world design experts assists the jurors by developing a short list of recommendations taken from the array of entries in the 2009 World Car of the Year category. The fifty-nine jurors then choose the 2009 World Car Design of the Year winner from this short list when they vote in February. The top three contenders will also be announced by KPMG on March 9, 2009.
The same system applies to the World Green Car* award. A panel of three experts, each representing a continent, reviews all entries in this category; then creates a short-list for the jurors’ vote this month.
