World Car of the Year finalists

By Paul Gover
Herald Sun
09 February 2010

The BMW X4 is a strong contender for World Performance Car Of The Year. Photo Gallery

A widely varied field from the soft-roader Audi Q5 to the baby Volkswagen Polo is competing for the biggest prize in world motoring.

A widely varied field from the soft-roader Audi Q5 to the baby Volkswagen Polo is competing for the biggest prize in world motoring. The latest Audi and Volkswagen bookend the 10 finalists for the 2010 World Car of the Year.

The line-up also includes the Toyota Prius hybrid, the Gen-Y Kia Soul and the latest Mazda3. The top 10 runners were chosen in a secret ballot of the 59 WCOTY judges from 25 countries, including four from Australia, based on their experience with an original entry list of 30 cars from around the world.

A shortlist of three cars will be named next month at the Geneva Motor Show ahead of final voting and the announcement of this year's winner at the New York Motor Show in early April. The eventual winner will succeed the Volkswagen Golf, which was named 2009 World Car of the Year ahead of its local win in the similar Carsguide contest last year.

"This is the seventh year of the award, and it's getting stronger every year," says co-chair Peter Lyon, an Australian based in Tokyo and covering the Japanese auto industry. "We're now the second most-recognised motoring award in the world. And getting more credibility all the time."

Lyon says voting has been strong through the first-round picks and he is expecting a close contest. "Obviously, it's going to be a tough choice. But from what I've heard the VW Polo is going well and the Toyota Prius has a lot of support. They are the two that stand out.

"What's a surprise is that the other major hybrid release last year, the Honda Insight, did not make the top 10. In Japan it was second in the Japan Car of the Year behind the Prius, in quite a close fight." Judging for the WCOTY includes three other prizes.

First is the Performance Car of the Year award, where the Aston Martin V12 Vantage and Porsche Boxster/Cayman top-and-tail the 10-car list of finalists.

In the Green COTY award, the five finalists are the Ford Fusion, Honda Insight, Mercedes-Benz S400 and Toyota Prius, as well as the BlueMotion models - Polo, Golf, Passat - from Volkswagen.

The final WCOTY contest is for the World Car Design of the year and there are four finalists, led by the Australian-made Chevrolet Camaro. It is up against the Citroen C3 Picasso, Kia Soul and Toyota Prius.

CONTENDERS: 2010 WCOTY

Audi Q5
BMW X1
Chevrolet (Holden) Cruze
Kia Soul
Mazda3
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Opel/Vauxhall Insignia
Porsche Panamera
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Polo

CONTENDERS: 2010 WPCOTY

Aston Martin V12 Vantage
Audi R8 V10
Audi TT RS
BMW Z4
Ferrari California
Jaguar XFR
Lotus Evora
Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG
Nissan 370Z
Porsche 911 GT3
Porsche Boxster/Cayman

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This may help settle the argument: Daewoo was forced to sell off its automotive arm, Daewoo Motor, to General Motors in 2001. Since then, GM has been moving to rebadge Daewoo cars as models for many brands, including Chevrolet, Buick,Pontiac, Holden and Opel. The GM Daewoo nameplate was kept only for South Korea and Vietnam. GM Daewoo roots go back to the former Daewoo Group which went bankrupt in 1999. It has five manufacturing facilities in Korea as well as an assembly facility in Vietnam. In addition, GM Daewoo provides market and brand-specific vehicle kits for assembly at GM facilities in China, Thailand, India, Colombia and Venezuela. In 2008, GM Daewoo sold in Korea and exported more than 1.9 million units, including CKD products. GM Daewoo now produces vehicles and kits for Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Opel, Vauxhall, Pontiac, Holden and Suzuki that are offered in more than 150 markets on six continents.
Chris of sydney Posted on 17 February 2010 4:22am
The cruze desined buy, Holden,Opel and saab. Engineered by Opel. The current barina designed by us engineered by us. I'm still ed trying to figure where you get you facts from. DAEWOO is dead you don't work for holden, because you would know this to be fact. All that plant dose is bulid the cars, The cruze is a world wide car, cost 4 billion to make and 221 proto types before it came to market. Also voted the safest car under 25k, the build quality of this car is up there with the golf, so I don't know why your trying to shake the pedistal. There is always one in the group.
Holden mad of Brighton Vic Posted on 12 February 2010 10:42am
Hate to tell you that I work for Holden and are very close to the top end. So when I say DAEWOO is dead thats fact not opinon. It's our imput into that plant the has made it what it is, by the way not one car is stamped gm dat any more, but you new that. Daewoo have not designed a car for quite a long time, the cruze was designed by Holden,GM and SAAB. But put together by robots in that plant. I have a brother like you, that speaks before he thinks. YES ED
Holden mad of Brighton Vic Posted on 11 February 2010 1:56pm
Hate to tell you, Daewoo is still alive and kicking. Holden is still selling daewoo design, engineered and built cars and the badge itself is in use throughout the rest of the world
Ed of Vic Posted on 10 February 2010 9:46am
Well done GM and Australia. Finally we get a bit of recognition for the rolls we play in the design and build of these cars. For years we have been slammed for the take over of the daewoo plant, and for all you people out there DAEWOO is DEAD. Anyhow smart people the do research already new that. I will say that the powers that be all voted on the next 6 cars that are comming out of that plant and the cruze ranked 6th. Enough said on the cruze, but well done Holden for the design of one of the best American cars they have ever seen (Camaro). Take you hat off holden job well done.
Holden mad of Brighton Vic Posted on 10 February 2010 8:28am

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