AND NOW THERE IS ONE…. MAZDA2/MAZDA DEMIO DECLARED 2008 WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR ________
March 20, 2008 –
At a press conference hosted by the MIDWAY GROUP, Mobil 1 and the New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javitz Centre in
The Mazda2/Mazda Demio was chosen from an initial entry list of thirty-nine (39) entries nominated by forty-seven (47) World Car jurors from twenty-four (24) countries throughout the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work.
Rather than being just a popularity contest, the objective was to ensure that the World Car of the Year would be the product of a fair and thorough assessment process that considered the needs and wants of consumers the world over. The process began with individual jurors evaluating and rating the candidates using a variety of standardized parameters – everything from styling and quality, to performance and safety. The jurors then voted in January 2008 to establish a top ten shortlist. The World Car of the Year was chosen from those finalists as tabulated by the international accounting firm KPMG.
WCOTY jurors observed that, “This fresh Mazda compact makes the first-generation one-box-ish Mazda2/Demio fade into the mists of time even more so. The new version is exactly that - completely new; particularly on the outside. The two-door sportier look was recently unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show and reviews around the world have been primarily one big ‘thumbs up’. Consumers will be drawn to the new Mazda compact because of its very appealing looks and high levels of standard equipment for the price”.
The top three contenders for 2008 World Car of the Year title were, in alphabetical order, the Ford Mondeo, the Mazda2/Mazda Demio and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award recognizing the Mazda2/Mazda Demio as the 2008 World Car of the Year”,,” said Dan Morris, Mazda’s senior managing executive officer in charge of Marketing, Sales and Customer Service. “This is wonderful recognition which Mazda2 car owners and Mazda employees alike can celebrate worldwide.
“The all-new Mazda2 is exceeding our highest expectations, demonstrating it can compete and win against the best compact cars in any market in the world and is earning glowing praise at home and globally, having also won a number Car of the Year awards around the globe, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, New Zealand, and the RJC Car of the Year award in Japan.”
Previous World Car of the Year winners were the Lexus LS460 in 2007, the BMW 3-Series in 2006 and the Audi A6 in 2005.
Now in their fifth year, the annual World Car awards have become one of the most prestigious and credible programs of their type in the world.
The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale. The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programs.
The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and
For more information, please visit our web site at www.wcoty.com or send us an email: beth@wcoty.com. If you prefer to talk to us, please call our Executive Manager, Beth Rhind, at 1.705.924.3444.
About the MIDWAY-GROUP MIDWAY-GROUP, a member of the Hankey Group of Companies, is a global automotive solutions firm with strategic regional headquarter locations serving the
***
About Mobil 1 The world's leading synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1 features a proprietary SuperSyn anti-wear technology that provides performance beyond conventional motor oils. This technology allows Mobil 1 to exceed the toughest standards of car builders and to provide exceptional protection against engine wear, under normal or some of the most extreme conditions. Mobil 1 flows quickly in extreme temperatures to protect critical engine parts and is designed to maximize engine performance and help extend engine life.
Chosen by more Original Equipment Manufacturers than any other oil brand in the world, Mobil 1 is factory fill, manufacturer recommended, original equipment in many of the world's premier luxury and high performance vehicles, including Acura RDX, Aston Martin, all Bentley Vehicles, Cadillac CTS, CTS-V, Escalade, XLR, XLR-V, SRX and STS and STS-V Chevrolet Corvette C6 and Z06, Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS, Chrysler 300C SRT-8 , Cobalt SS S/C Coupe, Charger SRT-8, and Magnum SRT-8, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8, Mercedes AMG Vehicles, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Mitsubishi Evolution, Pontiac Solstice GXP, all Porsche Vehicles, Saturn Ion Red Line, Saturn Sky Red Line and Nissan GT-R.
***
About the Kicking off the springtime selling season, the 2008 New York International Auto Show features an impressive collection of cutting-edge design and remarkable innovation. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers feature the newest vehicles and futuristic concept cars. More than 1,000 cars and trucks are on display at the |
Media Releases: 2009 Awards  Press Days: April 8-9, 2009    |
|||
 |