and World Green Car Finalists Announced

 

The countdown has begun in preparation for the 2008 World Car awards winners’ press conference at the New York International Auto Show on Thursday, March 20, 2008.

 

A jury of 47 distinguished international automotive journalists selected the finalists by secret ballot, based on their experience with each candidate as part of their professional work. The jury members constitute a balance of representation from Asia, Europe, North America, South America, as well as other parts of the world. All hold significant stature within their own regions and countries.

 

The 2008 World Car of the Year will be selected from the following top ten finalists:

 

Audi A5 Coupé / Audi S5 Coupé

Audi R8

Cadillac CTS

Ford Mondeo

Ford S-Max

Mazda2 / Mazda Demio

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Nissan Qashqai/Dualis

Nissan Skyline Coupe/Infiniti G37 Coupe

Volvo C30

 

The 2008 World Performance Car , presented by Mobil 1, will be chosen from one of these top ten finalists: AMG Mercedes-Benz CL 63

 

AMG Mercedes-Benz S 63

Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

Audi R8

Audi S5 Coupé

BMW M3

Honda Civic R (Japanese & European spec)

Maserati GranTurismo

Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series

Renault Clio F1 Team R27  

 

“For more than 30 years, Mobil 1 has been the recommended oil for the world's top high performance vehicles,” said Nancy Carlson, strategic global alliances manager, ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties. “It was a natural fit to bring Mobil 1 and the World Performance Car Award program together to honor these vehicles and the original equipment manufacturers who build them, in their quest to become the top performance car in the world .”

 

The jurors’ next step is 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. The international accounting firm of KPMG will tabulate the vote results and then announce the top three finalists on February 20, 2008.

 

As there are ten candidates for the 2008 World Green Car title, they become by default the top ten finalists in this class. They are:

 

BMW 118d with Efficient Dynamics

Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

Chevrolet Tahoe/GMC Yukon Hybrids

Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

Lexus LS 600h L

Nissan Altima Hybrid

Saturn Aura Green Line

Saturn Vue Green Line

SmartForTwo cdi

Volkswagen Passat 1.9 TDI BlueMotion

 

The selection of finalists in the World Car Design of the Year category are handled quite differently. A panel of international design experts assists the jurors by developing for them a short list of finalists from the array of eligible candidates in the 2008 World Car of the Year category. The jurors will choose the 2008 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 February 20, 2008.

 

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 a global 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 preeminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.

 

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.

 

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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.

 

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About New York International Auto Show
Kicking off the springtime selling season, the 2008 New York International Auto Show will feature an impressive collection of cutting-edge design and remarkable innovation. More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers will feature the newest vehicles and futuristic concept cars. More than 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at the Javits Center, filling 846,000 square feet of exhibit space. In addition, dozens of World and North American vehicle debuts are expected at the Show. NYIAS is owned and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association. Important Auto Show Dates

 

 

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The New York International Automobile Show is owned and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association. www.autoshowNY.com

 

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