12-19-2008, 03:55 AM
Automotive News
December 18, 2008 - 12:14 pm ET
Ford Motor Co. placed two candidates on the short list of finalists for the 2009 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards.
Ford's Flex (car) and the F-150 (truck) are among the six vehicles to make it through the latest round of voting by 50 automotive journalists in the United States and Canada.
The diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta TDI (car) and the Mercedes-Benz ML320 Bluetec (truck) are also on the list announced today. They are the first vehicles with diesel engines to qualify as finalists in the 16-year history of the awards.
Hyundai's new luxury entry, the Genesis, is the third finalist in the car category. No Korean automaker has made the cut before. The Dodge Ram pickup rounds out the truck field.
The winners will be announced Jan. 11 at the Detroit auto show. The criteria include innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value.
Last year, the Chevrolet Malibu won car of the year, and the Mazda CX-9 was honored as the top truck.
Domestic automakers have won the car trophy eight times, the Europeans four times and the Japanese three times.
In trucks, domestics have won nine times, followed by the Japanese four times and the Europeans twice.
Additionally, hybrids have won four times.
More than 50 vehicles were considered this year; 14 cars and 11 trucks made the initial ballot.
Automotive News article
December 18, 2008 - 12:14 pm ET
Ford Motor Co. placed two candidates on the short list of finalists for the 2009 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards.
Ford's Flex (car) and the F-150 (truck) are among the six vehicles to make it through the latest round of voting by 50 automotive journalists in the United States and Canada.
The diesel-powered Volkswagen Jetta TDI (car) and the Mercedes-Benz ML320 Bluetec (truck) are also on the list announced today. They are the first vehicles with diesel engines to qualify as finalists in the 16-year history of the awards.
Hyundai's new luxury entry, the Genesis, is the third finalist in the car category. No Korean automaker has made the cut before. The Dodge Ram pickup rounds out the truck field.
The winners will be announced Jan. 11 at the Detroit auto show. The criteria include innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value.
Last year, the Chevrolet Malibu won car of the year, and the Mazda CX-9 was honored as the top truck.
Domestic automakers have won the car trophy eight times, the Europeans four times and the Japanese three times.
In trucks, domestics have won nine times, followed by the Japanese four times and the Europeans twice.
Additionally, hybrids have won four times.
More than 50 vehicles were considered this year; 14 cars and 11 trucks made the initial ballot.
Automotive News article