Ford has the most top-quality vehicles in the industry, according to a customer-based initial quality survey released by J.D. Power and Associates.The Lincoln Mark LT and MKZ, Mercury Milan and Ford Mustang all captured first-place in their respective segments according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Initial Quality Study.
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The Mercedes-Benz SLR Roadster has won the cabriolet and roadster category of the prestigious "Auto 1 von Europa" ["Europe’s No. 1 Car"] awards organised by leading car magazine AUTO BILD. Readers of the 26 European editions of AUTO BILD as well as an international jury of experts selected the super sports car from Stuttgart for its exceptional qualities. The award honouring the SLR Roadster as the most sought-after open-top car was presented at the Geneva International Motor Show yesterday.
Some 40 million readers of the 26 European editions published by the AUTO BILD family were invited to vote for the best new cars of 2007 in six categories. The three top vehicles in each category in this Europe-wide poll then had to undergo two days of professional testing in Rome. It was on the basis of this thorough programme of comparative testing that the members of the expert jury – made up of experienced engineers, top motoring journalists and leading international racing drivers – decided on the category winners.
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The editors of AutoWeek, one of North America’s most respected and longest standing automotive enthusiast magazines, have voted the Saab 9-X BioHybrid "Best Concept" upon its world debut at the auto show in Geneva this week. With this award, the Saab 9-X BioHybrid premium compact joins the very successful Saab Aero X coupe concept which received AutoWeek’s "Best in Show" honors upon its debut in Geneva, two years ago.
"We are honored by this important recognition from the expert editors of AutoWeek," said Steve Shannon, Saab Automobile USA general manager. "The way the 9-X BioHybrid was welcomed by the world’s press and the public in Geneva has exceeded many optimistic expectations. Following in footsteps of the highly inspirational Aero X, as well as the 9-4X BioPower crossover concept which debuted in Detroit just a few weeks ago, the 9-X BioHybrid demonstrates that the Saab brand has tremendous potential."
The 9-X BioHybrid, which is scheduled to make its North American debut at the New York International Auto Show press days on March 19, is a vivid vision of what a future compact car from Saab could look like. It is designed to reflect the priorities of youthful customers who seek progressive looks, responsible performance and high-tech communications, all in a sporty, fun-to-drive package.
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Volkswagen Tiguan has been voted "Auto 1 of Europe" in the "Off-Roaders and SUV" category. The choice was made by more than 40 million readers of the Auto Bild Group as well as trade experts were called upon over the past months to pick the best vehicles from among 74 new models. The award was offered at the Geneva Motor Show.
The awarding of the 17th "Auto 1 of Europe" prize was preceded by an unparalleled voting process. First, some 40 million readers of the 26 European issues of Auto Bild voted for their respective national winners. The Swiss vote, for one, gave clear preference to the Tiguan. The readers were also asked to name their favourites in six different vehicle categories.
The three best-placed cars in each class were then put through their paces at a testing ground near Rome to determine the winner in each class. At this stage of the competition, the jury consisted of race-car drivers, technicians and senior editors. The Tiguan won the contest on points, clearly outperforming the competition.
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The readers of OFF ROAD, a German trade journal, have given the SUV of the Year prize to the Tiguan. Attracting 17.4 % of the votes, the Tiguan emerged as the readers’ choice among the 20 nominated vehicles, ahead of its second and third-placed rivals the BMW X3 and the Land Rover Freelander. In the exceptionally prestigious category of Luxury Off-Roaders, the Volkswagen Touareg won the number-two ranking amidst a field of eleven rivals for the award in this category.
In the continuously growing segment for off-road vehicles, readers could this year choose from a total field of 87 models made by 38 manufacturers for prizes in eight categories. In addition to the fiercely competitive categories of Off-Road Vehicles and Luxury Off-Road Vehicles, SUVs and Luxury SUVs, there were also categories for Cross-Over Models, Classics, Pick-Ups and Special Vehicles. The criterion applied for the classification "Luxury" is a basic price tag of more than 40,000 euro.
Over 58,000 readers took part in this year’s poll. The prizes were presented in Munich last night.
The natural gas-powered Civic GX, stood first in the list of American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) ’Greenest Vehicles of 2008’. The Civic GX wins this award for the fifth consecutive year making it the most eco-friendly car available to the public. Three other Honda vehicles that featured in the list were the gasoline powered Civic, Fit and Civic Hybrid, which made up one-third of the cars.
Introduced in 1998, the Civic GX, is the cleanest internal combustion vehicle certified by the EPA, and is 90% cleaner than the average gasoline-powered car on the road today. Equipped standard with a 5-speed automatic transmission, its 1.8-liter, 4-cylinder engine delivers 113 horsepower and 109 ft-lbs of torque while meeting federal Tier 2-Bin 2 and ILEV zero evaporative emission certification standards and carries the "Cleanest on Earth" title.
"Honda continues to set the standard for socially and environmentally-responsible automotive products and our commitment to alternative fuels will further expand with the zero emissions FCX Clarity fuel cell vehicle coming to market this summer," stated John Mendel, executive vice president of American Honda.
The entire list of eco-friendly winners for 2008:
HONDA CIVIC GX
TOYOTA PRIUS
HONDA CIVIC HYBRID
SMART FORTWO CONVERTIBLE / COUPE
TOYOTA YARIS
NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID
TOYOTA COROLLA 1.8L
MINI COOPER / CLUBMAN
FORD FOCUS
TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID
HONDA CIVIC
HONDA FIT
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The Audi R8 has bagged the MSN Cars Car of the Year award defeating rivals Ferrari 430 Scuderia and BMW M3 by a huge margin. The online poll was conducted on MSN’s U.K website and the R8 grabbed 42 percent of the casted 15,000 votes.
The contest is into its fourth year now with the BMW 3-Series Coupé, Bugatti Veyron and Aston Martin DB9 emerging winners on previous occasions. There were some surprises this year like the Merc C-Class which won the Wheels magazine car of the year award, came only 7th and the Fiat 500 which earlier won the European car of the year award, came at a disappointing 6th. The Jaguar XF saloon couldn’t contest and if it had, the R8 would have faced tough competition given the Brits love for Jags.
“When I first drove it(Audi R8) a couple of months ago I was blown away by its exhilarating, sure-footed handling, the grunt of its performance, and the fact that every second person on the road gave it a long hard stare as we hurtled by. A brilliant car that fully deserves to follow in the steps of cars like the DB9 and Veyron to be an ‘MSN Cars Car of the Year’,” said MSN Cars content manager Tom Evans.
The Audi R8 is aggressive, elegant and a remarkable feat of automotive engineering. It adds another element to Audi’s sprawling portfolio and adds another dimension to the supercar world.
Here are the entire results of the poll:
1. Audi R8 42%
2. Ferrari 430 Scuderia 13%
3. BMW M3 11%
4. Ford Mondeo 9%
5. Rolls-Royce Phantom DHC 7%
6. Fiat 500 6%
7. Mercedes-Benz C-Class 6%
8. Mini Clubman 2%
9. Mitsubishi i-car 2%
10. Mazda 2 1%
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Subaru today announced that the intrepid 2008 Subaru Outback has been named to Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com’s first annual list of "Best New Family Vehicles." From a long list of vehicles that qualified in varying degrees as safe, roomy and affordable, the expert editors at Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com selected this year’s 10 Best New Family Vehicles by evaluating each on such factors as capability, fuel efficiency, resale value, and the all-important kid- friendliness.
"Family safety and comfort are built into every Subaru," notes Thomas J. Doll, executive vice president, Subaru of America, Inc. "And we’re honored that the 2008 Subaru Outback — a vehicle that will safely deliver the kids on a rainy school day, then whisk them down an old dirt road for a weekend hiking trip — has been recognized by the experts at Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com in the very first year they have chosen a list of ’Best New Family Vehicles’."
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The readers of the German specialist journal "auto motor und sport", with 11 international editions and 7 cooperations - such as Autocar (UK) und Quattroruote (Italy), certified the success of the Ferrari F430 Spider in the traditional "Best Cars" survey, where the readers vote for their favourite cars in 20 different categories. The "Best Cars" award has been held for the 31st time this year.
The F430 Spider won the award for the third year running in the category "Imported Convertibles" with 12.6% of the votes. The 8-cylinder mid-engine from Maranello, designed by Pininfarina, enables to travel on board of a car with extraordinarily sporty temperament, certifying the success of the years 2006 and 2007. Previously the 360 Modena Spider was the car dominating this category.
Auto Motor Und Sport voted four Audi models as best in their class. The Audi R8 won the title of thw best sports car, the A4 was voted best in the sedan class, the A3 compact model came top of its class for the fourth time and Audi A6 was the winner once again among midsize luxury cars.
"The reader poll is an important indicator for us. And Audi’s success with ams readers shows us that we’ve got the right products,” said Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, upon being presented with the commendation. “At the same time, the great results are an incentive for the entire team."
Press release after the jump.
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