By Robert Farago
November 17, 2008
Even as Opel looks set to leave GM’s cratering corporate mothership, the German division has scooped top honors in the European Car of the Year (ECOTY, although UK buff book EVO also claims that acronym). Oops! Did I say Opel? I mean Vauxhall. The British brand under which GM products are sold in the UK. Other than Chevrolet and Cadillac, which are also sold throughout Europe, although, in the UK, not so much that you’d require more than your two hands to count them. Anyway, the methodology used to bang the gong (and get it on) is beyond question. ECOTY is judged by a panel of 59 swag-scarfing, press car luxuriating journos members, representing 23 European countries. The Motor Authority reports that “National representation on the panel is related to the size of the country’s car market and its importance in car manufacturing, with France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain topping the list with six members each… Of the total 59 judges, 20 gave the Insignia top points, while 19 put the Fiesta in first place.” And Sweden showed it no love at all. See the votes by judge here.
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POWERED
November 17th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Being the chosen Car of the Year to my mind is no big thing, I do know that the cost of Motoring in the UK is a hefty option for any consumer, there its best to drive the most frugal and petrol sipping Motor you can find!,otherwise its a no brainer! Most people in the EU admire Toyota and Honda more than Cars like Opel!
November 17th, 2008 at 10:25 am
A teensy weensy bit of investigating could be useful.
If you go to their website, click “car of the year 2009″ and then “(See the voting grid)” you get the points per judge per car.
And with a pop up you get their reasoning behind their point giving.
A little bit less negativity on your side might be helpful.
The grid is at: http://www.caroftheyear.org/pages/Voting09.htm
November 17th, 2008 at 10:46 am
@Geo. Levecque:
Opel sells more cars in Europe than Toyota and Honda combined. If they admired Toyota more, they’d buy them, because they cost about the same. and have a similar line-up.
November 17th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Chris_147 :
I sit corrected. Thanks for keeping us honest.
Text amended.
November 17th, 2008 at 11:03 am
@Geo. Levecque:
Never let the facts get in the way of a good old fashioned bias!
@Robert – Even when you (finally) make a posting about a car, you still work to include something negative about GM – this is ludicrous, you are obsessed and need to lighten up on this. “The Insignia won car of the year – great accomplishment against some very stiff competition” – try something like this, it might give you back some of your failing creditability!
November 17th, 2008 at 11:04 am
This sedan would be great for US, but if it is sold here, the question may be raised what Lutz have done? And since it cost significantly less to design and put in production such car in Europe then in US, what is wrong with Mother Ship in US? All that under Euro being much pricier then USD.
November 17th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
What are its US platform mates?
November 17th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
It certainly is a looker.
November 17th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Is this the next Saturn Aura?
And as far as the Euro being pricier than USD, remember that since July, there’s been a MASSIVE USD shortage, hence why the Euro fell from $1.60 to $1.25 in 4 months. The Pound went from $2.10 to $1.45 now. And with the Bank of England looking to chop rates to 0%, we might see GBP/USD parity sometime next year!
November 17th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
@Robert Schwartz: 2010 LaCrosse, 2011 Aura, 2012 Malibu
November 17th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Hal: Aren’t those indefinitely postponed? I mean, if GM is postponing any r&d til after 2010, they won’t be out, if at all, until sometimes 2014.