Cadillac CTS-V, Jeep Grand Cherokee named 2011 Internet Car and Truck of the Year

The Internet Car and Truck of the Year voting jury has just announced its pair of winners for 2011, and top honors go to both the Cadillac CTS-V and Jeep Grand Cherokee. For 2011, the CTS-V is offered in a trio of body styles, all of which boast a 556-horsepower supercharged V8 and seriously good driving dynamics. Likewise, the 2011 Grand Cherokee remains one of the best off-road vehicles in its class, and points the way forward for the "new Chrysler."

In addition to the vehicles picked by the Internet Car and Truck of the Year jurors, the motoring public was able to cast its vote for the "Average Joe" awards. Unlike the professional jury, the public voters named the 2011 Ford Mustang GT as Car of the Year, its new 5.0-liter V8 and reworked suspension geometry making it more of a true sports car than a stereotypical muscle car. However, both the "Internet Pros" and "Average Joes" saw eye to eye on the Truck of the Year award, with the Grand Cherokee taking the cake from both segments of voters.



Vehicles aside, the ICTOY jury also honored recently deceased and legendary automotive journalist Jerry Flint with the 2010 Journalist of the Year award. Flint, who died on August 7th of this year, covered the automotive beat for over 50 years, and was once named one of the 100 most prominent business reporters of the 20th century.

[Source: Internet Car and Truck of the Year]

INTERNET PROS AND AVERAGE JOES PICK THEIR FAVORITE NEW CARS AND TRUCKS

Jerry Flint Posthumously Honored as Internet Automotive Journalist of the Year

Boston (Dec. 1, 2010) - The Internet Car and Truck of the Year website has announced the winners from the Internet Pros and Average Joes votes for their favorite new cars and trucks. Domestic brands swept all four categories.

The winners, announced from the New England International Auto Show today, are:

Internet Pros:
Car of the Year: 2011 Cadillac CTS-V
Truck of the Year: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Average Joes:
Car of the Year: 2011 Ford Mustang GT
Truck of the Year: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The Internet Pros are comprised of a select team of 15 online writers from some of the leading automotive Internet sites, while the Average Joes consisted of thousands of votes from the motoring public. Complete biographies of the jury members are available at www.internetcarandtruckoftheyear.com.

So while the Internet Pros and Average Joes agree on the Truck of the Year (for the second year in a row) they have slightly differing opinions when it comes to their favorite car. The Pros like their speed in the form of a luxury sports car with the Cadillac CTS-V while the Average Joes voted for classic American muscle with the Ford Mustang GT (with only a 1 percent margin of victory over the Cadillac CTS-V). However, both groups demonstrated their respect for the vastly improved Jeep Grand Cherokee by wide margins.

Internet Automotive Journalist of the Year

The Internet Automotive Journalist of the Year award was given to Jerry Flint for his long body of work in automotive journalism, most recently as a columnist for Forbes – both in print and online. It will be presented to his widow, automotive journalist Kate McLeod, at the Dec. 9 International Motor Press Association meeting in New York City.

A prolific award winner, including the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism in 2003, for his Forbes "Backseat Driver column," Flint was not afraid to point out when the Emperor was wearing no clothing. That insight, and his grasp of the automotive industry, earned accolades that included his naming by Business News Reporter as one of the 100 most prominent business reporters of the 20th Century.

The 2010 Automotive Journalist of the Year was John Neff, editor of Autoblog.

The Internet Car and Truck of the Year awards were created by Keith Griffin, the Guide to Used Cars for About.com, a writer for TorqueNews.com, and the National Hyundai Examiner for Examiner.com, as well as a print automotive journalist and vice president of the New England Motor Press Association.

New York 2010: Volkswagen Polo wins 2010 World Car of the Year award

Awards season is finally winding down with the 2010 World Car of the Year and World Performance Car of the Year being handed out this morning at the 2010 New York Auto Show. After whittling the fields down to three finalists in each category, the panel of 59 international journalists voted one last time to crown the World Car of the Year.

While the Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Polo and Mercedes-Benz E-Class were nominated, it was the Polo that took home the gold for 2010 World Car of the Year.

On the performance vehicle front, the nominees were the Audi R8 V10, Porsche 911 GT3 and Ferrari California, with the Audi winning top honors.

They also handed out a Design award for a group of finalists including the Citroen C3 Picasso, Kia Soul and Chevrolet Camaro. That honor went to the Camaro. (U-S-A! U-S-A!)

The Green category saw Volkswagen's line of diesel-powered BlueMotion vehicles beat out the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight hybrids

Detroit 2010: Ford sweeps North American Car and Truck of the Year awards for 2010

For just the third time in the 17-year history of the North American Car and Truck of the Year, one manufacturer has taken home both pieces of etched glass. Ford's 2010 Fusion Hybrid and Transit Connect have yielded the hardware for the Dearborn automaker here at the Detroit Auto Show, with the Fusion emerging victorious over the shortlisted Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf, and the Transit Connect besting the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback.

The last time a single manufacturer won both the Car and Truck of the Year awards was back in 2006, when Honda did double duty with its Civic compact and Ridgeline pickup. In total, a U.S. automaker has won the car award nine times, and the truck award, 11 times.

[Source: Ford]

FORD SWEEPS N.A. CAR AND TRUCK OF THE YEAR AWARDS

* Ford swept the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards today at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), winning both prestigious awards for the
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and the 2010 Ford Transit Connect, respectively
* It is the third time in 17 years that one manufacturer has won both awards
* The Ford Fusion Hybrid is America's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan with an EPA-estimated 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway
* The Transit Connect is an industry-exclusive vehicle developed to be a smart new choice for small business owners; it offers double the fuel economy of full-size vans, generous and accessible cargo space, and the agility and maneuverability to operate in crowded urban areas

DETROIT, Jan. 11, 2010 – Ford Motor Company scored a historic doubleheader today, capturing both the North American Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year awards for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2010 Ford Transit Connect, respectively, at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). It is only the third time in 17 years that one manufacturer has won both titles.

"Winning both of these prestigious awards is confirmation that the ONE Ford plan is working, delivering industry-leading products for our customers," said Mark Fields, president of
The Americas.

The North American Car and Truck of the Year awards recognize vehicles based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. A jury of 49 automotive journalists in the United States and Canada vote for the vehicles, which must be "all-new" or "substantially changed" from the previous model to qualify for the award.

The Fusion Hybrid edged out finalists including the Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf/GTI to win the North American Car of the Year award. It is the fourth hybrid vehicle in 17 years to win recognition as North American Car (or Truck) of the Year. It also is the second hybrid win for Ford – the most hybrid wins for any automaker. The Ford Escape Hybrid was named North American Truck of the Year in 2005.

The Transit Connect bested finalists including the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback to win the North American Truck of the Year award. It is the sixth Ford truck to win the award – the most wins of any automaker in the 17-year history of the awards program. It also is the second year in a row that Ford has captured the title. Last year, top honors went to the 2009 Ford F-150.

Fusion Hybrid a winner out of the gate
The North American Car of the Year award is the latest in an impressive string of awards and accolades for the Fusion Hybrid. Most recently, the vehicle was honored as CAR and DRIVER Magazine's "10Best" Cars for 2010, one of AUTOMOBILE Magazine's 2010 All-Stars, and the entire Fusion lineup captured the acclaimed MOTOR TREND Car of the Year® award.

The all-new Fusion Hybrid arrived in dealers in March, complete with a powertrain system that combines the best attributes of the gasoline engine and electric battery-driven motors to deliver the optimal experience for the customer in terms of driving performance and fuel economy.
The Fusion Hybrid also offers drivers a way to be more connected to the hybrid driving experience thanks to Ford's SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide, a unique instrument cluster execution that helps coach them on how to optimize the performance of their hybrid.

Other class-exclusive technologies and features that set the Fusion Hybrid apart from the competition include Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®), Ford SYNC®, SIRIUS Travel Link™ and more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry.

Despite the slump in overall industry sales, 2009 was a record-breaking year for the Ford Fusion. Sales are at an all-time high, with the Fusion Hybrid accounting for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales. Perhaps even more significant, more than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been to customers coming from import brands – mostly Toyota and Honda.

Awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid include:

* MOTOR TREND Car of the Year Award
* One of CAR and DRIVER Magazine's "10Best" Cars for 2010
* One of AUTOMOBILE Magazine's 2010 All-Stars
* 2009 "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
* 2009 Ward's Interior of the Year Special Achievement Award for Best Graphic Display for SmartGauge with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster
* Great Car for the Long-haul Salesman by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
* One of America's Top 40 New Cars by MOTOR TREND magazine
* Rated the No. 1 Hybrid Family Sedan by CAR and DRIVER in a recent comparison test by the magazine
* 2009 and 2010 Editors Choice for Fuel Sipper by CAR and DRIVER Magazine
* Best Hybrid for the Money in the Midsize Car segment by cars.com
* One of 2009 Top 10 Green Cars by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
* The Detroit News Readers' Choice Award for "Best Value"
* 2010 Consumers Digest Best Buy
* Detroit Free Press 2010 Car of the Year
* 2010 Most Environmentally Progressive Car of the Year by Earth, Wind & Power
* 10 Best Engine by Ward's Auto World

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid is built at Ford's Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant.

Transit Connect fills unmet needs of small businesses and fleets
The Transit Connect was brought to the U.S. to fulfill the unmet needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs, offering them a new vehicle choice with significantly improved fuel economy, generous and accessible cargo space, and the agility and maneuverability to operate in crowded urban areas.

Powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 engine with a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission, the
Transit Connect offers double the fuel economy of full-size vans, delivering an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

The Transit Connect also has more than double the cargo-carrying capacity of the Chevrolet HHR Panel, making it suitable for a broader range of commercial-use applications. And it offers commercial users a cargo payload of up to 1,600 pounds – a larger payload than the full-size Dodge Ram 1500 standard-cab short-box pickup truck.

The Transit Connect also is available with the industry-exclusive Ford Work Solutions™, a suite of affordable technologies that provides customers with connectivity, flexibility, visibility and security to better run key aspects of their business.

On Transit Connect, Ford Work Solutions delivers three innovative features:

* A wireless in-dash computer that provides full high-speed Internet access, Bluetooth-enabled hands-free calling and navigation. The system also allows customers to print invoices, check inventories and access documents stored on their home or office computer networks right on the job site.
* Tool Link™, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) asset tracking system that enables customers to maintain detailed real-time inventory of the tools or equipment.
* Crew Chief™, a fleet tracking, telematics and diagnostics system that provides dynamic location and performance data fleet owners need to more efficiently manage their vehicles, quickly dispatch workers to job sites, monitor driver performance for safety and economy, and keep detailed vehicle maintenance records.

Awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Transit Connect include:

* 2010 Editors Choice for Vans by CAR and DRIVER Magazine
* Detroit Free Press 2010 Truck of the Year
* The Detroit News 2010 Truck of the Year
* 2010 Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award for Best Workhorse Vehicle
* A Great Car for the Small Business Delivery/Utility Worker by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com

The 2010 Ford Transit Connect is built at the Ford Otosan Kocaeli Plant in Kocaeli, Turkey.

# # #

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 200,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

Top 20 Best-Selling Vehicles of 2009

Mouse over the clock in the lower right-hand corner of your PC. Alternatively, if you're a Mac user, look at the little iCal widget down at the bottom of your screen. Whoa, look at that! It's 2010. January 6th, to be exact. And that means the final sales tallies of all automakers for the year-that-was are in. As you may have noticed yesterday, none but Subaru, Kia and Hyundai are likely to be entirely pleased with their YTD performances, falling as they did compared to sales in 2008.

Wouldn't you know, though, that not one of those three upwardly trending automakers earned a single spot on the Top 10 Best Selling Vehicles chart? To see a Korean automobile on the list, you need to expand the search to the Top 17. This fact reminds us yet again that by and large the American population tends to be a rather predictable bunch.

Think you can guess what the best-selling vehicle of 2009 was? We won't lie... you probably can. In fact, it's been the same vehicle for the past 28 years straight

[Source: Examiner.com]

Top 20 Best-Selling Vehicles of 2009

First, let's get numbers 20–11 out of the way. There are a couple of interesting highlights, such as the Chevrolet Impala, which drops four spots from 2008 down to number 12 as its Bowtie sedan stablemate, the Malibu, jumps in at number 13. We also see the Toyota Prius at number 16, falling just shy of 150,000 units sold in 2009. Finally, note the GMC Sierra at number 18. Interestingly, when the Sierra's 111,842 sales are added to its Silverado sibling from Chevrolet, that platform outsells the Ford F-150 rather handily. As you'll soon see, though, Ford does indeed have the last laugh once all full-size truck sales are counted.

• Chevrolet Cobalt: 104,724
• Toyota Tacoma: 111,824
• GMC Sierra: 111,842
• Hyundai Sonata: 120,028
• Toyota Prius: 139,682
• Toyota RAV4: 149,088
• Ford Focus: 160,433
• Chevrolet Malibu: 161,568
• Chevrolet Impala: 165,565
• Ford Escape: 173,044

Number 10 – Dodge Ram: 177,268


Number 9 – Ford Fusion: 180,671


Number 8 – Honda CR-V: 191,214


Number 7 – Nissan Altima: 203,568


Number 6 – Honda Civic: 259,722


Number 5 – Honda Accord: 290,056


Number 4 – Toyota Corolla: 296,874


Number 3 – Chevrolet Silverado: 316,544


Number 2 – Toyota Camry: 356,824


Number 1 – Ford F-Series: 413,625

Tokyo 2009: Toyota Prius claims Japan Car of the Year title

For the past 30 years, Japan has declared a car of the year, an award given to newly released or redesigned vehicles released from November 1st of the previous year to October 1st of the current year. More than 60 jurors composed of Japanese journalists receive an allocation of votes, and the car with the most votes comes away with the crown.

This year the Toyota Prius narrowly edged out the Honda Insight, continuing the recent trend of environmentally-friendly winners. Other notable winners included the new Volkswagen Golf, which was named the Import Car of the Year, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, which was declared to have the Most Advanced Technology. The Nissan Fairlady Z won the category of Most Fun, and finally the Subaru Legacy took top honors for Best Value.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the award, the Tokyo Motor Show also organized a display of past winners, starting with the Mazda Familia 3-door Hatch Back in 1980-1981 and finishing with last year's winner, the Toyota IQ.

World Car of the Year - Top 10 Finalists

The 2008 World Car of the Year award winners will be announced on March 20 at the New York International Auto Show. And here are the top ten finalist:

World Car - Top Ten Finalists:


Audi A5 Coupe / Audi S5 Coupe
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


2008 World Performance Car



2008 World Performance Car


AMG Mercedes-Benz S 63
Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster
Audi R8
Audi S5 Coupe
BMW M3
Honda Civic R (Japanese & European spec)
Maserati GranTurismo
Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG Black Series
Renault Clio F1 Team R27
Mercedes-Benz CL 63

Honda Civic GX-Greenest Vehicle of 2008

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

SUV of the year - Volkswagen Tiguan

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.

Corvette ZR1 best and sexiest car in Detroit

There is no wonder why the Corvette ZR1 was chosen the best at Detroit Auto Show. It is indeed a very good and anticipated car, but on the other hand it didn’t had a real competition in there. According to Detroit News, the ZR1 was the best and the sexiest car in the Show. Results were announced at the Detroit Economic Club’s North American International Auto Show 2008 luncheon at Cobo Center.

"We recruited a panel of 100 readers to inspect the powertrains, kick the tires and check the many shades of green in a contest to identify the best of show," said Jon Wolman, editor and publisher of The Detroit News. "They were dazzled by much of what they saw and we’re glad to present these awards in honor of the vehicles that stood out for their excellence."

While most of the awards handed out at the auto show are voted on by journalists or industry professionals, the Readers’ Choice Awards are intended to gauge the sentiments of consumers.

This year’s winners, by category, were:


Best of Show: Corvette ZR1
Best Future Fantasy: Mazda Taiki
Best Family Hauler: Chrysler Town and Country
Best Curves: Lincoln MKS
Plushest Interior: Maybach Landaulet
Most Innovative: Ford F-150
Sexiest Vehicle: Corvette ZR1

Audi R8 - 2008 Automobile of the Year

Automobile Magazine, America’s leading automotive lifestyle publication and part of Source Interlink Media, announced that the Audi R8 is its 2008 Automobile of the Year. The magazine also named the R8 Design of the Year and GM’s Two-Mode Hybrid System Technology of the Year.

2008 Automobile of the Year: Audi R8

Audi’s first foray into the sports car arena impressed the editors with its depth of abilities, which include straight-line speed, deep reserves of power, generous suspension travel, laser-like directional stability, and the surefootedness of all-wheel drive. The R8’s glass-encased, 420-hp, 4.2-liter V-8 engine has the sound of a traditional Italian supercar. Editors called it a great real-world sports car in the vein of the Porsche 911, but with the exotic presence of a Ferrari.

"The R8 absolutely captivated the automotive world this past year," said Jean Jennings, President and Editor-in-Chief of AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE. "It propels Audi into a whole new league of driving dynamics, and it emphatically caps Audi’s steep ascent from the somnambulant lull in which it languished in the early 1990s. The R8 is a thrilling new sports car from a company that’s stronger than it’s ever been."


Design of the Year: Audi R8
The arresting R8 features a bright metal blade on its side, an unmistakable and dramatic design feature shared with no other car. For Design of the Year, AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE looks for innovation, style, beauty, engineering, dynamics, heritage and public approbation, and editors noted that the R8’s design is outstanding in almost every way.

"We honor the designers and the engineers who have so perfectly realized a truly civilized grand touring coupe," said Design Editor Robert Cumberford. "It is far more comfortable than cars of equal performance, and it features a highly focused environment for the driver but a relaxed and more open space for the passenger."

Fiat Linea wins the "Autobest 2008" prize

After winning “Car of The Year 2008” with the Fiat 500, “Carro do Ano 2008” with the Fiat Grande Punto and other prestigious international awards, the Fiat brand has now brought home the coveted "AUTOBEST 2008" prize with the Fiat Linea. The electors were an international jury of 15 specialist journalists representing 15 European countries containing a total of about 300 million inhabitants: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine and Hungary.

The Fiat Linea placed first with 850 points, ahead of the Kia Cee’d (784), the Mazda 2 (705), the Skoda Fabia (679) and the Toyota Auris (583). Under the terms of the "AUTOBEST" award, the jury selects the winner from a shortlist of 5 finalists on the basis of 13 parameters that include design, comfort, economic running, driveability, price and value for money. Each member of the jury has a total of 240 points to distribute among the 5 cars and there is a ceiling of votes for each parameter.



The "AUTOBEST 2008" prize provides further confirmation of the acclaim with which Europe has welcomed the Fiat Linea, a three-box segment C saloon that offers original styling, functionality and driving pleasure as well as a very competitive price/content ratio.

Conceived within the orbit of Tofas A.S., the 50/50 joint-venture between Fiat Auto and Ko Holding quoted on the Istanbul Stock Exchange, the new car is manufactured in the Turkish factory of Bursa and marketed in a number of European and extra-European countries: from Spain to Germany, from Morocco to Finland. And starting next year, the Fiat Linea will also be produced and marketed in Brazil, China, Russia and India.


The new model was designed by the Fiat Style Centre and presents an elegantly dynamic external line with a distinctly Italian flavour to target an international market. Backed by an extraordinary stylistic heritage, the Fiat Linea is a gracefully elegant 4-door vehicle, that comes with generous dimensions that set it at the top of its segment: 4.56 m long, 1.73 m wide, 1.5 m tall and a wheelbase of 2.6 m, in addition to a sizeable luggage compartment of 500 litres

Playboy Crowns the Hottest Cars of 2008

Which cars will be turning heads on the street this year? According to Playboy’s "2008 Cars of the Year," a high-performance hybrid surges past competitors, a European import squeezes to the top, and a luxury carmaker provides one of the most fuel efficient and affordable vehicles on the road.

The selected cars were chosen by an expert team of automotive writers who traveled the world and test drove every new model hitting the showroom floor this year. The vehicles were taken on the sharpest turns, most challenging curves, and the steepest hills to properly separate the superlative from the mediocre.

And the winners are:

PLAYBOY’S 2008 CAR OF THE YEAR: Audi R8
BEST LUXURY SPORTS COUPE: Maserati GranTurismo
SMARTEST PURCHASE: Smart Fortwo
BEST SUV: Land Rover LR2
BEST CROSSOVER: Buick Enclave CXL
BEST CONVERTIBLE: BMW 335i
BEST EARTH-DAY CAR: Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec
BEST PINT-SIZE PERFORMANCE: Volvo C30