| World Car of the Year | 2008 New York Auto Show | Mazda2 |
Mazda has beaten off 38 rivals for its
2 supermini to become World Car of the Year. The award was handed to Mazda at the
New York International Auto Show after 47 motoring journalists from 24 countries had voted.
The judges had a shortlist that consisted of the Mazda 2,
Ford Mondeo and
Mercedes-Benz C-Class. After naming the Mazda, they commented: "This fresh Mazda appeals for its looks and high levels of standard equipment for the price."
Other award winners included the BMW 118d and the
Audi R8, which was a double winner. The R8 lifted the trophies for World Performance Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year, beating the
BMW M3 and
Audi's own S5.
The BMW 118d was voted World's Greenest Car of the Year for the contribution its EfficientDynamics package had made to lowering its emissions and fuel consumption. The judges also praised the BMW for remaining a great car to drive while making environmental gains.
Alisdair Suttie - 21 Mar 2008