2008 motor trend car of the year
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the contenders
audi s5 - audi tt - cadillac cts - subaru wrx - mini cooper s -chevrolet malibu -
mercedes-benz c350 - volvo c30 t5 - mitsubishi lancer - honda accord - volvo xc70 - scion xd - dodge avenger - scion xb - ford taurus - ford focus - dodge grand caravan - chrysler t&c
_significance. it s one of the three key criteria against which the contenders for motor trend s car of the year are judged. and as the competition assembled at the giant hyundai-kia california proving ground, 100 miles north of los angeles in the mojave desert, it was clear this year s 18-car field was laden with truly significant vehicles.
the honda accord and chrysler/dodge minivan twins represented all-new interpretations of high-volume, benchmark vehicles that virtually defined their respective categories. we had reworked icons, too-the second-generation audi tt, mini cooper, subaru impreza wrx, and scion xb. we had new cars with old nameplates that carried the collective hopes of an entire company-chevrolet malibu, ford taurus, and mitsubishi lancer. we had an all-new mercedes-benz c-class, packed with technology and teutonic swagger, and we had an all-new audi coupe that may just be one of the most beautiful cars ever from ingolstadt. and we had the best damn cadillac in 50 years._
the criteria
superiority - engineering excellence, advancement in design, utilization of resources and safety. vehicle concept and execution are important, as are use of materials, packaging, dynamics, styling, and fuel consumption.
significance - how well does the vehicle do the job its maker intended it to do? and how does it impact or change its particular market segment, influence consumer perceptions, and transform product development trends.
value - how does each vehicle compare against its direct rivalsó a vehicle with a low sticker price might not be as good a value as a more expensive vehicle that delivers outstanding performance, quality, and functionality.
materia :
http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/11…ders/index.html
2008 motor trend car of the year winner:
cadillac cts
_news flash to automakers in japan and germany: the eagle has landed. again.
if you were one of those who wrote off general motors as a dying dinosaur – after all, it s been a decade since any gm car took home the golden calipers (the chevrolet corvette won back in 1998) -- prepare to rewrite everything you think you know about what s in the general s store. with this bold, savvy, uncompromising showpiece of a sedan -- the all-new cadillac cts -- gm has leapt straight from the rabble s side of the velvet rope into that coveted, highly selective inner sanctum marked world s finest cars. for that remarkable achievement, and for making us grin like lottery winners every time we drove it, the cts is our enthusiastic choice for motor trend s 2008 car of the year._
superiority? the cts s winning ways go far beyond its fetching facade. significance? not only is the cts the star of a new gm revival (including such standouts as the 2008 chevy malibu and buick enclave, to name just two), it s a true world car – tested from the nurburgring to china and sold across the globe (40,000 to 50,000 annually in the u.s., another 20,000 or so worldwide; cadillac will also build right-hand-drive versions). value? base price is just $32,990, including a 263-horse vvt v-6 (a 304-horse direction-injection version is optional), eight-speaker bose audio, 17-inch wheels, and dual-zone climate control. in comparison, you ll pay over $33,000 for a base bmw 3 series sedan with just 230 horses and north of $45k for the more comparably sized bmw 528i.
materia:
