Topic: Motor Trend Car of the Year Is.....

[Erik]

The New Chevy Volt.

Angus MacKenzie called it the "most significant" Car of the Year in the history of the award.

Good on GM.

http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/car/1101_2011_motor_trend_car_of_the_year_chevrolet_volt/index.html

[Mike]

Congrats to GM!  However, lets hope it isn't one of Motor Trends 'oops' in hindsight.  look at thier list, there are a few questionable winners there (I highlighted them)

2011 Chevrolet Volt
2010 Ford Fusion
2009 Nissan GT-R
2008 Cadillac CTS
2007 Toyota Camry
2006 Honda Civic
2005 Chrysler 300
2004 Toyota Prius
2003 Infiniti G35
2002 Ford Thunderbird
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
2000 Lincoln LS
1999 Chrysler 300M
1998 Chevrolet Corvette
1997 Chevrolet Malibu 
1996 Dodge Caravan
1995 Chrysler Cirrus
1994 Ford Mustang
1993 Ford Probe GT
1992 Cadillac Seville Touring Sedan
1991 Chevrolet Caprice Classic LTZ
1990 Lincoln Town Car
1989 Ford Thunderbird SC
1988 Pontiac Grand Prix
1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
1986 Ford Taurus LX
1985 Volkswagen GTI
1984 Chevrolet Corvette
1983 AMC / Renault Alliance
1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
1981 Chrysler K Cars, Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant
1980 Chevrolet Citation
1979 Buick Riviera S
1978 Chrysler, Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon
1977 Chevrolet Caprice
1976 Chrysler, Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare
1975 Chevrolet Monza 2+2
1974 Ford Mustang II
1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
1972 Citroën SM (an imported vehicle that was selected overall "Car of the Year")
1971 Chevrolet Vega
1970 Ford Torino
1969 Plymouth Road Runner
1968 Pontiac GTO
1967 Mercury Cougar
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

[Shnak]

So the car of the year is a car that isn't yet in showrooms? Yeah ok, that makes sense. 

[evil_twin]

Congrats to GM!  However, lets hope it isn't one of Motor Trends 'oops' in hindsight.  look at thier list, there are a few questionable winners there (I highlighted them)

I would add the 2000 Lincoln LS and 2002 Ford Thunderbird (!?!) to your list of questionable winners.

[Bullet Blue]

Congrats to GM!  However, lets hope it isn't one of Motor Trends 'oops' in hindsight.  look at thier list, there are a few questionable winners there (I highlighted them)

I would add the 2000 Lincoln LS and 2002 Ford Thunderbird (!?!) to your list of questionable winners.

I was just about to say that. Along with the 95 Chrysler Cirrus 

[wing]

Sounds more credible than AJAC. What if the volt is delayed yet again, can it win next year too?

[Mike]

Congrats to GM!  However, lets hope it isn't one of Motor Trends 'oops' in hindsight.  look at thier list, there are a few questionable winners there (I highlighted them)

I would add the 2000 Lincoln LS and 2002 Ford Thunderbird (!?!) to your list of questionable winners.

I was just about to say that. Along with the 95 Chrysler Cirrus 

Totally missed the 1995 Cirrus.

[Erik]

Congrats to GM!  However, lets hope it isn't one of Motor Trends 'oops' in hindsight.  look at thier list, there are a few questionable winners there (I highlighted them)

I would add the 2000 Lincoln LS and 2002 Ford Thunderbird (!?!) to your list of questionable winners.

I was just about to say that. Along with the 95 Chrysler Cirrus 

Totally missed the 1995 Cirrus.

Cirrus was a damn nice driving car. A great design. Remember those very fondly.

[Erik]

Congrats to GM!  However, lets hope it isn't one of Motor Trends 'oops' in hindsight.  look at thier list, there are a few questionable winners there (I highlighted them)

I would add the 2000 Lincoln LS and 2002 Ford Thunderbird (!?!) to your list of questionable winners.

Didn't the LS make Car and Drivers 10 Best also?

[Shnak]

Sounds more credible than AJAC. What if the volt is delayed yet again, can it win next year too?

 

[Erik]

Congrats to GM!  However, lets hope it isn't one of Motor Trends 'oops' in hindsight.  look at thier list, there are a few questionable winners there (I highlighted them)

True, a couple that are questionable in hindsight, but the majority were important or game changing vehicles. For instance, the GM X-Cars were very well received when new. Problems came later.

[Erik]

You missed a bunch, because they used to run a separate Import Car of the Year too.

1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
1998 Lexus GS series
1997 BMW 5-Series
1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
1995 Nissan Maxima
1994 Honda Accord
1993 Mazda RX-7
1992 Lexus SC400
1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
1990 Nissan 300ZX Turbo
1989 Mitsubishi Galant GS
1988 Honda CRX Si
1987 Acura Legend Coupe
1986 Mazda RX-7
1985 Toyota MR2
1984 Honda Civic CRX
1983 Mazda 626
1982 Toyota Celica Supra
1981 Mercedes-Benz 300SD
1980 Honda Civic
1979 Datsun 280ZX
1978 Toyota Celica
1977 Mercedes-Benz 280E
1976 Toyota Celica Liftback
1971- 1975 No award
1970 Porsche 914

[wing]

The Volt isn't even a 2011, it will hopefully be launched as a 2012.

I've yet to see a production version of the car, it's been a few years now they talk about it.  To me the Volt is vapourware until they actually launch the damn thing.

[evil_twin]

Congrats to GM!  However, lets hope it isn't one of Motor Trends 'oops' in hindsight.  look at thier list, there are a few questionable winners there (I highlighted them)

I would add the 2000 Lincoln LS and 2002 Ford Thunderbird (!?!) to your list of questionable winners.

Didn't the LS make Car and Drivers 10 Best also?

I think you're right.  The mags seemed very eager to heap praise on a domestic RWD competitor to the usual BMW, MB, etc. 

They were just a little early with the LS.  The CTS was the true competitor.

[ovr50]

The Volt isn't even a 2011, it will hopefully be launched as a 2012.

I've yet to see a production version of the car, it's been a few years now they talk about it.  To me the Volt is vapourware until they actually launch the damn thing.

 

[TopGun]

Their Import Car of the Year list would obviously be better received 'round these parts...whether you can get them in showrooms or not.   

"We expected a science experiment, but this is a moon shot,” the magazine’s editors write in the January 2011 issue.

More Angus - "Unlike most of the products out of Detroit over the past 30 years, the Volt is not a catch-up-car...This Chevy delivers a unique, breakthrough driving experience that is globally relevant...It could be the coporation's most significnat new powertrain since the small-block V-8."

[wing]

Right, but it can't be car of the year if it doesn't exist, anymore than some other concept car can't be car of the year.

It perhaps rightfully should be car of the year NEXT year....

[Schmengie]

Congrats to GM!  However, lets hope it isn't one of Motor Trends 'oops' in hindsight.  look at thier list, there are a few questionable winners there (I highlighted them)

2011 Chevrolet Volt
2010 Ford Fusion
2009 Nissan GT-R
2008 Cadillac CTS
2007 Toyota Camry
2006 Honda Civic
2005 Chrysler 300
2004 Toyota Prius
2003 Infiniti G35
2002 Ford Thunderbird
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
2000 Lincoln LS
1999 Chrysler 300M
1998 Chevrolet Corvette
1997 Chevrolet Malibu 
1996 Dodge Caravan
1995 Chrysler Cirrus
1994 Ford Mustang
1993 Ford Probe GT
1992 Cadillac Seville Touring Sedan
1991 Chevrolet Caprice Classic LTZ
1990 Lincoln Town Car
1989 Ford Thunderbird SC
1988 Pontiac Grand Prix
1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
1986 Ford Taurus LX
1985 Volkswagen GTI
1984 Chevrolet Corvette
1983 AMC / Renault Alliance
1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
1981 Chrysler K Cars, Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant
1980 Chevrolet Citation
1979 Buick Riviera S
1978 Chrysler, Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon
1977 Chevrolet Caprice
1976 Chrysler, Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare
1975 Chevrolet Monza 2+2
1974 Ford Mustang II
1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
1972 Citroën SM (an imported vehicle that was selected overall "Car of the Year")
1971 Chevrolet Vega
1970 Ford Torino
1969 Plymouth Road Runner
1968 Pontiac GTO
1967 Mercury Cougar
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

You forgot one. MT's choice for COTY in 1971 is beyond questionable. The Vega will be forever remembered as one of the worst vehicles GM has ever produced, if not THE worst.

[Mike]

.....and so it continues.....I think the VOLT may make a clean sweep this year.

2011 Chevrolet Volt Named AUTOMOBILE Magazine Automobile of the Year

[vdk]

It does say 2011 car of the year...