The World Car Awards nominations have been announced.

The journey on The Road to the World Car continues with today’s announcement of the finalists in all five award categories.

This release kicks off the countdown for the 2015 World Car Awards (the WCAs) prize-giving ceremony to be hosted by the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), Bridgestone Corporation and Autoneum on Thursday, April 2, 2015. Winners of the 2015 World Car of the Year, World Luxury Car, World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year will all be declared at this time.

A jury of 75 distinguished international automotive journalists selected the following finalists in the World Car of the Year, World Luxury Car and World Performance Car categories by secret ballot, based on their experience with each candidate as part of their professional work. For more details about our jurors, and their outlets please visit our web site: www.wcoty.com and click < Jurors.

The international accounting firm KPMG tabulated the jurors’ ballots and announced the finalists on the evening of February 9.   

The 2015 World Car of the Year (WCOTY) will be selected from the following ten finalists listed in alphabetical order:

• BMW 2 Series Active Tourer                  
• Citroën C4 Cactus
• Ford Mustang
• Hyundai Genesis
• Jeep Renegade
• Mazda2
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• MINI 5 door / MINI 4 door
• Nissan Qashqai
• Volkswagen Passat

The 2015 World Luxury Car will be chosen from one of these top ten finalists:

• BMW i8
• BMW X6
• Cadillac ATS Coupe
• Cadillac Escalade / ESV
• Kia K900
• Lexus NX
• Lexus RC
• Lincoln MKC
• Mercedes-Benz S Coupe
• Range Rover Autobiography Black LWB

The 2015 World Performance Car top ten finalists are:

• Audi S1
• Audi S3
• Audi TT / TTS
• Bentley Continental GT Speed
• BMW M4 Coupe / M3 Sedan
• Corvette Z06
• Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
• Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupe
• Lexus RC-F
• Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

The 2015 World Green Car category is handled differently. Five experts in “green” technology were appointed by the World Car Awards Steering Committee to extensively review all documentation and specs associated with each candidate on the list of nominees.  The experts then create a short-list of finalists for review by the 75 jurors in their second round of voting this month. 

The finalists for 2015 are:

• BMW i8
• Hyundai x35 / Tucson Fuel Cell
• Kia Soul EV
• Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine
• Volkswagen Golf GTE

The five experts on the advisory panel are in alphabetical order: Phil Berg (USA - PopularMechanics.com); Richard Bremner (UK - Autocar magazine), Claus-Peter Koeth (Germany - automobil-industrie.de); Yumi Kawabata (Japan - environmental journalist) and John Voelcker (USA - GreenCarReports.com).

Cars eligible for the 2015 World Car Design of the Year award are taken from the list of World Car candidates or may be included as a stand-alone entry provided the vehicle is available in quantities of at least 10 in one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2014 and ending May 31, 2015.  Candidates may be pre-production or all-new production.

Again, a design panel consisting of five highly respected world design experts was asked to first review each candidate, then establish a short-list of recommendations for the jurors. The design experts are: Masatsugu Arimoto (Japan – Freelance design journalist); Silvia Baruffaldi (Italy – Auto & Design magazine); Gernot Bracht (Germany – Pforzheim Design School); Sam Livingstone (UK - Car Design Research and Royal College of Art) and Tom Matano (USA - School of Industrial Design at Academy of Art University in San Francisco).

The five finalists chosen for the jurors are:

• BMW 2 Series Active Tourer
• Citroën C4 Cactus
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• Porsche Macan
• Volvo XC90

The Road to the World Car began in Paris on October 2, followed by a stop in Los Angeles for a test-drive of the North American contenders in November, and continues with the finalists’ announcement. The next stop is at the Geneva International Auto Show on Tuesday, March 3 when the top three finalists in all categories will be announced.   The journey ends at the New York International Auto Show on Thursday, April 2^nd, 2015 when all winners are declared.

BusinessCar awards its car of the year title to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

BusinessCar Magazine’s 2015 Car of the Year is the Mercedes-Benz C-class.

The fleet publication’s awards carry particular weight because they are the only accolades in the industry to be decided entirely by the readership of BusinessCar magazine and BusinessCar.co.uk, and the C-class took the top spot ahead of Peugeot’s impressive new 308.

BMW continued to show its strength in the fleet market by taking two headline awards, including Manufacturer of the Year for the fifth year running and Green Model of the Year with its pioneering i3 electric supermini.

Leasing company Alphabet took the remaining headline award as Service Supplier of the Year.

“The new C-class has propelled Mercedes-Benz into the middle of the fiercely competitive premium upper medium saloon marketplace and massive improvements over the previous model have meant the company has picked up its first ever Business Car of the Year prize,” said Paul Barker, BusinessCar editor.

“The C-class currently offers the most efficient diesel in the sector and there’s also a 94g/km hybrid, plus the 48g/km plug-in coming in April 2015.

“But there’s more to the C-class than just efficiency gains. The classier and more sporty looks combine with a serious focus on whole life costs to propel the new model into fleet heartland territory.”

Barker continued: “BMW’s popularity with the fleet industry is clearly demonstrated with its win as Manufacturer of the Year and this is backed up by four car category wins overall.  It highlights BMW as a brand getting it right for fleet across its range, with cars that are appealing, good to drive and great value to run.

“The corporate market is extremely competitive with some incredible products available to help businesses carry out their work. Winners at this year’s awards should be proud that BusinessCar’s readers have picked them out as the best in the industry.”

Other notable winners include The AA, which picked up three awards in the important Accident Management, Risk Management and Vehicle Recovery categories. Volkswagen also picked up multiple awards with wins in the mainstream lower medium, mini-MPV and mainstream 4x4 categories for its Golf, Touran and Tiguan respectively, while Ford, Vauxhall, Hyundai, Kwik-Fit and BCA were also among the winners.

BusinessCar awards Volkswagen a trio of awards for 2015.

Volkswagen has boosted its 2015 trophy tally and added three new car of the year titles to its name, courtesy of fleet publication and website, BusinessCar.  The Golf retained its Best Mainstream Lower Medium crown, having won the same award in 2014, while the Touran and Tiguan won the Mini-MPV and Mainstream Small Off-roader categories respectively.  The Polo also fared well, being Highly Commended in the hotly competed Mainstream Supermini sector.

The BusinessCar awards are the only accolades voted for entirely by the readership of BusinessCar magazine and www.businesscar.co.uk, and hence the results reflect the views of fleet managers and drivers, and recognise the products and services that best meet the needs of their operations.

Commenting on Volkswagen’s successes, Paul Barker, editor of BusinessCar, said: ‘A trio of reader-voted BusinessCar Awards shows how highly rated Volkswagen is among corporate users who need vehicles that can combine great running costs and practicality with car park appeal.  

The Golf is the ultimate attainable premium model, while victories for the Touran and Tiguan, as well as the highly commended status of the Polo, highlight the appeal of the Volkswagen brand has across the line-up.’

Volkswagen’s Head of Fleet, Michael O’Shea, added: ‘We have one of the widest ranges of cars of any vehicle manufacturer, meaning there’s a Volkswagen to suit virtually every fleet need and taste.  That the Golf, Tiguan, Polo and Touran have all been recognised by BusinessCar is testament to this. 

‘Arguably more important, however,’ he continued, ‘is the fact that these awards are voted for by the readers of BusinessCar – and that means they’re also testament to the service and back-up we provide through our fleet teams and our Network Business Partners.  We’re delighted to have been honoured in this way and believe the new Passat which went on sale this month will continue our winning streak in the BusinessCar awards.’

BusinessCar magazine and website readers vote Hyundai's ix35 as 'Best Crossover'

• BusinessCar magazine and website readers vote Hyundai's ix35 as 'Best Crossover' in the title's 2015 awards
• Voters praise its all-round appeal including value and versatility, specifications and style, and low running costs plus tax efficiency
• Hyundai's industry-leading five-year/unlimited mileage warranty gets yet another awards namecheck –crucial in the highly competitive fleet sector

Hyundai's stylish and versatile ix35 has what it takes to bear heavy usage, high mileages and the close scrutiny of company accountants, according to readers of the BusinessCar magazine and website - who voted the car 'Best Crossover' in the prestigious 2015 BusinessCar Awards.

“ix35 illustrates the great leaps Hyundai has made in terms of product appeal, quality, value and design, and shows that the brand is now a mainstream choice,” said BusinessCar Editor Paul Barker. “These awards are selected by the readers of BusinessCar, and they obviously appreciate the talents of a company that is on the up and can match the more established business car players for efficiency, satisfaction and operating costs.”

BusinessCar readers praised the ix35’s value and generous specification levels, good powertrains and refinement. Voters considered the choice of front-wheel drive or 4x4 an important differentiator, while overall levels of interior and exterior quality played on the style-conscious user-chooser market.

Crucially for the fleet market, the ix35’s low running costs and tax efficiencies made the car affordable under company car tax rules. While operational cost efficiencies - impressive residuals, durability and Hyundai’s reassuring five-year/unlimited warranty – keeping finance-focused fleet managers happy.

A delighted Martin Wilson, Fleet Director, Hyundai Motor UK said: "The ix35 has been a multiple award-winning star car for us, and has proved to be a vital part of our modern, capable range that has revolutionisedour fleet customer perception in the UK.

"This latest award is all the more valuable to us as it comes direct from people who know which cars can cope with being pushed to their limits, and yet still be attractive financially to companies and the end user."

USA - Playboy Mag announces Alfa Romeo 4C its Car of the Year for Sports & Convertible cars

With its race-inspired  performance and  advanced technologies wrapped by seductive curves that can only be handcrafted in Italy,  Playboy  magazine  named  the  all-new  Alfa  Romeo  4C “2015 Car of the Year – Sports Cars and Convertibles.” 

The annual award From Playboy represents a hand-picked list of their favorite vehicles in 2015.

“The gorgeous Italian exchange student you loved in high school isn’t coming back, but the stunning Alfa Romeo 4C is now here after years of being away,” said William K. Gock – Automotive Writer, Playboy. “This lightweight carbon-fiber-framed pistol uses flowing body curves, highly stylized alloy wheels and a monstrous engine roar to announce Alfa’s grand return. Behind the wheel it’s obvious the 4C is a machine built for high-speed cornering, not casual trips to the corner store, which is more than enough to earn our esteem.”

As part of the “2015 Car of the Year” selection process, William K. Gock spent time test-driving countless cars for Playboy and worked with the publication’s editors on the final list of winners.

“Playboy’s best sports car award speaks to the all-new Alfa Romeo 4C’s seductive styling, race-inspired performance and how hot it is in the marketplace,” said Reid Bigland, Head of Alfa Romeo North America. “With its sexy, head-turning mid-engine Italian design, each 4C represents more than 100-years of Alfa Romeo racing knowhow and Formula 1 inspired technologies – a combination we’re excited to offer North American enthusiasts and at a fraction of the price of other carbon fiber chassis supercars.”

USA - Subaru celebrates taking four Kelly Blue Book Awards 2015

Subaru Earns Best Resale Value Brand and Three Vehicle Segment Awards for 2015

Kelley Blue Book, the leading provider of new and used vehicle information, has announced that Subaru has won its prestigious 2015 Best Resale Value Brand Award. In addition, Subaru has an impressive three models that have won 2015 Best Resale Value Awards in their respective categories:

Compact Car Category: 2015 Subaru Impreza

Sporty Compact Car Category: 2015 Subaru WRX

Mid-Size Car Category: 2015 Subaru Legacy

The Best Resale Value Awards recognize 2015 model-year vehicles for their projected retained value through the initial five-year ownership period. Since depreciation (or loss of value) is typically a car-buyer’s primary expense during ownership, these awards, like all of KBB.com’s new- and used-vehicle information, are designed to help consumers make more informed car-buying decisions.

“We are proud to receive 2015 Best Resale Value Brand recognition, as well as multiple segment honors from Kelley Blue Book’s analysts,” said Thomas J. Doll, president and chief operating officer, Subaru of America, Inc. 

“These awards underscore the inherent value in Subaru vehicles, value that stems from our class-leading safety, reliability and durability.” Kelley Blue Book’s Best Resale Value Awards are in their 13th year and are based on projections from the Kelley Blue Book® Official Residual Value Guide. Kelley Blue Book® Residual Values are established by experienced automotive analysts that review statistical models built upon millions of transactions. 

Vehicles that earn the highest five-year residual values, expressed as a percentage of their original Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), are selected for these prestigious awards. Low-volume vehicles and vehicles with an MSRP of more than $60,000 are excluded from award consideration, except in the plug-in vehicle, luxury and high-performance categories.

FIAT wins Best City Van, at recent awards ceremony.

• FIAT Fiorino Cargo 1.3 MultiJet 75 Tecnico Start&Stop named Best City Van in the 2015 Business Vans Van of the Year Awards
• Judges highlighted its manoeuvrability, practicality, high specification, payload and low running costs
• Award presentation made at a special Business Vans award event in London today, January 22, 2015

FIAT Professional is celebrating another awards success following the announcement that its versatile FIAT Fiorino Cargo has been named Best City Van in the Business Van of the Year Awards 2015. Business Vans is an online publication dedicated to the SME sector, providing expert advice for small businesses and owner-operators to choose the right van for their trade or company.

The independent judges, all experts in the commercial vehicle world with senior positions in commercial, leasing and editorial firms, are led by chairman Keith Hawes, MD of Magma Automotive Service, who also chaired the judges last year.

The judges were impressed by the FIAT Fiorino Cargo’s compact dimensions, practicality, high specification, payload and load volume (660kg and a load volume of up to 2.8 cubic metres) as well as its low running costs. Thanks to its advanced MultiJet II turbo-diesel engines the FIAT Fiorino returns up to 65.7 MPG on the combined cycle while also offering its users low maintenance and repair costs.

The Business Van of the Year Best City Van award was specifically bestowed upon the FIAT Fiorino Cargo 1.3 MultiJet II 75hp Tecnico Start&Stop which represents great value for money at £8,995* and features air conditioning; Blue&Me™ connectivity with a TomTom satnav dock; front fog lights and rear parking sensors all as standard.

The recently-launched Sportivo version of the FIAT Fiorino builds on the high specification of the Tecnico model by adding alloy wheels, Sportivo side-stripes and an engine power upgrade to 95hp with no fuel economy or emissions penalties.

Commenting on the success of the FIAT Fiorino, Business Vans editorial director Ralph Morton said: “FIAT’s baby Fiorino has built a reputation as being a perky little van that’s fun to drive. Despite its compact dimensions, it’ll swallow a Euro pallet making the economical Fiorino perfect for city deliveries and the extra spec of the Tecnico version makes it perfect as a business van.”

Sebastiano Fedrigo, director FIAT Professional UK, commented: "We are delighted and proud to receive this prestigious award from the Business Vans team of expert judges. The FIAT Fiorino has firmly established itself as a class-leading product in its respective segment and is widely-regarded throughout the industry. This latest award provides further endorsement of the quality and strength of the award-winning FIAT Professional range."

Volkswagen Cleans up and commercial Vehicle awards ceremony.

• Transporter named ‘Best Crew Van’
• Amarok wins ‘Best Utility Pick-Up’ and ‘Best Double Cab’ awards
• Caddy awarded ‘Best Local Delivery Van’
• Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles presented with ‘Best Service Package for Van Owners’ and ‘BestFinance Package for Van Owners’ awards

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is celebrating a stunning trophy haul at the annual Business Van Awards. The brand swept the board on its way to collecting six out of 12 category awards.

Volkswagen scooped the manufacturer awards for Best Service Package and Best Finance Package. In addition, the brand also claimed Best Crew Van for Transporter, Best Local Delivery Van for Caddy, plus Best Utility Pick-Up and Best Double Cab for the Amarok.

Announcing the results before an industry audience, Business Vans’ editorial director, Ralph Morton, commented:

Best Crew Van – Transporter

‘It’s not just the Transporter panel van version that shines out for SME van operators, when it comes to carrying people to various jobs, the Kombi variant is a winner too.

‘But the real appeal of a Kombi is that it can be a tax-efficient dual use vehicle. For someone in the trades the Transporter Kombi is a brilliant, smart and professional-looking working van during the day, which can then double for family use at the weekends. It means you won’t need an additional car – the Kombi does it all.’

Best Local Delivery Van – Caddy

‘The VW Caddy is compact – just what you need for local delivery work – but this Volkswagen van also has a choice of payloads and 3.2m³ of load capacity and can take loads up to 1.78m. So it’s big on performance.

‘Add in the fact the Caddy is smart, has legendary VW build quality and reliability and carries the professional image that goes with the Volkswagen nameplate, and you have an excellent winner of our local delivery van category.’

Best Utility Pick-Up and Best Double Cab – Amarok

‘We do like a pick-up here at Business Vans and despite challenges from rivals, the Volkswagen Amarok remains top of the pile, whether it’s a do-it-all utility version you want or a more upmarket double cab.

‘Why does it remain our favourite? Outside it looks tough and on the road you feel like you’re ready for anything, the bed area is practical and spacious, yet inside it is comfortable with a car-like feel and comfy ride. Add in Volkswagen reliability and low running costs, and you can see why the Amarok remains king of the pick-ups.’

Best Service Package for Van Owners – Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

‘The judges were impressed by Volkswagen’s service offering and the back-up provided by the brand’s dedicated Van Centre network, which features extended hours, fast emergency repairs and courtesy vehicles that are vital for busy small businesses.’

Best Finance Package – Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

‘It’s not only the award-winning vans and pick-ups that are so right for small businesses, Volkswagen also supports its commercial vehicles with award winning finance. For those in the trades and other small businesses, Volkswagen offers the complete package. Why go anywhere else?’

Commenting on the awards success, Carl zu Dohna, Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, added: ‘To get such recognition demonstrates the strength of the brand and the quality of our products. This is another excellent result for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, and proves that our vans make sense for small or large van buyers. 

‘Winning the best finance package and best service awards is particularly pleasing as it shows that our dedicated Van Centres are doing a great job of getting people on the road and keeping them moving!’