. North American Car and Truck of the Year
Finalists Announced
DETROIT - An international
group of automotive journalists has selected the Ford Fusion, Honda
Civic and Pontiac Solstice as the finalists for the 2006 North American
Car of the Year.
The Ford Explorer,
Honda Ridgeline and Nissan Xterra were selected as finalists for
the 2006 North American Truck of the Year.
The results were announced
today at a news conference during a luncheon held by the Detroit
Economic Club.
The awards are unique
because instead of being given by a single publication, radio or
television station they are given by 49 automotive journalists from
the United States and Canada.
The awards are designed
to recognize the most outstanding vehicles of the year based on
factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction
and value for the dollar. To be eligible vehicles must be "all new"
or "substantially changed" from the previous model.
Dozens of new 2006
vehicles were eligible but the jurors whittled the field down to
14 cars and 14 trucks on which they voted.
Steve Laughman, a partner
at Deloitte & Touche, was responsible for counting the ballots,
which jurors sent directly to the accounting firm in Detroit.
However, Laughman
remains the only person who knows the winners, which will
be announced January 8th at the North American International
Auto Show in Detroit.
Although the
winners are disclosed at NAIAS, the show does not give the
awards.
Last year the
North American Car of the Year was the Chrysler 300/300C,
while the North American Truck of the Year was the Ford
Escape Hybrid.
In the last 12 years, domestic
automakers have won the North American Car of the Year six times. Japanese
automakers have won twice and European automakers have won four times.
In the last 12 years, domestic
automakers have won North American Truck of the Year eight times. Japanese
and European automakers have each won twice.
The jurors represent outlets
such as the Toronto Star, Car and Driver magazine, AutoWeek, The Chicago
Tribune, MotorWeek, USA Today, Autoline Detroit, Edmunds.com, The (Cleveland)
Plain Dealer, Road & Track magazine, the San Jose Mercury News, Edmunds.com,
Consumer Guide, the Boston Globe, Automotive News, Popular Mechanics and
Fortune.
