Motor Trend Car of the Year

[LS2JSTS]

Car of the year story

"The 2011 Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle has been named Car of the Year by Motor Trend magazine, for General Motors’ second title in four years. The Volt beat out contenders that include the Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Sonata, Lincoln MKZ hybrid, BMW 5 Series, Jaguar XJ, Infiniti M and Audi A8."

 

[MoparDak05]

Quote:
“The Chevrolet Volt endured more scrutiny and skepticism than any of the nine other semifinalists,”


If that is grounds for winning, shouldn't the Yugo have won at some point in time? I'm pretty sure it was not well-liked either...

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: MoparDak05
Quote:
“The Chevrolet Volt endured more scrutiny and skepticism than any of the nine other semifinalists,”


If that is grounds for winning, shouldn't the Yugo have won at some point in time? I'm pretty sure it was not well-liked either...

I'm pretty sure they meant it held up under all that scrutiny and skepticism; as in, there were tons of people wanting to knock it down, and it survived.

Yugos were subject to scrutiny, but they hardly endured it.

 

[addyguy]

Car of the Year means nothing...it's just an opinion when a car is new.

Keep in mind....the Chevrolet VEGA made car of the year in 1971. That, right there, tells you how much this title actually counts for.

I actually find it suprising that with how wrong MT was on that one, and some others, that they still have the 'nerve' to award COTY awards - so many are so LAUGHABLE a few years down the road!!!

 

[Bill in Utah]

Over the years since they had specific models;

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
1971 Chevrolet Vega
1970 Ford Torino
1969 Plymouth Road Runner
1968 Pontiac GTO
1967 Mercury Cougar
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

There were some "winners" there.

Bill

 

[LS2JSTS]

I sold the Renault back in the early eighties...definitely a clinker for the list. What a piece o junk!

But overall, that list has some sweet cars on it.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

There are some really, REALLY bad cars on that list. I had no idea.

 

[Hokiefyd]

I actually agree with much of what's on that list. Through a modern technological lens, some of the choices seem laughable. And COTY doesn't necessarily mean, "this is the very best vehicle you can buy, period." I think it represents more than the vehicle, like a new technological innovation, a significantly new direction, etc.

The PT Cruiser has very plebian stats, but it was an icon car. The K cars and original Taurus were revolutionary for their time, or at least the best efforts at what was then the state of the art. The '92 Cadillac Seville was an awesome tour de force for Cadillac, at the time. The 3rd generation Chrysler minivans (1996-2000) are still considered by some to be the peak of Mopar minivan style and engineering.

The Prius and Volt both were/are pretty big shifts in what is expected of current and future automobiles.

 

[Y_K]

Reminds me the Nobel Prize in Literature list, or Oscars right after 9/11. Politically motivated.

 

[d00df00d]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
I actually agree with much of what's on that list. Through a modern technological lens, some of the choices seem laughable. And COTY doesn't necessarily mean, "this is the very best vehicle you can buy, period." I think it represents more than the vehicle, like a new technological innovation, a significantly new direction, etc.

The PT Cruiser has very plebian stats, but it was an icon car. The K cars and original Taurus were revolutionary for their time, or at least the best efforts at what was then the state of the art. The '92 Cadillac Seville was an awesome tour de force for Cadillac, at the time. The 3rd generation Chrysler minivans (1996-2000) are still considered by some to be the peak of Mopar minivan style and engineering.

The Prius and Volt both were/are pretty big shifts in what is expected of current and future automobiles.

Right on.

 

[Y_K]

Prius is a bit more autonomous than Volt. Anybody goes to Montana road trip on a Volt? The shift in the right direction it is, but it needs a push.

Public transportation in urban and inter-urban areas would be a shift we all could benefit from. Look at the high speed rail debate on the West Coast: quite a circus.

 

[eljefino]

Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
I actually agree with much of what's on that list. Through a modern technological lens, some of the choices seem laughable. And COTY doesn't necessarily mean, "this is the very best vehicle you can buy, period." I think it represents more than the vehicle, like a new technological innovation, a significantly new direction, etc.

The PT Cruiser has very plebian stats, but it was an icon car. The K cars and original Taurus were revolutionary for their time, or at least the best efforts at what was then the state of the art. The '92 Cadillac Seville was an awesome tour de force for Cadillac, at the time. The 3rd generation Chrysler minivans (1996-2000) are still considered by some to be the peak of Mopar minivan style and engineering.

The Prius and Volt both were/are pretty big shifts in what is expected of current and future automobiles.

Right on.


+3

Time's Man of the Year was a computer once in the early 80s. And they've had as many bozos if not more so than C&D's COTY.

 

[Scienceman]

How much did they pay to get car of the year?

 

[NateDN10]

Originally Posted By: Y_K
Prius is a bit more autonomous than Volt. Anybody goes to Montana road trip on a Volt? The shift in the right direction it is, but it needs a push.

Public transportation in urban and inter-urban areas would be a shift we all could benefit from. Look at the high speed rail debate on the West Coast: quite a circus.


The Volt isn't an electric only vehicle. It's electric+gas range is rated at 350 miles, with the first 25-50 of that coming from electric only.

 

[boxcartommie22]

lol...yep or the gov told them if you pick the volt we will give you a bail out.

 

[rshunter]

Originally Posted By: Y_K
Public transportation in urban and inter-urban areas would be a shift we all could benefit from. Look at the high speed rail debate on the West Coast: quite a circus.

Just how do you propose to pay for it all? Public transit is a giant leech on the transportation budget, sucking funds from many vital projects. Without other modes massively subsidizing it, public transit would be completely dead. There isn't a public transit system in this country that is capable of paying its own way. Fare box recovery levels are abysmal, at best.

Our local transit authority manages a less than 15% fare box recovery. That means the fares that passengers pay amounts to less than 15% of the cost of operating the system. Our cost, per ride provided, was over $5.36 in fiscal year 2008. Historically, the figures don't look much different than they do today. When transit riders are willing to start carrying their own load, I'll drop dead from shock. In the meantime, I'm actively campaigning against the expansion of this overpriced idea...

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Over the years since they had specific models;

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
1971 Chevrolet Vega
1970 Ford Torino
1969 Plymouth Road Runner
1968 Pontiac GTO
1967 Mercury Cougar
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

There were some "winners" there.

Bill

There are some that you can question, but you have to put in perspective. It was at the time an unproven new car put up against the same. You have to look at what else was also offered new that year. No one knew if they would [censored] out or could perdict what we would be driving today.

 

[whip]

I think MT picks the wrong car more than they pick the right one. I haven't read MT in a long time, but I know some of those picks get worse when you see the cars that weren't picked.

 

[Ben99GT]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Over the years since they had specific models;

2007 Toyota Camry
2002 Ford Thunderbird
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
1999 Chrysler 300M
1997 Chevrolet Malibu
1995 Chrysler Cirrus
1993 Ford Probe GT
1988 Pontiac Grand Prix
1985 Volkswagen GTI
1983 AMC / Renault Alliance
1981 Chrysler K Cars, Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant
1980 Chevrolet Citation
1979 Buick Riviera S
1978 Chrysler, Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon
1975 Chevrolet Monza 2+2
1974 Ford Mustang II
1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
1972 Citroën SM
1971 Chevrolet Vega
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado

There were some "winners" there.


There were some real losers too.

 

[Y_K]

Thank you for the correction. I missed an obvious beyond plug-in. How long and how many fleet sales would it take to make this car to make sense financially? Provided fuel price does not drop.