And Now There Is One... Volkswagen Polo Declared 2010 World Car Of The Year

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Apr 01, 2010, 10:13 ET

NEW YORK, April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- At a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show, Bridgestone Corporation, and BASF SE at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan, New York, the Volkswagen Polo was declared the 2010 World Car of the Year.

The Volkswagen Polo was chosen from an initial entry list of thirty (30) entries nominated by fifty-nine (59) World Car jurors from twenty-five (25) countries throughout the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their on-going full-time professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of many millions world-wide.

The jurors voted in January 2010 to establish a top ten shortlist. A second round of voting occurred in February when jurors were asked to score the top ten candidates based on merit, value, safety, environment, significance and emotional appeal. The World Car of the Year was chosen from those top ten finalists as tabulated by the international accounting firm KPMG.

The World Car Awards jurors observed that, "Holding its own in the most competitive market segment, the all-new Polo MkV is one of VW's star performers. Boasting best-in-segment packaging and handling, this supermini's blend of classy looks, reliability and quality has meant it's consistently been one the market's best-sellers. Draped in head-turning stylish curves, the Polo is certainly one of the classiest small VWs ever built. It's also safe; generating a maximum five-star Euro NCAP crash-test rating. Behind the wheel, the Polo demonstrates mature manners and boasts a superb driving position that's adjustable and, in common with the latest Golf, all the controls are well weighted and precise. The Polo is just one brilliant supermini."

The top three contenders for 2010 World Car of the Year title were, in alphabetical order, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the Toyota Prius and the Volkswagen Polo.

"We're honored that the Volkswagen Polo was chosen by this distinguished group of jurors as the 2010 World Car of The Year," said Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG. "After the great triumph of the Golf last year, we are delighted to repeat this success with the new Polo. These automobiles have reaped numerous awards, winning well-nigh every prize the automotive industry has to award. This shows Volkswagen is on the right track and is offering arguably the best range of products in its history."

Previous World Car of the Year winners were the Volkswagen Golf in 2009, the Mazda2 / Mazda Demio in 2008, the Lexus LS460 in 2007, the BMW 3-Series in 2006, and the Audi A6 in 2005.

Prime Research International, a global leader in strategic communication research and consultancy, has joined forces with the World Car Awards to form a unique research partnership that will provide strategic reports in 2010, analyzing global automotive media coverage.

Now in their seventh year, the annual World Car awards have become one of the world's most prestigious, credible and significant programs of its kind.

The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale. The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programs.

The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. Peter Lyon (Japan) and Matt Davis (Italy / USA) are the co-chairs; John McCormick (USA), Jens Meiners (Germany) and Gerry Malloy (Canada) are the directors. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.

PHOTOS from today's press conference are available for download on our web site at www.wcoty.com > Award Photos. Additional information? Contact: Beth Rhind, Executive Manager, E: [email protected], T: 1.705.924.3444.

About BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION

Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world's largest tire and rubber company. In addition to tires for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.

About PRIME RESEARCH

PRIME Research International, a global leader in strategic communication research and consultancy, has joined forces with the World Car Awards to provide strategic studies in the fields of automotive assessment criteria and automotive awards. PRIME Research is a well-trusted research partner for the automotive industry with a broad range of automotive clients. Its full picture approach, which provides strategic benchmark information and SWOT analyses on over 100 brands and over 10,000 different automobile models, sets the standard in automotive media research.

About the 2010 NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW

Ushering in the latest motor trends, the 2010 New York International Auto Show will unveil an expansive collection of cutting-edge design and extraordinary innovation. More than four floors of displays from the world's automakers will feature the newest vehicles and futuristic concept cars. More than 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display. NYIAS is North America's first and largest-attended auto show. The first exhibition was held in 1900 at Madison Square Garden. Today, the Show represents the nation's largest new vehicle market, accounting for over 840,000 new vehicle registrations in 2008. NYIAS is owned and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.