Car makers trumpet end-of-year triumphs

The Carsales Network will announce the 'People's Choice Awards' next week -- so stay tuned -- but in the meantime, we thought we'd bring you some of the other awards and honours bestowed on cars and manufacturers in recent weeks.

Das Bild's Golden Steering Wheel awards have already been reported here, so we won't rehash that or the Green Steering Wheel award either, but here's a selection for your edification.

British magazine Autocar has awarded Kia and parent company Hyundai in combination as 'Car Company of the Year' for 2008. The long-standing enthusiasts' publication awarded the Korean companies for their ambition, which has seen the concern expand rapidly with factories all over the world and new product that puts paid to the old Hyundai that was devoid of brand image.

A day later, it was reported locally that American magazine, Popular Science, had settled on the seven-speed automatic transmission from the Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG as its top pick in the automotive category of the mag's 'Best of What's New Awards'. The magazine described the advanced transmission as representing "important and revolutionary technological progress" for its features, like the wet-plate clutch system in lieu of a conventional torque converter.

At the other end of the scale -- but still part of the three-pointed star stable -- the smart fortwo was recognised by the American EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for being 'America's most economical car'. The smart was chosen as the most economical car for vehicles without hybrid drivetrains.

Hyundai picked up three 'Top Safety Pick' awards from the American Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for its Veracruz, Santa Fe and Entourage models. Subaru outdid its South Korean competitor, earning four awards in this competition for the Impreza, Liberty (AKA Legacy), Forester and Tribeca.

Audi's A4, A6 and R8 all topped their categories in the 'Auto Trophy' awards presented by German newspaper, Auto Zeitung. The newly arrived Q5 and A8 finished second in their respective categories.

And locally, two of our fellow media outlets (and they know who they are!) chose two quite different cars -- but both in the VFACTS large-car segment -- as their 'Car of the Year' recipients. One decided to hand its gong over to the Honda Accord V6 and the other opted for the Ford Falcon G6E Turbo.

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