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NEWS
Volkswagen Golf wins World COTY
Seventh generation of VW's iconic hatchback judged world car of the year for 2013Volkswagen’s all-new Golf VII has taken out the 2013 World Car of the Year award to round out a successful half decade for the German carmaker.
Already the European Car of the Year, the Golf VII represented a major risk for the Volkswagen Group with an all-new chassis architecture that was designed to be used across all of its brands.
The second car built off its soon-to-be ubiquitous MQB modular front-drive architecture, the Golf showed the way for the future of all small and medium Seats, Skodas, Volkswagens and even Audis.
“Honed over seven generations since its original launch in 1974, the Volkswagen Golf is as close to the perfect hatchback design as any car company has come yet,” the World Car of the Year judging committee said.
“Right sized, but spacious, practical and comfortable inside, the latest Golf has been brought up to date with a fresh if evolutionary design, a range of new engines, plus an impressive list of equipment and safety features.
“What’s more, it’s fun to drive. If ever there was a car for everyman, the Golf is it.”
The Golf was one of 10 cars short listed by the World Car of the Year Award’s 66 international judges and then its voting scores delivered Volkswagen its third World Car of the Year award in five years, following successes by the Up! last year and the Polo three years ago.
It wasn’t the only Volkswagen Group representative at the sharp end of the voting, though, with Porsche’s Cayman/Boxster twins joining the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ in the final four.
“We at Volkswagen are all delighted that the Golf has been named ‘World Car of the Year’,” Volkswagen Chairman Martin Winterkorn said.
“To win this award again shows that the Golf is and remains in a class of its own all around the world. This car sets new benchmarks again and again, not least in terms of efficiency and environmental credentials. Soon, for instance, the Golf will also be launched as a plug-in hybrid and as a 100 per cent electric car.”
Besides making the final four, the Cayman/Boxster also claimed the World Performance Car award, beating out the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ.
Jaguar’s F-Type convertible took the World Design Award ahead of the Mazda 6 and the Aston Martin Vanquish, while the Tesla S won the World Green Car award, besting the Volvo 60 plug-in hybrid and the electric Renault Zoe.
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Written byMichael Taylor
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