The 2008 car of the year as voted by the jury from "Car of the Year" www.caroftheyear.org is the FIAT 500. The 2008 competition was not as closely contested as last years result, perhaps the FIAT is an outstanding new car or maybe the opposition are not at the races, let's see what the judges thought.
According to car of the year "Nostalgia and charm have been key factors in the good marks the Car of the Year 2008 Jury has given to the retro-looking 500, a car of classless appeal in the Fiat tradition." The top two cars this year were relatively small cars compared with last year's SUVs. The Fiat topped the pole by a sixty point margin over its nearest rival the Mazda2. In doing so the FIAT 500 received top marks from thirty four of the fifty eight Jury members. The Ford Mondeo was third, with two hundred and two points, the Ford S-MAX won the top prize last year."
Like all great sequels the key is to try and reproduce that winning formula. Volkswagon did it with the Beatle, Mini managed it too and now it's FIAT's turn or should I say Turin. Let's have a look at what the judges had to say.
Diego Eramo (Italy) "The modern reincarnation of the Fifties and Sixties legend, confirming Fiat's talent for making small cars. The manufacturer is on top form, because the new 500 clearly shows the car's progress in terms of quality, with good quality materials and finishings and careful construction. Low emission engines, active and passive security, comfortable, easy and pleasant to drive, an appealing design and a vast range of customisation options complete a truly winning picture."
Jürgen Lewandoski (Germany) "Off course everybody loves the Fiat 500 and I loved every mile behind the wheel of this marketing and retro miracle. Of course I am waiting for the Abarth and the Giardinette But as this is definitely not a new car, it cannot be a Car of the Year in my opinion."
Andrew English (Great Britain) "The ride is too hard, the rear seats too small and the noisy engine isn't in the back like Giacosa's original, but then you remember the price tag, the gorgeous interior and the smiling faces of people when they step out. OK this is Car of the Year, not retro-rebodied Panda of the year, but as Fiat's Luca De Meo says, "the Cinquecento 500 is a designer car for the man in the street." Yes, I'd need a Papal edict on compulsory days off for chiropractor appointments and Matt Monro's Day's Like These' would be permanently on the stereo, but this car is cooler than gelato and it's my Car of the Year winner by the length of the Apennines Way."
Lasse Holmström (Sweden) "It may be a Panda under cover, but 500 is a cute, nice-to-drive-car with personality and a lot of quality feeling. Five stars in crash test is also impressive"
The Jury for the Car of the Year 2008 consists of fifty eight members, representing twenty two European countries. National representation on the Jury is related to the size of the country's car market and its importance in car manufacturing. France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain each have six members; other countries, proportionally fewer.
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