For the second time, the ceremony for the oldest and most prestigious award of the automotive world took place at the opening event for the Geneva Motor Show. The Golf VII saw off the challenge from seven other finalists: Ford B-Max; Hyundai i30; Mercedes A-Class; Peugeot 208; Renault Clio; Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86; and Volvo V40.

Geneva, 4 March 2013 – The Geneva Motor Show opens with a winner. The Golf VII has been voted as ‘Car of the Year 2013’. Following a series of test drives by the jury, Hakan Matson, president of the panel of international automobile experts, handed over the prestigious Car of the Year award to the Volkswagen AG Head of Development Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg and the Head of Design Walter de Silva. The Car of the Year thereby becomes the first big news of the 83rd Geneva Motor Show, which opens for the press on Tuesday morning.

Hakan Matson, Jury President and automobile expert of the Swedish business paper Dagens Industri: “The Volkswagen Golf VII received amazing results in our intensive test drives. It is a modern car with a high level of quality and safety, a wide range of drive trains as well as an outstanding driving performance. The Car of the Year winner has to show excellence in a number of categories – with special attention to the needs of consumers. All the members of our jury are experts and put the finalists through a series of exhaustive tests to provide substantial purchasing criteria for consumers.”

The eight finalists for the ‘Car of the Year 2013’ were selected from the 32 most significant new models launched this year by a jury of 58 automobile journalists from 22 European countries. The key criteria for Car of the Year comprise innovation, value for money, safety, quality and design as well as environmental aspects. For the second time in the 50-year history of the award, this year’s ceremony was held at the opening of the Geneva Motor Show. The final counting of votes by the international jury took place on site. The partnership between the ‘Car of the Year’ jury and the Geneva Motor Show is a long-term one. Hakan Matson said: ‘We look forward to announcing the 2014 in Geneva next year.”

Car of the Year:

The international award of Car of the Year is considered to be the most prestigious and desirable car award in the world. Currently, 58 journalists from 22 countries are members of the jury, which has awarded the title since 1964. Car of the Year was called into being by seven European magazines from seven countries: France (L'Automobile), Italy (Auto), Spain (Autopista), Great Britain (Autocar), The Netherlands (Autovisie), Germany (stern) and Sweden (Vi Bilägare). www.caroftheyear.org