World Car of the Year
While still fairly new, the car industry is taking a cue from Hollywood and ending the car show season with an awards ceremony.
Comparable to what the Golden Globes means for film, the World Car of the Year Awards are voted on by 44 automotive journalists in 22 countries through secret ballot. (The actual awards are giant gold spheres on a pedestal.)
This year the World Car of the Year (think Best Motion Picture), went to the Lexus LS 460, which beat out the Audi TT and the Mini Cooper, as well as seven other nominees. (It should be noted that we here at CNET already gave an award to the Lexus LS 460L.)
(Credit: Candace Lombardi/CNET Networks)The Lexus LS 460, the largest sedan from Lexus, has a 4.6-liter V-8 engine and 8-speed transmission that makes 380 horsepower and 367 pounds of torque. The Lexus 460 is the first production car to use electric intake cam phase control to provide critical intake variable valve timing (for better fuel efficiency and reduced emissions). On the exhaust side, Lexus uses a more traditional hydraulic approach for exhaust valve control. But the coolest feature, may be what it can do when it's not doing 70 miles per hour. This is the Lexus that parks itself.
Bob Carter, U.S. general manager for Lexus, accepted the World Car of the Year trophy on behalf of the company at the awards ceremony Thursday morning at the New York Auto Show.
(Credit: Candace Lombardi/CNET Networks)
Candace Lombardi is a staff writer at CNET News.com
- Topics:
-
Cars
- Bookmark:
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
Good performance.
Security? Which auto manufacturer will be the first to allow the car owner to make/remake their own keys anytime, anywhere?
So simple it is overlooked?