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There are eight million football coaches in Switzerland and at least as many automobile experts. No topic dominates late-night gatherings of regulars more than horsepower, acceleration and top speed. Or for new electric currency battery sizes, ranges and charging times. Everyone has contact with the subject of cars. And its purchase is the second largest investment for a household, where no one wants to get stuck with the wrong model.
Dutch motoring journalist Fred van der Vlugt (1930–2002) wanted to offer reliable buying advice when he formed the European Car of the Year jury in 1963 with 25 colleagues from nine countries. Choose the best model of the year based on expert opinion, financially independent and unaffected by the auto industry. Then provide guidance through the growing forest of segments, body shapes, and impulses. The first prize was won by Rover 2000 in 1964 – exactly 60 years ago. If you don’t immediately picture the brand’s luxury sedan, which was discontinued in 2005, there’s no need to worry: That’s probably the case for most of the winning models in the 60-year-old Cars of the Year category.
Not every winner became a bestseller
Austin 1800 (designation 1965), Simca 1307 (1976) or Opel Omega A (1987) – some prize winners disappeared both from the streets and from the collective consciousness. Not every winning model necessarily has to break box office records and roll off the assembly line in corresponding quantities. Especially since expert criteria and customer tastes do not always lead to the same results. The Ro 80 from Audi’s predecessor NSU (1968) ushered in a completely new era, visually and technically. Still, their angry drivers greeted each other by raising one or more fingers, depending on the number of worn-out Wankel engines. They were fantastic in theory, but they didn’t quite stand up to the daily stress. As soon as Simcas Horizon was selected in 1979, the brand died due to takeover; The new owner, Peugeot, immediately affixed the Talbot logo to its compact car. No matter how logical and economical the second Toyota Prius (2005) was, its design still caused potential customers to hesitate.
So what makes a new car model the Car of the Year? Technological innovations, driving behavior, environmental compatibility and of course consumption. But besides these measurable features, its design, interior, materials and subjective preferences, including the taste notes of the judges, also play a role. In addition, with the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, the jury has now grown to 58 members from 22 countries, each with very different market conditions: Germany and Switzerland are making progress in expanding charging infrastructure, while in Eastern Europe internal combustion engines and hybrids due to the thin charging network It is predicted that he will prevail. Sometimes even patriotism can play a role when you choose models designed and produced in your own country.
What does a winner need?
But since each jury member (there are currently only five female members) votes individually, freely and secretly, subjective and objective criteria are put into perspective in the overall outcome. However, the importance of price is always a matter of debate. Does the car of the year always have to be affordable? Or do models with high technology and convincing innovations reflected in the price also deserve this title? High-priced models have won several times: The Mercedes S-Class, one of the most expensive cars at the time, won in 1974. In 2019, the 80,000-franc electric car Jaguar I-Pace won this title because it created the mid-size electric car segment, which is numerous today. Even a Rolls-Royce managed to make it to the podium, but the Silver Shadow only finished second in 1966.
However, small and compact cars make up the majority of the winners list. Some models have won this title twice, such as the VW Golf (1992 and 2013), Toyota Yaris (2000 and 2021) or Renault Clio (1991 and 2006). But while German brands dominate many sales statistics in Europe, they feature very little in the winners’ list: Opel has always had five victories, but VW has only four, Audi has two, Mercedes has at least one victory, while BMW has always been left empty-handed. By contrast, Peugeot has delivered car of the year six times so far, Renault has a total of seven victories and Fiat has won a record nine championships. Back to back with Punto and model twins Bravo and Brava in 1996 and 1997.
This year, the jury selected the winning model of 2024 at the start of the Geneva International Motor Show (until March 3): the Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric beat the BMW 5 Series (308) and the Peugeot 3008 (197) with 329 points . ). For the sixth time, BMW had to settle for second place in the elections; this is eternal second place. Only Fiat took second place more.
Reasons to choose Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric? It is relatively lightweight for an electric car and therefore lighter, has a smaller and therefore cheaper battery, and offers significantly more space than the electric Megane launched last year, with which it shares ride and technology. Renault is also entering the circular economy with the Scenic, thanks to a 25 percent share of recycled materials. So will it really be a bestseller? Or are they getting flat tires in showrooms? Only time will tell.
Source: Blick
I’m Ella Sammie, author specializing in the Technology sector. I have been writing for 24 Instatnt News since 2020, and am passionate about staying up to date with the latest developments in this ever-changing industry.
