Monday, 8 January 2007
General Motors claims victory in Detroit, captures both Car and Truck of the Year awards
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Last year it was Honda that swept the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards, presented annually at the Detroit auto show. This year General Motors claims exclusive rights to those distinctions. Forty-nine of the top automotive journalists in the United States and Canada crowned the mid-size Saturn Aura sedan the 2007 Car of the Year and the full-size Chevrolet Silverado pickup the 2007 Truck of the Year.
Eleven cars and 15 trucks were initially nominated for the titles from over 60 eligible vehicles, and those lists were narrowed to three each midway through December. The Saturn Aura beat out the subcompact Honda Fit and best-selling passenger car Toyota Camry, while the Silverado earned more points than the Ford Edge and Mazda CX-7 crossovers. As stated by Jill Lajdziak, Saturn vice president for sales, service and marketing, "this is a great day for General Motors, for Chevrolet and for Saturn."
Analysis: As Saturn's product portfolio has begun its modernization in the last year, consumers and analysts are re-thinking the way in which they perceive the General Motors brand. This distinctive honor further solidifies Saturn's renaissance as a mainstream car company committed to style, performance and superior fit and finish.
The Silverado triumph is a big boost for GM's truck division, as the Ford F-series often earns recognition as the pickup leader. Furthermore, Ford definitely could have used a win in this category, as success of the all-new Ford Edge crossover SUV could seriously improve the company's North American business and place the manufacturer back on the road to profitability.
Source: North American International Auto Show
Image: GM media [Jill Lajdziak pictured with Saturn Aura]
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