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A bevy of new vehicles will cruise into the 2009 model year with a variety of new designs and technology. From the most innovative features to the most ecologically aware, the International Car of the Year Awards (ICOTY) jury has nominated the top three vehicles for Car of the Year and Truck of the Year.
Presented with the Hollywood flair of the Academy Awards, the ICOTY Awards kick off festivities for the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) January 10, 2009, taking center stage at MGM Grand Detroit.
Hosted by Edmunds.com Editorial Director Kevin Smith, and Road & Travel Magazine (RTM) Editor-in-Chief Courtney Caldwell, the 13th annual awards will reveal the winning vehicles for International Car of the Year and International Truck of the Year. The mission of the ICOTY Awards is to honor vehicles that reflect lifestyle compatibility and how well automakers achieve that goal through the design and marketing of the vehicle.
Here is a look at the 2009 International Car and Truck of the Year nominees that are sure to impress:
International Car of the Year
Dodge Challenger
Ford Flex
Nissan GT-R.
International Truck of the Year
Dodge Ram 1500
Ford F-150
Subaru Forester
"The awards are not centered on power and performance," said Courtney Caldwell, ICOTY’s creator and executive producer. "It's about how cars reflect our lifestyles and self image, an attitude most consumers can identify with."
Inaugural EARTH, WIND & POWER AWARDS
to Debut at ICOTY 2009
The 2009 ceremony is also the debut of the Earth, Wind & Power (EWP) Awards, which will honor the Most Environmentally-Friendly Car and Truck of the Year. The mission of the EWP Awards is to recognize vehicles that are driven by a power source that help reduce global warming, are conducive to promoting a cleaner environment and support the mission to achieve energy independence through alternative sources.
As the awards transition into a more environmental theme, the ICOTY jury is proud to recognize the top vehicles helping drive our planet back to its organic state. Here is a look at the 2009 EWP nominees:
Earth, Wind & Power Car of the Year
BMW 335d
Volkswagen Jetta TDI
Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI
Earth, Wind & Power Truck of the Year
BMW X5 xDrive35d
Ford Escape Hybrid
Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTEC
Also recognizing environmental ingenuity is the second annual EARTH ANGEL Award. Sponsored by Bridgestone, the award honors the automaker making the most progress with environmental initiatives and partnerships on a worldwide level. The inaugural EARTH ANGEL Award was presented to General Motors at the 2008 ceremony.
In addition to the ICOTY awards, Road & Travel Magazine will present its sixth annual Lifetime Legend Award, honoring Washington Post’s veteran automotive journalist Warren Brown. The 2009 award is sponsored by Ford Motor Company.
Sponsors for the 2009 black-tie gala included: Ford Motor Company, Bridgestone, General Motors Corporation, Chrysler LLC, Subaru of America, State Farm, American Honda, Hyundai of America, Audi of America, Mazda NA Operations, BorgWarner Inc., Mercedes-Benz USA and U-Haul International.
For more information on ICOTY, visit the Awards page.
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