My picks are CTS and Enclave, although all are worthy. Happy to see the CX-9 getting some attention. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071213/AUTO04/712130336/1364/AUTO012008 North American International Auto Show
GM leads race for car, truck of the year awards with 4 vehicles
Sharon Terlep / The Detroit News
Amid all the bleak news for Detroit's automakers, General Motors Corp. can at least take solace that its revived vehicle lineup is resonating with critics.
The automaker on Wednesday snagged four of six finalist spots for the 2008 North American Car and Truck of the Year award, validation of a product renaissance under way since last year.
"It ain't over until the final voting is in," GM Vice Chairman and product chief Bob Lutz said shortly after the finalists were announced. "Still, even this news is invigorating, and testimony to the fact that the highly capable GM team can turn out absolutely world-class products."
GM's Cadillac CTS and its much-hyped Chevrolet Malibu will go up against the sporty Honda Accord for Car of the Year. The automaker's upscale Buick Enclave and its first full hybrid, the Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid SUV, are competing with the well-reviewed Mazda CX-9 for Truck of the Year.
Winners will be revealed Jan. 13, the first press preview day of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
GM swept the awards last year with the Saturn Aura sedan and the Chevrolet Silverado following a four-year absence from the winners' list. The only other sweep was by Honda in 2006 with the Accord and Ridgeline.
The awards recognize vehicles based on a number of factors, including design, safety and driver satisfaction. Vehicles must be new or significantly different from the previous model to be considered.
A nod from the panel of 50 automotive journalists who vote on the awards doesn't guarantee success in showrooms. The Aura fell short of GM's expectations despite its win last year.
But, more often, cars and trucks that make the list also score well with consumers. The Honda Civic, Toyota Prius, Chrysler PT Cruiser and Ford Escape are all past winners.
The key for GM will be to leverage the critical praise with marketing that drives home the fact that industry experts think more highly of GM cars and trucks, said Michelle Krebs, senior editor of auto research firm Edmunds Inc.'s AutoObserver.com site. Already, GM is using quotes from Malibu reviews as a key part of the massive ad campaign for the car.
"They have got to do something with getting this critical acclaim into the minds of the consumer," Krebs said. "They need to keep pounding away that people in the know think highly of their products. Perception is the No. 1 problem they have -- they've figured out quality, they've figured out styling."
Also significant is the fact that GM scored on the car side as well as in trucks. The automaker has admittedly neglected its passenger cars for decades, allowing Japanese-based companies led by Toyota Motor Corp. to dominate the field of family sedans. Other than Aura in 2007, the last time GM won Car of the Year was in 1998 for the Chevrolet Corvette. A GM sedan hadn't won since the award started in 1994 in its current form.
"We're not here with an Escalade, we're here with a car," said John Howell, director of global products for Cadillac. "This says GM is on the right track and there are a lot of people in the company who are doing the right things."
The kudos come as Detroit's Big Three head into 2008 under dark clouds that even stellar products might not be able to lift. Analysts are predicting another weak year for the U.S. auto industry. Carmakers, still plagued by financial losses, are fretting over the threat of costly regulatory changes.
In a speech to the Detroit Economic Club before the announcement, Automotive News Publisher Keith Crain cited the challenges facing Detroit's automakers: regulatory woes, the credit crunch, the housing market meltdown, impending competition from Chinese automakers and the growing dominance of Toyota Motor Corp.
Producing the best cars and trucks is the key to survival for domestic automakers, he said.
"Let's face it -- everybody is producing good products," Crain said. "There are no more Yugos. The competition is fierce."
Past winners
2007
Car: Saturn Aura
Truck: Chevrolet Silverado
2006
Car: Honda Civic
Truck: Honda Ridgeline
2005
Car: Chrysler 300/300C
Truck: Ford Escape Hybrid
2004
Car: Toyota Prius
Truck: Ford F-150.
2003
Car: Mini Cooper/Cooper S
Truck: Volvo XC90
2002
Car: Nissan Altima
Truck: Chevrolet TrailBlazer
2001
Car: Chrysler PT Cruiser
Truck: Acura MDX
2000
Car: Ford Focus
Truck: Nissan Xterra
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