North American Car and Truck of the Year Finalists are...

For the past 18 years, a committee of journalists from U.S. and Canadian magazines, radio and TV stations, websites and newspapers meet once a year and vote for the North American Car and Truck of the Year [NACTOY].

You'll have to wait until January to find the winners for the 2012 edition of the North American Car and Truck of the Year, but the three finalists for each category were announced on Thursday in Detroit.

The car candidates in alphabetical order are the new Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and the U.S. market VW Passat, which recently won Motor Trend's 2012 Car of the Year award.

We're not sure how the enlightened committee defines the word "truck", but the final shortlist in this category includes the new BMW X3, Honda CR-V and Range Rover Evoque.

The jurors have until January 6 to vote among these vehicles, with the final results to be announced on January 11 during the 2012 Detroit Motor Show.

So far, domestic automakers have won the North American Car of the Year award 10 times, European automakers four times, Japanese automakers three times and a Korean manufacturer only once.

On the truck side, domestic automakers have won the award 12 times, Japanese automakers four times and European automakers twice.

For those of you wondering, here are the vehicles that made it to the jurors’ short list this year:

North American Car of the Year:
Audi A6
Audi A7
Buick Verano
Chevrolet Sonic
Chrysler 300/SRT-8
Fiat 500
Ford Focus
Hyundai Accent
Hyundai Elantra
Hyundai Veloster
Kia Rio/Rio 5
Scion iQ
Subaru Impreza
Toyota Camry
Toyota Prius V
VW Beetle
VW Passat

North American Truck of the Year:
BMW X3
Honda CR-V
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Mercedes-Benz M-Class
Mini Countryman
Nissan Quest
Saab 9-4X

 

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Suzuki Ditches at Los Angeles and Detroit Motor Shows

The stronger yen erodes profit margins and sales of Japanese injuries and, therefore, forced to find ways to cut your losses.

Suzuki, which was hard hit by exchange rates, as it manufactures all its models in the U.S. market - the direction of the Equator pickup truck in Japan to withdraw from Los Angeles Motor Show next month, decided that, despite initially confirmed his participation.

American Suzuki spokesman Jeff Holland said the company decided Automotivenews "very little" to skip the event

Japanese automaker, the decision to leave in January at the Detroit Auto Show is much less a surprise, because he has not experienced the event since 2008.

Holland, explains the reasoning behind moving Suzuki to leave the Los Angeles Auto Show. "For next season, our brand to participate selectively in car shows where our story will resonate more distinctive and attractive"

By 2012, Suzuki plans to focus in 20 U.S. markets, where the largest number of dealers and market share. Los Angeles and Detroit are in this category. In fact, in the State of California sold a paltry 430 Suzuki vehicles since January.

The last four years have been difficult for Suzuki in the U.S. market as its sales fell by 100,000 units in 2007 to 23,994 units in 2010.

This has led to the marketing budget to get a much more difficult, which is something that the Netherlands is willing to admit: "We have a more conservative approach in the future," he said.

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Ford Announces 45% Increase in Sales in India

Ford's India subdivision announced today that it sold 71,347 units from January 1 until July 31, which corresponds to a 45% increase compared to the same period of 2010 when it delivered 49,131 units.

The Detroit firm wants to further increase its presence in the country and has announced the signing of an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the State of Gujarat to invest approximately $1 billion to build two new plants in addition to the one in Chennai, for vehicle and engine manufacturing on a 460-acre site in Sanand.

“These are exciting times for Ford in India,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director of Ford India. “We are investing in the future and reinforcing our long-term commitment to India by building two new plants in Gujarat and by adding the new Fiesta to our portfolio. The new Fiesta is the first of eight new vehicles we will bring to India by mid-decade”.

Ford India was established in 1995 and is owned by Ford Motor Company. Until now it operates one factory in Maraimalai Nagar, near Chennai, which produces the Figo, the Fiesta Classic, the Endeavour and the new Fiesta which was launched in April this year.

 

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