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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New Ford Focus ST to Star in the 2012

The new Focus ST 2012 has not even hit the road again, but the first model of Ford's overall performance has already secured a position in the car of the future film star blockbuster UK, The Sweeney, which is based on the original TV series was released in the UK between 1975 and 1978.

Ford has been closely linked to the television series the 1970 Sweeney, as the stars in the drama of the Police Ford Granada, consuls and curtains against violent crime in London.

For the film of 2012, with production continuing until Christmas, Ford said it has delivered several principles to build ST hatchback accent to join the Mondeo, Galaxy and Transit is also used in the film as private vehicles.

Sweeney will be broadcast on the big screen in the UK in September.

The new Focus ST, on the other hand, will go on sale in Britain in the summer of 2012.

Ford has developed two variants of the ST, a five-door hatchback model is offered in 40 countries around the world including the United States and Canada, and a wagon version for sale only in Europe. Both models are powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost turbocharged 250 horsepower is estimated at 360 Nm (265.5 lbs-ft).

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New Ford Focus Electric at Detroit Auto Show

Ford is set to take on the Car Foliage EV and to a less amount, the more computer superior Chevy Voltage prolonged variety EV with the all-new Aim Power that was unveiled now in development guise.

The Dearborn businesses first-ever all-electric person car is based on the newest technology of the Aim five-door hatchback. Camouflaging behind the very Aston Martin-like grille is a drivetrain such as of an engine unit competent of 123 HP and 181 lb-ft of twisting, and a single-speed indication.

Energy is offered by a lithium-ion power program, which has designed by Honda in assistance with company LG Chem. Honda says that with the recommended wall-mounted 240-volt fee place, the power can be energized in three to four time, or about the rest of the Car Foliage. The company did not say how long it will take to fee the power with the normal 120-volt advantage string that comes with the automobile.

The all-electric Aim is competent of attaining rates of pace of up 84 mph (136km/h). Honda did not give out an recognized number on the variety, but the business execs have in the past mentioned that the EV will be able to include a range of around 100 range or 160km.

The Aim Power will also get several new functions and technology together with a exclusive edition of the MyFord Touching drivers hook up program created especially for electric autos, a new value getting characteristic power by Ms and a cell phone app known as MyFord Cell phone that assists plug-in masters control their autos place.

The South United states different of the Aim Power will be designed at Ford’s The state of michigan Set up Place in David, The state of michigan, with revenue to start at the end of 2011. Honda said that for Western areas, a choice on where the Aim Power will be designed is currently being completed, but revenue are planned to start before 2013.

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