Well, 2008 is coming to a close and I think a lot of really good products were put onto the market this year by a multitude of manufacturers. The Motor Trend Car of the Year obviously wasn't a popular choice here, so I decided to make this thread to see what people here's personal "Car of the Year" is.

I'd like to hear 3 candidates per poster just to get some range in the feedback. There's no specific criteria other than it being a new model and it's significance having impact in 2008.

My candidates would be:
GTR - Not gonna expand on this one... haha!

ZR1 - Wow, amazing car. I remember gawking at Ferrari Enzo numbers a few years back and now here's a car that can run with it, that I could actually realistically potentially own one day! Very fast, very capable, and still civil.

Hyundai Genesis - I got a chance to see and sit in one and its an impressively well put together car. Hyundai has come a long, long way in a short amount of time.

 

Pontiac G8 to me. Affordable, well rounded, great handling and performing... and attainable by a much wider audiance than the zr1 or the GTR..

 

Chevrolet Cobalt SS, runs the ring right up there with the V8 Camaro and gets 30 mpg all for just over $22k! Add in the new stage kit from GM and there is no contest.

 

BMW 1 Series for trying to develope a new segment in the U.S. (Smaller luxo segment) with a great drive train.

 

G8 gets my vote as well.

I don't think the COTY should ever be something higher priced like a GTR, ZR1, Porsche, etc. etc.

 

I agree with your logic about COTY. The wife and I almost bought a Stryker Blue G8 about a month and a half ago, we could have done it, but the payments would have been higher than I wanted, and in this economic climate, we walked away.. Was NOT an easy thing to do. The car is truely awesome in all aspects. Powerful, Comfortable, Roomy, Decent on gas, and very stylish. If I had 10k to put down, I'd of done it, but at the time , we wanted our kitchen renovated more than the new car.

 

This should have been a poll actually. Some possible entries:

Audi A4 (2009)
BMW 1 series
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Honda FCX Clarity
Hyundai Genesis
Ford Flex
Mercedes-Benz C-class
Nissan GTR
Pontiac G8

I still think out of this entire list, GTR stole the floor this year.

 

In judging shear significance and impact upon entry to the market place (in other words what car are the other manufacturers most taking notice of right now?). The Genesis, hands down.

 

I second the Hyundai Genisis coupe and the Pontiac G8.

I checked out the Flex at the LA press preview for the 1st time. It's very nice, and IMO if it overcomes it's price level (which I feel is a bit high) it will do very well as a minivan-SUV thingy.

 

I agree with the Hyundai Genesis and the BMW 1 series.

Next year, Camaro SS!

 

Hyundai Genesis for me as well.

However, if money were no object, I'd select the Corvette ZR1.

 

What are the criteria?

 

I can't decide between the ZR-1, G8, or Genesis.

 

I was basing my choice on the assumption we were using the MTCOTY criteria:

When to we get to test the cars?

 

The Genesis. Sure it may not have the press attention that the GTR has, but there is a lot of showroom traffic for people wanting to actually shop for a Genesis and buy one (who cannot afford the other Lux cars and this is in their pricerange).

Not to mention the content of the car for the price. Not to mention the build quality.

Hyundai is improving at an alarming rate. If only they cared more for sports cars, the Genesis Coupe might have gotten the V8.