At a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show and Bridgestone Corporation, the Audi A3 was declared the 2014 World Car of the Year.
Audi has now won a total of seven awards, having previously collected the inaugural 2005 World Car of the Year title, three World Performance Car titles in 2010, 2008 and 2007, and two World Car Design of the Year titles in 2008 and 2007.
The Audi A3 was chosen from an initial entry list of 24 vehicles from all over the world, then a shortlist of 12, then three finalists: the BMW 4 Series, the Mazda 3 and the Audi A3.
Rupert Stadler, chairman of the board of management of Audi AG, said: “The Audi A6 was the first ever winner of this award and we are delighted that the Audi A3 has repeated that achievement by being voted 2014 World Car of the Year.
“The Audi A3 showcases Audi’s technical competence in all aspects of carmaking, not least in the areas of lightweight technology, drivetrain, mobile infotainment and driver assistance systems. This major award win is an achievement that the whole company can celebrate.”
To be eligible for the overall World Car award, the candidates must become available for sale on at least two continents during the period beginning January 1, 2013, and ending May 31, 2014.
Vehicles are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 69 top-level automotive journalists from 22 countries around the world.
Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence.
The jurors typically drive and evaluate new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work.
Previous World Car of the Year winners are the Volkswagen Golf, the Volkswagen Up in 2012, the Nissan Leaf in 2011, the Volkswagen Polo in 2010, Volkswagen Golf in 2009, the Mazda2/Mazda Demio in 2008, the Lexus LS460 in 2007, the BMW 3-Series in 2006, and the Audi A6 in 2005.
Now in their tenth year, the annual World Car Awards are now the number one awards programme in the world based on Prime Research’s 2013 report. The awards were inaugurated in 2003 and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognise and reward automotive excellence on an international scale. The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programmes.
The awards are administered by a non-profit association under the guidance of a steering committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. Peter Lyon (Japan) and Matt Davis (Italy) are the co-chairs; Jens Meiners (Germany), Mike Rutherford (UK), Eddie Alterman (the US), and Gerry Malloy (Canada) are the directors.