2006 World Car Winners Announced at 2006 New York International Auto Show

NEW YORK, Sept. 12 -- The winners of the 2006 World Car of the Year Awards (WCOTY) will be unveiled during Press Preview at the 2006 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) on Wednesday, April 12 or Thursday, April 13, 2006. WCOTY co-chairman Gerry Malloy and Mark Schienberg, NYIAS president made the announcement today.

"For over 100 years, the New York International Auto Show has been a showcase for some of the biggest automotive announcements," said Mark Schienberg, president of the New York International Auto Show. "We're proud to host such a prestigious event here, one with global importance to the automotive press, the automakers, and consumers worldwide."

World Car Steering Committee members were enthusiastic about the decision to host the event in New York:

Peter Lyon (Car and Driver, AutoExpress, Quattroruote, Auto Bild) commented, " As a city comprised of a large cross-section of nationalities and cultures, the world pays attention to what is announced and what happens in New York. As a global barometer of design, fashion, cultural and entertainment trends, New York is the ideal location to announce a WCOTY award."

C. Van Tune (NBC, ESPN, MSNBC, CNBC) added, "This is a market of vital importance to every car company in the world, and I believe it's the perfect venue to present the WCOTY award."

Dan Carney (New York Times, Automotive Engineering Intl., Sports Car International) observed, " New York is already an international city, which makes it the perfect place to unveil the world's best cars. World Car of the Year belongs in the world's city ".

Matt Davis (AutoWeek, Auto Express, Gente Motori, Genroq) agreed and remarked that, "It's only fitting that the World Car of the Year awards be announced at the New York international auto show. All eyes are on the WCOTY prize just as they are fixed on NYC's Jacob K. Javits in mid-April. This is simply an unmatchable fit." The enthusiasm that greeted the New York Auto Show announcement confirms that, once again, WCOTY is truly an idea whose time has come.

The World Car of the Year Awards program is officially underway. The international jury panel, comprised of 48 top-level automotive journalists from around the world, is currently nominating the eligible vehicles, and the provisional list will be announced in September.

To be eligible, the car must be in production, and sold in at least five countries on two continents. Since cars are introduced in different countries at different times, a new car will not be eligible until it is available in the minimum number of markets. New vehicles introduced to the market between January 1 and December 31, 2005 will be eligible for the 2006 WCOTY awards.

About World Car of the Year

The World Car of the Year Awards program is initiated by, organized by, and conducted by automotive journalists from around the globe. It is administered by a non-profit association guided by a steering committee of journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America.

For more information about the WCOTY, please visit our web site at www.wcoty.com or send us an e-mail at beth@wcoty.com.

About New York International Auto Show

Kicking off the springtime selling season, the New York International Auto Show features an impressive collection of cutting-edge design and remarkable innovation. More than four floors of displays from the world's automakers highlight the newest vehicles and futuristic concept cars. More than 1,000 cars and trucks are displayed at the Javits Center, filling 846,000 square feet of exhibit space. In addition, dozens of World and North American vehicle debuts are expected at the 2006 Show. NYIAS is owned and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.