MOTOR TREND Magazine's 'Car of the Year' Award Revs up with Changes
30 June 1999
MOTOR TREND Magazine's 'Car of the Year' Award Revs up with Changes for 2000
LOS ANGELES, June 30 -- For half a century, MOTOR TREND's Car
of the Year has been the premier award of the automotive industry. During
this time, it has spawned many imitators, but none have had the impact -- both
within the industry and with the car-buying public -- as Car of the Year.
Now, on the eve of the new millennium, the magazine is shaping a new future
for its world-renowned award.
"'Trend' is part of our name," says C. Van Tune, the magazine's
Editor-In-Chief. "As has been our charter since 1949, our editors strive to
inform our readers of new trends in automobiles. As trends come and go, we
adjust our editorial package accordingly. As a result, the 'Of the Year'
program has continuously evolved to reflect the changing nature of the
automotive market. Today, the time has come for a significant change to be
made to the Car of the Year evaluation process."
Beginning with the 2000 Car of the Year award, the competition will no
longer be limited to EPA-classified "domestic" cars, as has been the rule in
the past. The competition will now include models from both domestic and
import manufacturers. As a result, there will no longer be a separate Import
Car of the Year competition. (MOTOR TREND's Truck of the Year and
Sport/Utility of the Year awards will continue unchanged.)
"The car business is different from what it was five or ten years ago,"
notes Doug Hamlin, Vice President, Group Publisher. "With the recent mergers
(such as DaimlerChrysler) and continued creation of 'import-branded' assembly
plants on American soil, the lines of what separates a 'domestic' vehicle from
an 'import' are becoming increasingly blurred."
There are additional reasons for the change to a single Car of the Year
award. "Most buyers today consider the entire spectrum of models in their
price range," adds Tune. "By eliminating the separate Import Car of the Year
award, we will be testing all the significant new vehicles against each other.
This helps our readers make more informed buying decisions."
The changing (and confusing) global market
As noted, the automotive market is becoming increasingly global. Many
import-badged vehicles, for instance, are being built in the U.S., in states
such as Alabama, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina and
Tennessee. In addition, because of their high domestic content, several
"import" models -- such as the Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Mazda 626 and
Acura 3.2TL -- are now being classified as domestic vehicles by the EPA.
Meanwhile, many "American" models are being built in Canada, Mexico or even
Germany.
Throughout the 50-year history of MOTOR TREND's Car of the Year program,
it has continuously evolved to reflect the changing nature of the automotive
scene. In 1976, the current Import Car of the Year program was initiated to
give a spotlight to the growing market of vehicles coming from overseas. In
the 23 years since, Import Car of the Year has become a much-sought-after
award in its own right. Likewise, in 1989, the current Truck of the Year
competition was begun to call attention to the best of the growing wave of
light trucks and sport/utility vehicles. In the last few years, the SUV
market has widened into new directions, some of which have little to do with
the traditional truck-based platform of the segment -- and so for 1999, MOTOR
TREND initiated its new Sport/Utility of the Year award.
"The combining of the domestic Car of the Year and Import Car of the Year
competitions into one program," says Tune, "is simply the latest step in the
50-year history of our awards evolving with the times."
A special feature on the history of the Car of the Year competition and
how MOTOR TREND's "Of the Year" awards have reflected the changing times
within the automotive industry is included as part of a special 76-page
50th Anniversary section in the September, 1999 issue of MOTOR TREND.
Mark your calendars!
Readers can get the full 2000 Sport/Utility of the Year story in the
December, 1999 issue of MOTOR TREND. The 2000 Car of the Year report will
appear in the January, 2000 issue, and the 2000 Truck of the Year article will
be published in the February, 2000 issue.
New announcement sites for "Of the Year" awards
In conjunction with EMAP Petersen's recent acquisition of Liberty
Productions, the producer of a wide variety of regional auto shows around the
country, all Liberty auto shows will now be produced by MOTOR TREND Magazine.
In addition, the presentation of all three of MOTOR TREND's 2000 "Of the Year"
awards will be integrated into this schedule.
-- The Sport/Utility of the Year award will be presented at the
California International.
-- Auto Show on October 20, 1999, at the Anaheim Convention Center, in
Anaheim, California.
-- The Car of the Year award will be presented at the Arizona
International Auto Show on November 24, 1999, at the Phoenix Civic
Plaza, Phoenix, Arizona.
-- Presentation of the Truck of the Year award will be announced at a
later date.
EMAP Petersen, Inc. (http://www.petersenco.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of
EMAP plc (http://www.emap.com), one of the largest magazine publishing companies in
the world with 603 magazines, more than 6,000 employees worldwide, annual
revenues of approximately US$1.4 billion and a market capitalization of over
US$5 billion. In the U.S. Petersen's more than 160 publications deliver
nearly 92 million readers, including nearly 69 million adults and over
22 million teens. Petersen's internationally recognized magazines include
MOTOR TREND, HOT ROD, TEEN, SPORT, SLAM, SURFER, SNOWBOARDER, POWDER,
SKATEBOARDER, HUNTING, SKIN DIVER, PHOTOGRAPHIC, MOTORCYCLIST, 4 WHEEL & OFF-
ROAD, FOUR WHEELER, HOME THEATER and MOBILE COMPUTING. In addition to these
titles, Petersen has more than 100 trade and consumer events including the
GRAVITY GAMES(TM), which is the first in a series to be aired on NBC Network
in October 1999. EMAP's titles in the U.K. include MORE, FHM, BLISS, SMASH
HITS, YOURS, NEW WOMAN, CAR, MOTORCYCLE NEWS, PERFORMANCE BIKES and Q, and
TELE STAR, MODES & TRAVAUX, TOP SANTE, L'AUTO JOURNAL and AUTO PLUS in France.
Petersen is headquartered in New York and Los Angeles. EMAP plc is publicly
traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol EMA.