A field of 30 candidates for the Continental Irish Car of the Year 2010 awards has just been announced by the Irish Motoring Writers Association (IMWA ). The Continental Irish Car of the Year and Continental Irish Van of the Year, in addition to five car and two van category awards, will be revealed at a gala event in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dublin, on Thursday November 26.
Michael Moroney, chairman of the IMWA, commented, “It has been a tough year for the motor industry and certainly the slowdown has impacted on the number of new models coming onto the market in comparison with previous years. However, I am pleased to say that one thing that has not suffered is the quality of the cars in the running for our awards – from really exciting superminis right up to luxury/ sport models, they are all there in the 2010 field of runners.”
The 27 voting members of the Irish Motoring Writers Association assess each vehicle, attributing points on the basis of criteria ranging from innovation and safety, to space, comfort, build quality, driving quality and value for money.
This year sees a change in sponsorship for the awards. Semperit Tyres who sponsored the awards for the last 20 years are passing the title to Continental Tyres.
Paddy Murphy of Continental Tyres Ireland explained, “The new sponsorship reflects the growing importance of Continental within our brand portfolio in Ireland. As one in three cars produced in Europe is now running on Continental tyres, the brand is becoming more and more familiar to Irish motorists. We felt that aligning the Continental name with the IMWA’s Irish Car of the Year award would be hugely beneficial for both our brand and for the awards themselves. We are sure that the Continental Irish Car of the Year title will become as useful an aid to Irish car-buyers as the Semperit title has been for the last 20 years.”
The full list of candidates for the Continental Irish Car of the Year 2010 is as follows:
Alfa Romeo MiTo, Audi A5 Sportback, Audi Q5, BMW X1, BMW Z4, BMW 5 Gran Turismo, Dodge Journey, Ford Ka, Honda Jazz, Honda Accord, Hyundai i20, Kia Soul, Lexus RX450h, Lotus Evora, Mazda3, Mazda MX5, Mercedes Benz E-Class, Mercedes CLC, Opel Insignia, Peugeot 3008, Porsche Panamera GT, Renault Megane, Renault Scenic/ Grand Scenic, Renault Kangoo Passenger, Suzuki Alto, Toyota Avensis, Toyota iQ, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Volkswagen Polo and Volkswagen Golf.
