The Audi A6 sedan emerged from a field of 36 competitors to claim the inaugural World Car of the Year award at a ceremony held in Canada yesterday, during the media preview for the Canadian International Auto Show.

"The concept of national borders is now almost non-existent in terms of where vehicles and their components are designed, engineered, developed, and built ... or where they are sold," said British automotive journalist, Graham Johnson, who is co-chair of the award programme.

World Car of the Year has no affiliation with, nor is it in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise. A jury of 48 automotive journalists from 21 countries individually reviewed, evaluated, and voted on the 36 eligible vehicles, by secret ballot, in two separate rounds of voting. To be eligible for consideration for the inaugural World Car of the Year award, a vehicle must have been available for purchase in at least five countries on at least two continents, prior to January 1, 2005.

IS THIS CRAZY??? I DROVE THE A6 AND THE 545I AND ORDERED THE 545 IMMEDIATELY AFTER......HOW COULD THE A6 HAVE WON??

 

The E60 was most likely not eligible -- these things are usually for new models that would have come out in the previous year.

 

You have answered your own question -- a "jury" of 48 automotive "journalists" votes. These "journalists" are the same guys who lack the intelligence to use iDrive and have trashed it unanimously since it was introduced in the 7 series and who have also universally trashed the new Bangle designs.

I don't buy cars based upon what some "journalist" thinks about the car or what kind of awards such cars win. You drove both cars and selected the 545i -- enough said and done. Plenty of others are buying the e60s in good numbers, despite all of the bad press the design and iDrive have received -- consumers are voting with their wallets and buying BMWs (not Audis), which keeps the resale values high and reinforces BMWs market leadership.

One or more awards for the Audi A6 will not elevate Audi in the premium auto market segment in North America -- especially any award from an automotive "journalist" who lacks the intelligence to tie his shoelaces in the morning....

 

I like Audi and there engines however when I think of an Audi I think of a homosexual tennis player who is a doctor


Plus I think Audi DESTROYED lamborghini. There HVAC controls inside a gallardo is EXACTLY the same in the A4. I should make a new topic discussing that...

 

The answer to the question, whether right or wrong, I-drive. The journalist just hate it for some reason. Additionally, the journalist don't care for the look of the e60 and I just don't understand why. To me the car is awesome looking and beautiful. Maybe because I am such a BMW fan, but it is a great looking car. How can you not like the look of this car? Most journalist seem to agree that the e60 driving experience is second to none, but always with the caveat of the i-drive distraction. I don't have i-drive so I can't comment, but I don't care either. Perhaps I'll hate it too. To me its about the drive, not the gadgets.

 

They hate iDrive because they aren't used to it because they don't drive the car for more than a few hours or a day or two at most. I've read them also complain about the Cruise Control being easy to confuse with the Indicator stalk...well of course it is when you first drive it...after a week it's second nature! They should be much more objective and constructive in their criticism.

I used to have an SMG equpped M3 which is an absolutely fantastic piece of technology but takes a good two or three weeks to get used to. There is a particularly prominent journalist in the UK who used to rant continually about "flappy paddle" gearboxes because he couldn't drive them. He's now started to say he likes them though he will never say he likes SMG because that would be admitting he was wrong....

 

Do you know what cars were previous winners? Did the E39 win in 97? I don't really like the styling of the A6 but at least it wasn't a Cadillac or the Chrysler 300 (which they all seem to be goo-goo over) or some monstrosity like that.

 

Who named the A6 Car of the Year? AUDI?

 

Well the 530i won executive car of the year last year (what car), and the 530d took its place this year (also what car magazine).

 

Obviously the journalists were not permitted to drive the truck-like A6 over any rough roads. :bashwall:

Or else they shot them full of Thorazine first, in which case of course they would vote for anything.