Entries Tagged 'award' ↓

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that the X-TRAIL 20GT featuring clean diesel engine, released in September 2008, has won the ANRE (Agency for Natural Resources and Energy) Director-General’s award in the 19th annual Energy Conservation Prize. This is the second consecutive year that Nissan has won the prize awarded by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

The award is open to the public, and covers a wide range of energy conservation innovations, including use of new energy- and resource-saving or high energy-efficient materials, equipment and systems for non-military use. It recognizes innovative ideas to help accelerate wider commercial application of new energy conservation technologies.

Nissan’s X-TRAIL 20GT featuring clean diesel was recognized for its cleaner emissions in comparison with original diesel engines. As the first vehicle in the world to achieve Japan’s stringent “Post New Long-term Regulations”, it provides powerful acceleration, high torque and lower CO2 emissions. Compared to a car with a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with the same power output, fuel consumption was improved by approximately 30%, which means the reduction of fuel of 200 liters or CO2 emission of 267 kg annually*.

Specific technologies adopted are as follows:

<Emissions Reduction Technology>
Complies with the new emission regulation, “Post New Long-term Regulations”, starting in October 2009.

• 1600 bar common rail system
• Double swirl port
• EGR cooler
• Diesel particulate filter (DPF)
• Lean NOx-trap catalysts (LNT)

<Noise and Vibration Reduction Technology>
Adopted as measures against noise and vibration, the disadvantages of the current diesel engine.

• Piezo injector
• Balancer shaft

Nissan received this award for second consecutive year, followed by its eco-driving service available on CARWINGS navigation system awarded last year. X-TRAIL 20GT has also been awarded the 2008 Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Prize in the Eco-Products Division of the 2008 Eco-Products Awards.

Under the Nissan Green Program 2010 mid-term environmental plan, the company aims to develop and introduce new technologies, products and services that lead to real-world reductions in CO2 emissions, cleaner emissions to preserve the air, water, and soil, and recycling of resources.

* Annual total mileage:9,807km (Report by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), converted in 10-15 mode.

The countdown has begun in preparation for the 2009 World Car awards winners’ press conference at the New York International Auto Show on Thursday, April 9, 2009.

A jury of fifty-nine distinguished international automotive journalists selected the finalists by secret ballot, based on their experience with each candidate as part of their professional work. The jury members constitute a balance of representation from Asia, Europe, North America, South America, as well as other parts of the world. All hold significant stature within their own regions and countries. For more details about our jurors, and their outlets, please visit our web site: www.wcoty.com and choose “Juror Details”.

The international accounting firm KPMG tabulated the jurors’ ballots and announced the top ten finalists in both categories on January 23rd.

The 2009 World Car of the Year will be selected from the following cars listed in alphabetical order. Eleven cars are listed as there is a tie.

- Audi A4 / Avant

- BMW 7 Series

- Citroen C5 Sedan / C5 Tourer

- Fiat 500

- Ford Fiesta

- Honda Fit / Jazz

- Jaguar XF

- Mazda Atenza / Mazda6

- Nissan GT-R

- Toyota iQ

- Volkswagen Golf VI

The 2009 World Performance Car, presented by Mobil 1, will be chosen from one of these top ten finalists:

- Audi RS 6 Avant

- BMW 135i Coupe / Cabriolet

- Corvette ZR1

- Lamborghini LP560-4 Gallardo

- Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

- Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG

- Mitsubishi Evo X / Evo MR

- Nissan GT-R

- Porsche 911 Carrera

- Subaru Impreza WRX STI

The jurors’ next step is to re-evaluate the “top ten” cars in both classes, in preparation for a final round of voting in February. They will specifically rate each vehicle in terms of overall merit, value, safety, environmental responsibility, emotional appeal, and significance. KPMG will again tabulate the vote results; then announce the top three finalists on March 9, 2009.

Finalists in the World Car Design of the Year category are handled quite differently. A panel of four highly respected world design experts assists the jurors by developing for them a short list of recommendations taken from the array of entries in the 2009 World Car of the Year category. The design experts are (in alpha order): Silvia Baruffaldi: Managing Editor, Auto & Design magazine; Robert Cumberford: design critic, Automobile and Auto & Design magazines; Akira Fujimoto: Editor-in-Chief, Car Styling magazine and Tom Matano: Executive Director, School of Industrial Design, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, USA. The fifty-nine jurors then choose the 2009 World Car Design of the Year winner from this short list when they vote in February. The top three contenders will also be announced by KPMG on March 9, 2009.

The same system applies to the World Green Car* award. A panel of three experts, each representing a continent, reviews all entries in this category; then creates a short-list for the jurors’ vote in February. The World Green Car panel consists of Sam Abuelsamid representing North America (GreenFuelsForecast.com, DieselForecast.com and HydrogenForecast.com); Tadashi Tateuchi representing Asia (creator and chairman of the Japan Electric Vehicle (EV) Club); and Dean Slavnich representing Europe (Engine Technology International (ETi), Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology International (E&H)).

Now in their sixth year, the annual World Car awards have become one of the most prestigious and credible programs of their type in the world.

The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on a global scale. The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programs.

The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of preeminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.

Toyota Motor Corp.’s iQ micro car was named Japan’s Car of the Year, giving the country’s largest automaker a potential tool to lure buyers from Bayerische Motoren Werke AG’s Mini brand.

PSA Peugeot Citroen, Europe’s second-biggest carmaker, won the import car of the year with its Citroen C5 sedan, the award’s organizer said on its Web site today. A committee of 65 auto-industry writers and consultants decided on the winners.

Toyota may tout the award in advertisements for the 1-liter iQ as it bids to boost sales amid slumping auto demand. Car sales have fallen for three straight months in Japan and for 12 months in the U.S.

The iQ, which carries three adults with space for a child or luggage, is due to go on sale domestically from Nov. 20. It costs between 1.4 million yen ($14,300) and 1.6 million yen. BMW’s Mini One is priced from 2.08 million yen. Daimler AG’s twin-seat Smart ForTwo is sold from 1.76 million yen.

Measuring just under 3 meters (10 feet), the iQ is slightly longer than the 2.4-meter Smart ForTwo and shorter than Japanese minicars such as Daihatsu Motor Co.’s Move.

Another award :

Imported car of the year : Citroen C5

Most Advanced Technology : Nissan GTR

Most Fun car : Subaru Exiga

Best Value Car of the year : Honda Freed

Pictures source : response.jp

Motor Trend magazine has picked the 2009 Subaru Forester as its SUV of the year, citing its fuel efficiency, comfort on the road and competency off the pavement.

The award, announced Thursday, came from a field of 13 finalists mostly made up of car-based crossover vehicles, with few traditional body-on-frame truck-based SUVs as in previous years. It will be featured in the magazine’s edition that hits newsstands on Nov. 3.

Other finalists were the BMW X6, Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Journey, Ford Flex, Honda Pilot, Infiniti EX and FX, Kia Borrego, Lexus LX570, Nissan Murano, Toyota Sequoia and Volkswagen Tiguan.

Euro NCAP today releases the results for five cars in five different vehicle classes: the Daihatsu Cuore, Hyundai i30, Lancia Delta, Renault Koleos and the Mercedes Benz – ML class. Four of these five cars received the maximum five-star award for adult occupant protection. Yet, not one of them achieved higher than a two star score in Euro NCAP’s pedestrian rating. Euro NCAP plans to address this concern with the launch of a new rating system in 2009.

When Euro NCAP was established in 1997 the achievement of five stars in adult occupant protection did not even seem possible. Ten years later, out of the 34 car models tested and assessed by Euro NCAP in one year, 97% of them achieve either a four or a five star result. Yet there are still areas of safety that Euro NCAP believes need to be prioritised by manufacturers and where lives could be saved. In comparison to these good adult occupant protection results, no manufacturer achieves a four star result in pedestrian protection. In our tests last year, 67% of models were awarded just two stars in this rating, despite approaching legislation. Euro NCAP is concerned that many manufacturers set out to achieve high scores for adult occupant protection to attract consumers, whilst compromising safety investment in other areas. Euro NCAP believes that consumers are interested in the safety offered to all occupants and also to other road users when they are choosing a new car. For this reason, Euro NCAP is developing a new rating system that will reward the overall safety of a vehicle.

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Citycar and small car: Fiat 500 – 18 points
Second place: Mazda2, 5 points

Medium sedan (2 volumes): Fiat Bravo – 15 points
Second place: Peugeot 308, 9 points

Medium sedan (3 volume): Mercedes C-Class – 14 points
Second place: Audi A4, 11 points

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