Don't get us wrong, we like the Smart Fourtwo just as much as anybody, but when considering what car deserves the title "Car of the Year" the little two-seater isn't the first vehicle that comes to mind. Not that the car is undeserving of some honor: the fuel mileage is laudable, the safety features are all present and accounted for and the emissions are suitably low. The problem is that there are other vehicles which perform equally as well in most of the categories mentioned for a similar price point. What would really merit an award such as "Car of the Year" would be an electric version of the Smart for the same price as the gas powered model. Now we're taking!

So, now that the pros and cons of the Fourtwo have been discussed, what do you readers think? Is the Smart an award-winning vehicle?

[Source: Detroit News]

In a somewhat surprising move (especially given this), Wired.com's Autopia blog has chosen the Tesla Roadster as their Car of the Year. The runner-up was the Fiat 500. Many people are fed-up hearing all of the hype about the Tesla, but that is part of the reason that the machine won this particular award. The general consensus around AutoblogGreen is that the Tesla is awesome and that it will indeed make a big difference in the automotive world, despite some of the bad press (mostly deservedly) that it has gotten as of late. Here are a few quotes from the article:

The Tesla is our pick for two reasons. First, it's easily the coolest alternative fuel vehicle ever made, one that proves electric cars can be every bit as breathtaking as the finest fossil-fuel guzzling super cars... But more importantly, the Tesla best represents the direction the auto industry must go. Too many automakers have churned out the same old cars year after year, growing fat and lazy on the profit margins offered by SUVs and pickup trucks. That won't work anymore, and they know it. It's time for new thinking and new ideas. It's time for innovation. The Tesla has those things in spades, and there's a reason Silicon Valley is emerging as a leader in electric vehicle technology.

So, there you have it. Now... what do you think about it?

Related:

• Uh-oh: Wired picks Tesla Roadster for annual Vaporware awards

[Source: Wired's Autopia]

The Volkswagen Golf (or Rabbit, if you're a Yank like me and always prefer a car's name to reference a potential meal rather than a game for old people) has just been awarded Car of the Year by ACFO, an organization that produces a bi-monthly journal called "Fleet Operator." CotY was awarded to the Golf for "delivering operational performance, whole-life cost control and driver appeal as well as an environmental edge." In other words, it's one of the best Euro-boxes out there for professionals and consumers alike.

So why isn't it as popular here? It is the exact same vehicle, with only some different engine options, though the ones offered in the States are still quite good. A wise man named Jack Handey once wrote, "Instead of building newer and larger weapons of mass destruction, I think mankind should try to get more use out of the ones we have." So instead of pining after the fun, practical microcars being enjoyed by so many across the pond, why don't we try to appreciate and, I don't know, buy the ones we already have here.

[Source: ACFO via Newspress]

Fifty-eight journalist from twenty-two countries around Europe have voted the Fiat 500 as "European Car of the Year 2008" with 385 votes, ahead of the Mazda 2 (325 votes) and the Ford Mondeo (202). The cute subcompact was also in 57 of the 58 short lists and was voted first by jury members.

Fiat has won already this award 12 times: Fiat 124 (1967), Fiat 128 (1970), Fiat 127 (1972), Lancia Delta (1980), Fiat Uno (1984), Fiat Tipo (1989), Fiat Punto (1995), Fiat Bravo/Brava (1996), Alfa 156 (1998), Alfa 147 (2001), Fiat Panda (2004) and the Fiat 500 (2008).

The 500 is quite a success: up to date, 105,000 orders have been placed in Germany and Italy. The diesel version is including a Diesel Particulate Filter as a standard, and all engines satisfy the Euro V.

Related:

• Fiat 500 wins Eurocarbody 2007 award
• Fiat 500 - cute, green and also safe

[Source: Fiat]

We're still catching our breath from the Frankfurt Motor Show and the LA Auto Show is still two months away, but that isn't stopping the LA show promotion team from getting our minds ready for the 2008 Green Car of the Year announcement that is coming November 15. Last year's winner was the Toyota Camry Hybrid and the 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid won the award in its inaugural year.

So, we've got some time to chat between now an November 15, let's do so. What cars do you think have a shot at winning this year's award? 'Course, if you are of the opinion that COTY awards are a bunch of hooey and we needn't waste our time with them, go ahead and share that feeling, too. We'll take it under advisement.

What cars are up for the award? Any production models that will be on sale by the first day of 2008. The jury pool this year includes Carl Pope, executive director of the Sierra Club; Christopher Flavin, president of Worldwatch Institute; Jean-Michel Cousteau, president of Ocean Futures Society; Jonathan Lash, President of the World Resources Institute; Automotive icon Carroll Shelby; and four Green Car Journal editors. Perhaps some of you can make a fine educated guess by looking down that list. In any case, we're all ears.

[Source: Los Angeles Auto Show]