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by
Jessica Howell
Round
'em up; this year's nominees are sleek, sexy and sure to impress.
The much-anticipated Class of 2006 brings plenty to the pavement
- and even more to the stage. ROAD & TRAVEL Magazine is gearing
up for its 10th Annual International Car of the Year Awards and
plans on heating up the Motor City this January.
Set to kick off the festivities of 2006 North American International
Auto Show (NAIAS), the ICOTY awards will take the stage at the
Marriott Detroit Renaissance Hotel honoring the top 2006 models
across ten categories. Ranging from Most Sex Appeal (sports car)
to Most Athletic (pickup truck) to Most Respected (luxury) to
Most Compatible (minivan), this year's ICOTY awards are expected
to once again raise the bar.
The ICOTY Awards were the first awards to judge new vehicles based
on how they reflect lifestyle and the experience consumers have
during car buying and ownership. "The emotionally compelling
theme on which we present our awards represents the relationship
consumers have with their cars," says RTM editor-in-chief
Courtney Caldwell. "It's about how cars reflect our lifestyles
and self-image, an attitude most consumers can identify with."
Along with the Top 10 vehicle awards, RTM will present its third
annual Lifetime Achievement Award honoring veteran automotive
journalist David E. Davis, Jr. RTM will also be awarding their
second annual HEART STRING Award to the vehicle manufacturer and
their advertising agency for creating the most emotionally compelling
vehicle commercial for 2005.
For 2006 there are more vehicles, more awards and more lights,
glitz and glamour. Take a look at our nominees below and see if
you can guess which vehicles will be our 2006 winners:
Car
of the Year
BMW
3 Series, Dodge
Charger, Pontiac
Solstice
Truck
of the Year
Honda
Odyssey,
Honda Ridgeline, Hummer
H3
Luxury
: Most Respected
BMW
3 Series, Cadillac
STS-V, Mercedes-Benz
CLS500
Sedan
: Most Dependable
Dodge
Charger, Honda
Accord, Hyundai
Sonata
Entry
Level : Most Spirited
Audi
A3, Honda
Civic, Kia
Rio
Sports
Car : Most Sex Appeal
Ford
Mustang, Mazda
MX-5 Miata, Pontiac
Solstice
Pickup
Truck : Most Athletic
Dodge
Ram SRT10, Honda
Ridgeline, Mitsubishi
Raider
SUV
: Most Resourceful
Ford
Explorer,
Nissan
Xterra, Range
Rover Sport
Minivan/Life
Stage : Most Compatible
Kia
Sedona, Honda
Odyssey, Mazda5
Crossover/Sport
Wagon : Most Versatile
Dodge
Magnum SRT8, Ford
Freestyle, Mercedes-Benz
R350
2006
ICOTY sponsors include DaimlerChrysler Corporation, Detroit Marriott
Renaissance Hotel, Shell Oil, Dolby Laboratories, General Motors
Corporation, OnStar by GM, Hyundai Motor America, American Suzuki,
Subaru of America, American Honda Motor Company, BMW North America,
Nissan North America and U-Haul Corporation. CBS Detroit will
be providing full media coverage of the awards. Other media partners
include MSN AUTOS, Edmunds.com and Vehix.com, all of which will
provide post event coverage of the winners.
For
more information on the awards, visit the ICOTY
Awards page.
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