► Peugeot’s new SUV is top car in Europe
► Title decided by panel of judges
► Giulia and E-Class placed second and third
Peugeot’s 3008 has been crowned Car of the Year, by a jury of 58 motoring journalists from 22 European countries.
The striking SUV with its compelling i-Cockpit human-machine interface emerged victorious from a shortlist also including the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Citroën C3, Mercedes-Benz E-class, Nissan Micra, Toyota C-HR and Volvo S90/V90.
How the 3008 won
The 3008 totalled 319 points, edging out the Alfa Romeo with 296 points. Third place on the podium went to the Mercedes E-class, which scored 197 points. The announcement, made to a packed auditorium in Geneva, fired the starting gun on this year’s Swiss motor show.
Jean-Philippe Imparato, boss of the Peugeot brand, collected the prestigious award and said: ‘We made it, the long way from hell to heaven. In 2012, we decided never more [to flirt with bankruptcy], we decided to put the money into the product. We are really proud, it’s a great moment for us.’
Fouth COTY victory for Peugeot
It’s the fourth time Peugeot has won the award, which goes all the way back to 1964. The 504 won in 1969, with the 405, 307 and 308 all following in its tyre tracks.
The Peugeot replaces the Opel/Vauxhall Astra as Car of the Year, which feels appropriate given today is the day PSA announced its intent to swallow the Opel and Vauxhall brands, as GM pushes forward the sale of its European division.
How the CAR judges voted
CAR has two representatives on the jury, editor Phil McNamara and European bureau chief Georg Kacher. Each juror gets 25 points to apportion between the seven cars, giving a maximum of 10 points to the first choice or ensuring that it gets at least one point more than a second-placed car.
McNamara’s top pick was the Mercedes-Benz E-class with seven points; next up were the Micra and 5008 which both received 5 points.
Click here for the CAR magazine 2017 Geneva motor show home page
