TORONTO: The people who gave us the prestigious World Car of the Year awards are coming up with a new award to tap into the reality of today's world.
The World Car Awards is introducing a new entry for 2017 – the "World Urban Car" award. With more than 50% of the world’s population now living in towns and cities, and that figure expected to increase in the years ahead, urban cars are the future, and this new award recognises the responses of carmakers to this growing trend.
Cars contesting in this new category cannot be large but don't necessarily need to be that small. Contenders could even be a 4-metre long car that, through clever packaging, has multiple seats and serve multiple purposes.
According to World Car Awards vice-chairman Mike Rutherford, the global motor industry is scratching the surface when building less than 100 million vehicles annually for a population that currently stands at around 7.4 billion but is expected to reach 9 billion-plus by 2050 - with the majority of citizens cum drivers cum car users living in packed town and cities.
A Shell concept car unveiled recently. — Shell/Justin Leighton
He predicted smaller, smarter designed, built for purpose vehicles would become the biggest sellers on the planet. "And that, in turn, is why we at the World Car Awards are urging manufacturers to think more seriously about such cars," he said.
“Our newly created award will give jurors a chance to evaluate and vote on a small vehicle category that is becoming far more prevalent across the globe and resonates with countless millions of motorists. The award’s time has come of age,” said World Car Awards chairman Peter Lyon.
The World Car Awards are administered by a not-for-profit association, under the guidance of a steering committee of top automotive journalists from Asia, Europe and North America.
In the latest World Car Awards ceremony held at the New York Auto Show in March, the Mazda MX-5 roadster was adjudged the 2016 World Car of the Year. Mazda announced last month it had produced its millionth MX-5 at its Hiroshima plant after 27 years and four generations of the iconic roadster.
