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2009 North American Car/Truck of the Year finalists announced


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As far as I'm concerned, they haven't ever made anything that even fits in the category of impressive.

Genesis is a hell of an effort for a perceived manufacturer of low line "cheapy's"....they may be a mnufacturer to watch....saw a Coupe with dealer plates yesterday...aside from the awkward window "kick-up" wasn't bad....BRIGHT YELLOW though

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Fullerton? Is that near *Winchestertonfieldville*?

 

Fixed. :D

 

Fullerton, CA: home of Cal State-Fullerton, a perennial college baseball powerhouse.

 

I bet they're giving it to the Genesis simply because they probably couldn't bear to have Ford take both awards... although Hyundai with RWD AND a V8 went into uncharted territory (as far as Hyundai is concerned).

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I do think the Genesis will get it because yeah it's amazing Hyundai can pull something like this off. Again, the awards go to those that cause a "WOW" factor, and the Genesis would be it because of it's roots. I would say the Flex would come in a close 2nd if they are looking for "WOW, out there" factor.

 

I dont know how the Jetta came into the list...nothing orgasmic about it.

 

For trucks, it will be the F-150, lots of little wows in it...

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I do think the Genesis will get it because yeah it's amazing Hyundai can pull something like this off.

 

Based on the Genesis's sales in its first few months, it hasn't pulled off much of anything yet. It's one thing to produce the car. It's another to get anybody to pay attention to it.

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It pulled off being able to produce a luxury RWD V8 sedan from a brand considered chitzy and cheap. I'm not using sales as in indicator of success. Although if your throwing sales number into the equation of why it shouldn't win, then the Flex should for that matter be ignored as well.

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It pulled off being able to produce a luxury RWD V8 sedan from a brand considered chitzy and cheap. I'm not using sales as in indicator of success. Although if your throwing sales number into the equation of why it shouldn't win, then the Flex should for that matter be ignored as well.

 

Flex is outselling the Genesis by about 2:1.

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And far from the 100K sales/goal expectation, right ?

 

Actual sales goal was actually more in the range of $60K. Fields or Farley or someone mentioned that they could see up to 100K, but that certainly wasn't what they were basing the costs of the program upon. Given a better economy and that all vehicle sales have taken a hit without it, the Flex really wouldn't be too far off from 60K. At its current pace it's on for around 30-35K I believe. Another thing to remember is that the Flex is a platform-mate with several other vehicles. To the best of my knowledge, the Genesis isn't. That can't be a cheap program for Hyundai.

 

What were the projected annual sales for the Genesis? Anyone know?

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Actual sales goal was actually more in the range of $60K. Fields or Farley or someone mentioned that they could see up to 100K, but that certainly wasn't what they were basing the costs of the program upon. Given a better economy and that all vehicle sales have taken a hit without it, the Flex really wouldn't be too far off from 60K. At its current pace it's on for around 30-35K I believe. Another thing to remember is that the Flex is a platform-mate with several other vehicles. To the best of my knowledge, the Genesis isn't. That can't be a cheap program for Hyundai.

 

What were the projected annual sales for the Genesis? Anyone know?

 

It will, I believe, be platform mates with the upcoming Genesis coupe, but it's surely not as extensively platform shared as the Flex is.

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Much as I want to see the Flex win in a "Best of..."....just HowTF is it in a Car category????

 

The thing weighs over 2 tons and seats 7 people, I think calling it a car is a little bit of a stretch.

 

Chuck

 

No doubt because it is based on a car platform... Of course using that login, the Explorer could be a contender for car of the year a few years from now :)

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Truck finalists:

 

Ford F-150

Dodge Ram

Mercedes Benz ML320 Bluetec

 

Car finalists:

 

Ford Flex

Volkswagen Jetta TDI

Hyundai Genesis

 

 

Why is the ML320 considered a "truck" but the Flex is considered a "Car"? :headscratch:

 

 

I do think the Genesis will get it because yeah it's amazing Hyundai can pull something like this off. Again, the awards go to those that cause a "WOW" factor, and the Genesis would be it because of it's roots. I would say the Flex would come in a close 2nd if they are looking for "WOW, out there" factor.

 

I dont know how the Jetta came into the list...nothing orgasmic about it.

 

For trucks, it will be the F-150, lots of little wows in it...

Motor Trend claims that each vehicle is compared to others in its class, and has to demonstrate innovation or a lot of improvement over other vehicles in that class. (In reality, there's an awful lot of subjective 'leeway' that gives MT the ability to choose their favorite, as opposed to the best)

 

The F150 and Ram go head-to-head and also include other full-size trucks like the Silverado /Sierra, Titan and Tundra. The Merc's competition would be mid-sized luxury SUV/CUVs like the BMW's X5, Lexus RX, Caddy SRX, and Lincoln MKX.

 

The Flex would be compared to minivans, the Jetta to other C/D class sedans, and the Genesis to other luxury D's, including the Lexus ES and Lincoln MKS.

 

Why the M is in the truck class is beyond me - SUV's used to have their own award, and CUVs used to be classed as cars. IMO, the ML is the granddaddy CUV.

 

My guess is for both the ML and Jetta, simply because of the diesels. The engines are the only reason these are even being considered, as neither comes close to MT's own definition of "all new or vastly improved."

 

The Flex won't win - too many other minivan/cross-over wagons have better cargo space.

Edited by syrtran
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