Australia's Best Car Awards 2004

[fpv_gtho]

yeah tell me about it. i guess the only "real" issue with it here is when you get in an argument with someone over say an Aussie car and a German car, based on how much you pay for them here....i guess things like that, especially here, are just to protect the local industry somewhat. if people here could get their hands on an M3 for $100-$110K, FPV and HSV would be hit pretty hard

[IBrake4Rainbows]

The same could be said if they could import Holdens into a place like Russia, where car history counts for jack because they haven't really seen the last 30 years of the car industry. Most european manufacturers like BMW have the same chance as a manufacturer like Holden, so it'd be more interesting to see what a Blind test like that would resolve.

But back to the topic.

I reckon, personally, that the Australian Best Car Awards are a joke. again why else would a Accord Seppo beat not only it's European Brethren, but other, better cars like the New Maxima?

KerChing!

oh, and before someone mentions that even CoTY and European CoTy get it wrong sometimes, they aren't paid quite as much....

[fpv_gtho]

But back to the topic.

i hate those words

for those people like us who actually see past the cars and recognise the groups responsible for giving them out, i guess it means nothing as the big award here for 40 years has been Wheels COTY.

just the other day at school, now all of yr10's doing the step up program for yr11, we got stuck in english doing compare and contrast, on cars the only bad thing about it was the damn teacher didnt know anything about the several COTY awards we've got.

we got given this sheet to research in the library about cars, stuff like "who was the first manufacturer to use an assembly line", "who invented the car", "whats the favourite colour".....i guess my group cheated on all of that...

anyway, one of the questions was "what car just won car of the year?". im looking at it, thinking "thats too vaque, theres too many COTY year awards, do they mean in the last 12 months or just this year?" but the teacher didnt elaborate. i went with Wheels COTY and put down the RX-8, but of course that was wrong, and the teachers going on about it being the one they announced the day before. obviously then it was the ABC awards, so im arguing with the teacher there wasnt 1 "best" award given, it was several for different classes but she didnt buy it. either way i just gambled on it being the BA Falcon and got it......stupid teachers...

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Don't even start with me on English teachers......

Recently i had to hand in a "Persuasive Language" assignment in class, it was a letter to the editor, and i, ever the car freak, chose to tackle the issue of P-Plate Drivers and the road system as a whole.

I ended up writing IMO a really good letter, that i took into my teacher, who didn't understand much of it, which automatically made me wrong.

The points she did understand, she proceeded to try and blow holes into.

in the end i got into an argument about it with her, and she ended up walking away slighly more enlightened into the way of the car lover.

And i agree there are many CoTY awards, PCoTY, TCoTY, DoTy......

i'm waiting for SCoTY.....

[fpv_gtho]

theres so many i only get whatPCOTY and COTY means to be honest

SCOTY? super car of the year?

i think every newspaper and other media source feels they have the "right" to preach to us their opinion. stick to BFYB, Wheels COTY and PCOTY if you ask me, theyre the only ones with some individuality to the rest

thats a real shit about the letter though, i think if i had thought about it i wouldve argued about the speed camera revenue. too bad the one i had to do in the SC trials was about some stupid shopping centre...

you should post it so we can all see, if youve still got it

[IBrake4Rainbows]

I trust Wheels CoTY, BFYB less so, because it tries to put a score on driving fun.

PCoTY yes, both the CAR magazine and Motor editions.

And i have no trust for Euro CoTY.

Oh, and the S stands for something else entirely.

[fpv_gtho]

Wheels as i said before, has the highest respect from enthusiasts than any of the others, but even theyve got it wrong, and i guess worse, the manufacturers interpreted it wrong. i guess thats only happened once though when Leyland accredited the award to their whole P76 range, when Wheels only gave it to the V8 models, i think cause they had the all alloy engine

[IBrake4Rainbows]

....And the original Holden Camira.

these tests rely on a heavy scheduled, tired and irate journalists driving the cars about 3 times in 2 days, not really having to live with it or it's irregularities.

So it's no wonder cars with poor reliability, or shonky manufacturing, could get through the net.

[fpv_gtho]

they have been cracking down lately, like im sure it was a big shock to hear the new Oddysey wouldnt make this years cut cause Wheels' "minimum" safety requirements for entry had every seat with a lap sash belt, and Honda skimped out a bit there. but even apart from that, theyre now hitting HARD on the cars that are entered.....

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Almost too hard, they expect perfection, and rightly so, but i do think they need to return to the days of being able to have no CoTY if nothing comes up to scratch.

RASH PREDICTION.

Territory will win this years Wheels CoTY.

[fpv_gtho]

well the last 2 years theyve basically given the award to gas guzzlers that made it up with how they drove, so i guess in that aspect the Territory's in with a strong chance. but either way, i think both that and the Fiesta are in with a strong chance, it'll take something good to tople both

[IBrake4Rainbows]

The Fiesta won't win, it might be good to drive and cheap, but they will give it to the Territory because of what it achieves and what it can do, it's got an amazing array of functions.

The only real competitior in my eyes is the Mitsubishi Grandis, and that does not drive very well.

It's Fords year, for sure.

[fpv_gtho]

well the Kluger cant challenge it cause it was in last year, and it still didnt beat the RX-8. but yeah, the Territory's dominated a whole new category and its got the upper hand. im not gunna be so quick to pull the Fiesta back, it straight away went to the benchmark of its class even up against the Jazz and Mazda 2, and the Jazz made it to the final 3 in 2002 afterall against the BA and Mazda6

[IBrake4Rainbows]

The Jazz was in a tougher field also. But i still believe that the Territory has the Upper hand simply because it has just dominated it's segment. The Fiesta only dominates because it's a good handler, it's neither as practical, or as good looking as any of the competitors, it's an enthusiast choice.

Need Proof? Three Fiestas in South Canberra that i have seen, Twelve Jazz, 6 Colts.

What is the Plural for Jazz anyhow?

[fpv_gtho]

i guess theres factors that could give either the title, but yeah i guess i agree, at the end of the day, the Territorys brought more to the category than the Fiesta did.

i guess for the plural, i havent got a clue i havent come across many words ending in a double Z