Chevrolet Volt Named European Car of the Year

By Chuck Squatriglia
March 5, 2012


The Chevrolet Volt and its kissing cousin, the Opel Ampera, are Europe’s “Car of the Year,” beating compacts from Volkswagen and Ford to add another award to the car’s trophy shelf.

The award, announced today ahead of the Geneva auto show, came two days after General Motors said it will suspend production of the plug-in hybrid for five weeks because of slow sales.

Still, the fact that the car is selling slower than expected didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the 59 judges, from 23 European nations, who gave the Volt and Ampera top honors. The car is, frankly, an engineering marvel and a true technological step forward, points the judges made.

The judges called the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera “a mature product” that is “better suited to consumers’ needs than the conventional electric car.” They predicted we’ll see more plug-in hybrids as “others will come along this path.”


more
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2012/03/volt-ampera-europe-car-year/
I have to say the Opel version looks better IMO.