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Vauxhall product on shortlist four years in a row
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Seven cars selected from a pool of 35 entries
Luton: For the fourth consecutive year a Vauxhall has been named as a finalist in the prestigious European Car of the Year competition. Fighting off 28 other notable introductions, the revolutionary Vauxhall Ampera has made it onto a shortlist of just seven cars which remain in the running to become the 2012 European Car of the Year.
“We are delighted that the Ampera is among the 2012 Car of the Year finalists,” says Duncan Aldred, Vauxhall Chairman and Managing Director. “We are extremely proud of the Ampera which truly is a revolutionary electric vehicle already having won some 25 awards throughout Europe.”
Vauxhall has won the Car of the Year title twice in its history with the Omega in 1987 and the Insignia in 2009.
The Car of the Year jury consisting of 59 leading automotive journalists from 23 European countries selected seven Car of the Year finalists from a field of 35 cars which all had their sales start in 2011 based on criteria such as innovative technology and efficiency.
The Ampera is the first electric vehicle that can go anywhere anytime. A 16 kWh lithium ion battery powers the 111kW/150PS electric motor. Depending on the style of driving and road conditions, a distance of between 25 and 50 miles can be covered in battery-operated mode, completely free of emissions. The Ampera is always driven electrically and when the battery has reached its minimum state of charge, the range extender automatically turns on and powers a generator to feed the electric drive unit extending the Ampera’s total driving range to 360 miles.
The winner of the Car of the Year award will be announced on March 5, 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show, making it the first official news from the show.
