Launched in 1986 — when the Toyota Corolla Twin Cam won — the annual Car of the Year competition continues to generate tremendous interest among importers and manufacturers as well as the public.
Of the 18 winners since the competition was introduced, 12 vehicles were of German origin, three Japanese and one each from France, Britain and Italy.
In terms of individual brands, BMW (with five winners) leads the pack, followed by Opel with three, Volkswagen/Audi (also three), Toyota with two, and one win each for Mercedes-Benz, Nissan Maxima, Renault Clio, Alfa Romeo and Ford Fiesta.
Significantly, the last three winners — BMW in 2001, Audi A3 in 2002 and last year’s VW Polo 1.4 Tdi — are all diesel-burners. This reflects the competition’s central theme — value for money above all else.
However, Volkswagen/Audi is not represented this year and neither is Mercedes-Benz. Nissan, too, is absent.
The evaluation process takes place from January 23 to 25. It starts at AA Kyalami in Midrand, where 21 vehicles (each finalist has to supply three vehicles) undergo an initial static scrutiny by 42 jury members (all members of the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists). The competition reaches its climax on March 23 at Kyalami’s Theatre on the Track, when the winner of this Wesbank/
Total-sponsored event is announced. Wesbank has been associated with
the competition for many years and this will be newcomer Total’s second year of participation, having taken over from Sasol.
Only senior motoring journalists are selected to become jury members. They inspect body panel tolerances, paint quality, interior and exterior finish, and general style and appearance — before departing on the dynamic testing phase during which the vehicles are subjected to good, indifferent and poor tar and gravel road surfaces in the Middelburg and Loskop dam area.
Marshals carefully manage the entire process since public roads are being used for the testing. Two jury members are present in a test car at any given time, and a detailed report is completed after each spell.
Particular attention is paid to build quality — especially on indifferent gravel roads — where many foreign-built cars have failed to make the grade in the past.
The tests are so detailed that all aspects of the vehicle are taken into consideration. For instance, seats are evaluated on the basis of comfort, lateral support, adjustability, material used in the manufacturing process, and additional features such as heating.
Safety features are high on the agenda. Vehicles with superb brakes and high specifications usually score higher than entry-level products. Seatbelts with pre-tensioners and
air bags are regarded as essential safety features and add to a vehicle’s overall score.
Performance is also rated highly. Obviously, it’s unfair to compare a
five-litre V8 with a three-cylinder turbodiesel. Therefore, the performance component is judged in context. If a 1,6-litre model performs like a 1,4 it will inevitably pay the price during the evaluation process.
South Africans expect a lot from their cars. Handling, therefore, receives a high rating. Whether conditions are dry or muddy is of little consequence. Testing must continue and the cars and their crews must see out the process.
After the final testing session, reports are handed to an evaluation committee of senior motoring journalists and auditors, who have to ensure that the process was fair and legitimate.
Jury members are constantly reminded that their choice of
winner will affect the winning manufacturer’s marketing campaign, and that their findings will play a role in the purchasing decision of many individuals.