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2011 Womens Motoring writers short-list their world cars of the year

Judges have chosen their short list of cars that qualify for the 2011 Women’s World Car of the Year award.

The fourteen women judges from around the world will then vote from the short list and the winning cars in four categories will be known by the end of February 2011.

There are four categories in the awards process – Family Car, Sports Car, Luxury Car and Economy Car. Points are awarded for 10 different aspects of the car including appearance, handling, aesthetics and value–for–money, among other headings. The women judges will also vote on ‘sex appeal’ which is not a category found in other car awards which are, primarily, voted for by men.

There are no more than seven cars in each category on the short list and the car gaining the most points on the final vote will win that category and the overall Supreme Award.

Special recognition will be given to a ‘green’ car in the 2011 awards. Such a car may not yet be sold in the required ten countries worldwide, but judges felt it was important to recognise environmentally–friendly engineering endeavour.

Eight women motoring writers formed the original jury in 2009–2010. That number has now grown to 14 judges from eight countries. Judging is by secret ballot and the Auckland (NZ) office of international accountants, Grant Thornton, will audit the final results from the short list provided.

The first winner of the inaugural Women’s World Car of the Year was, somewhat unexpectedly, the Jaguar XF. The awards ceremony was held in the Jaguar showroom in Knightsbridge, London. Category winners were Volvo XC (Family Car), VW Golf diesel (Economy Car), Audi TTS (Sports Car) and the Jaguar XF (Luxury Car) which received the highest number of votes to capture the Supreme Award.

Chief judge, Sandy Myhre, says it’s already clear from the 2011 short list that there are some strong contenders in each category.