2005 USA "Car Of The Year" !

[AMT4SWA]

OK, I have said it...my prediction is that the new 05 Legacy GT will win "Car of the Year" status for at least one or two of the main car magazines this year. I just do not see anything on the horizon for this year that will beat this car, and the Auto magazines always seem to pick cars the "surprise" them during testing...the Subaru will easily do just that! 8)

What do you think? :)

[EJ20H-TT]

Nah - the major car makers have too much sway over votes.

The magazines know they have to keep the big car makers sweet.

[Gumby]

Okay then what about Car and Driver's 10 Best list?

[AMT4SWA]

EJ20H-TT,

How about the G35 win last year with some of the magazines (Renault/Nissan auto)? I think you will be surprised this year. 8)

[Skylab™]

Acura TL is a very sweet car. I sat in one, and talked to the Navigation system. :)

[AMT4SWA]

Did HAL talk back to you? "Why am I only FWD, with so much horsepower Skylab...I would really like to know?". :o

[Skylab™]

http://auto.consumerguide.com/images/autoreview/lrg/04801021990004LRG.jpg

[PPower]

You should try to change your title to 2005 Car of the Year since that's what it will be. 2004 are already set. The Car of the Year is generally for the best, most significant car in its category. I'm going to say that the Legacy should be an intro luxury car like the TSX but w/ AWD.

The G35 was a MAJOR bonus closely setting a new benchmark for the intro luxury class. It was/is a great value, very spacious, and great performance.

I think that if Subaru will put out the performance model in September, it will really help out the image and performance impact. I mean, that could be coming very close to E46 M3/ B5 S4 performance territory and surely bettering them in some areas. The biggest detriments to the car are going to be smaller interior room compared to the benchmarks, "only" 5MT, and/or lack of luxury features available (memory seats, HID, dvd navigation, one touch power windows, etc) provided those don't make it for production. The value is definitely going to be a big hitter.

I have made several, no, too many Infiniti-Subaru correlations, but I'll keep it up. The G35 won COY its introductory year, and you KNOW it helped people go check out the car. More than that, it helped people discover Infiniti, and it really put them on the map. The car wouldn't have done nearly as well if it were just as good a car but with less favorable reviews. Sure, C&D's top 10 is good, but it's nothing like getting the full attention of COY. C&D's top 10 will be a sure bet. Getting to #1 is HUGE for sales promotion. This is why I really think that there could be truth in this "Spec B"-type model coming out so soon. Subaru really needs and wants the impact to get a lot of attention. It's definitely going to be the underdog. Just look what happened at NAIAS.

[PPower]

Here's a list of cars that I see are going to be new for 2005 and would be in competition (no exotics). This also should include any 2004 that came out too late for entry in the 2004 competition.

Audi A6
BMW 2 series
Buic LaCrosse
Buick LeSabre
Buick Regal
Cadillac STS
Chevy Cobalt
Chevy Corvette
Chrysler Airflite
Chrysler Sebring
Dodge Magnum
Ford Fairlane/Galexy
Ford Focus
Ford Five Hundred
Ford Mustang
Ford Taurus
Honda S2000
Infiniti M45 (look out)
Lexus IS
Lotus Elise (uh oh)
Mazda 3
Mazda Miata
Mercedes CLE
Mercedes S-class
Mercedes SLK
Mercury Grand Marquis
Nissan Sentra
Pontiac Grand Am
Pontiac Grand Prix
Pontiac GTO
Pontiac Sunfire
Subaru Legacy (the black horse)
Toyota Avalon
Volkswagen Golf
Volvo S40/V50

[SUBE555]

I think we'll definitely see the new GT in C&Ds top 10. As to where others rate it I can't really guess. Don't read too many others. Will be interesting to see what SCC says when they get their hands on one. I'm really suprised I haven't seen an XT in there.

[Gumby]

:o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

[PPower]

I think that the Elise has a definite possibility for COY. It's light weight and blazing performance is revolutionary for the US sports car category. With the extra "luxury" features it will have AVAILABLE, it will be much more useable for everyday driving compared to the European brethren. How many other cars that do 0-60 in under 5 seconds can get 33mpg?

[Gumby]

It won't have DVD navigation or lit buttons on the steering wheel so it will never sell. Also, there's an option package that includes carpet, carpet in cars who would have thought?

<removes tongue from cheek>

I'm sure it will get closer to 40 mpg in regular conservative driving, assuming that's possible.

I think most owners will remove the unnecessary weight they've added, the A/C being the first to go - it's a convertible for goodness sake.

Considering there will be no other drivers car like it on the road for under $100k it's a bargain at $40k.

[SUBE555]

The elise definitely shows what less weight is worth. A car that has 190hp (same as in the performance-minded Toyota Celica), can do the 400m dash in less than 13sec, and makes you 'one with the road' as I was told by someone who drove one. Plus it makes 30+mpg. ;)

If only the other auto makers looked at this and designed with weight in mind like that car.

I'd defiitely put it in the list of candidates for COY. If they bring that uBer Legacy for not much more than the WRX STi and with desired specs as I listed on another page, I think the Leg could at least make the COY candidate list, particularly if the mileage is better than expected.

[PPower]

I'm sure it will get closer to 40 mpg in regular conservative driving, assuming that's possible.


Toyota lists the Celica GT-S to get 24/33 with the manual tranny, so that's where I got the figure. If it can do better, than excellent.

[Gumby]

http://www.puresportscar.com/options.php

I'll take mine with the Sports package and Level 3 Exhaust.

[AMT4SWA]

PPower...all the car magazines will call their next selections the "2004 Car Of The Year". They will choose from many models as usual, both 2004 and 2005 models, and they might even test a few 2006 models (Lexus GS)...this is how they do it , they do not discriminate by the car to be tested model year. They will be testing all model choices that are available to be purchased in the calendar year 2004...this year will have some great competition! :)

[PPower]

OK, maybe I'm wrong. I know that the Motor Trend 2004 Car, SUV, and Truck of the year was done months ago & the Car and Driver 2004 10 Best just came out & Road & Track is just now putting out the Best Car 2004 (STi is a finalist). I must have been thinking about them since it appears that Automobile Magazine only has their Auto of the Year and All-Star 2003 list. When does Automobile Magazine do their test?