2011 World Car of the Year Top 3 Finalists Announced

Those of you who have already started placing bets on this year’s World Car of the Year winner - we know we did - would be glad to hear that the agony has softened with the announcement of the top three competitors. The final three contenders to the World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year title have also been revealed.

Taken separately, the top three contenders for the overall 2011 World Car of the Year title are, in alphabetical order:  the Audi A8, the BMW 5 Series and the Nissan LEAF. As a fresh reminder, we'll tell you that the Nissan LEAF has also scooped the European Car of the Year title in 2011.

Moving on, the top three finalists for the 2011 World Performance Car award are, in alphabetical order: the Ferrari 458 Italia, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and the Porsche 911 Turbo.

Furthermore, the jury chose the following top three finalists for the 2011 World Green Car award: the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition, the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan LEAF.

“The environment is everyone's responsibility. And throughout our global family of companies, we take this responsibility very seriously. We believe it is our mission to serve society with superior quality... not just with eco-friendly products but also in the way we produce those products and the way in which we support our many communities with environmentally-friendly activities such as wildlife habitats and our Lake Biwa initiative in Japan," stated Ryoji Yamada, General Manager of Brand Management at Bridgestone Corporation (Japan).

Finally, the top three World Car Design of the Year finalists are, in alphabetical order:  the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, the Aston Martin Rapide and the Ferrari 458 Italia.

The winners will be revealed at the New York International Auto Show on April 21, 2011.