Thread: European Car of the Year finalists shortlisted

Eight models make the final cut for the 2013 Car of the Year. The Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86 has been nominated for the coveted European Car of the Year award. The only sports car to be shortlisted, the BRZ was praised for its entertaining driving experience.
Eight cars are up for the prize – up from the usual seven due to close competition – for the first time since 2007. The finalists are:
Ford B-Max
Hyundai i30
Mercedes-Benz A-class
Peugeot 208
Renault Clio
Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT86
Volkswagen Golf
Volvo V40
The Vauxhall Ampera/Chevrolet Volt was awarded the prize last year, despite facing strong competition from the Volkswagen Up! and third generation Ford Focus. The judges were particularly impressed with the cars range-extending hybrid technology, the first time such a system had been seen on a production car.
The winner of European Car of the Year 2013 will be announced on 4 March.