Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/969423
maltatoday, SUNDAY 15 APRIL 2018 IV Motoring European Car of the Year to hit Maltese roads THE newly launched Volvo XC40 – a forerunner in its field as a compact SUV – has recently been named 2018 European Car of the Year at the Geneva Motor Show in Swit- zerland; and is about to reach the shores of the Maltese Islands. The XC40 beat final contend- ers to win this prestigious award, including the SEAT Ibiza city car, the BMW 5-Series sedan, the Kia Stinger hot-rod, the Citroen C3 Aircross, the Audi A8 limousine and the Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV. The European Car of the Year award is the judgement of a jury of 60 journalists from 23 countries across Europe. "Winning this award with our new XC40 is perfect timing," said Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO of Volvo Cars. "Volvo now has three globally available SUVs in its range for the first time. The XC40 will be a strong contributor to further growth, taking us into a new and fast-growing small SUV segment." Critics have commended the way the XC40 looks, which is undoubt- edly a key selling point in this segment, as well as the ride and han- dling, with the 'small SUV' category fast becoming the most competitive. The European Car of the Year awards were established in 1964, and represent an interesting history showcasing the automotive develop- ment in Europe. To be eligible to win, the car needs to be available in Europe with pro- jected sales forecasted at over 5,000 units. The category under which the vehicle falls is irrelevant – having seen sports cars, saloons, hybrids & superminis winning the title in previous years. This is, however, Volvo's first win. It came third in 1983 with the 760, then third again with in 2013 with the V40, and second in 2016 with the XC90. But the objective of the European Car of the Year is to choose a clear winner, and in 2018, that title goes to the XC40. This was the second honour given to the all-new XC40 after it picked up the award for 2018 What Car? of the Year in January. The XC40 is designed to combine advanced connectivity with practi- cal interior storage and state- of-the-art safety technology. It's available with a selection of petrol and diesel engines, with front- wheel or all-wheel drive on offer, as well as the choice of a manual or automatic gearbox. In the UK the premium compact SUV has doubled Volvo's own sales forecast for the model, with more than 3,000 XC40s having been sold since its launch in late February.