New Zealand’s most prestigious car awards

Media Release: 26 September 2012

AA and Motoring Writers Guild announce New Zealand’s most prestigious car awards

The Automobile Association and the New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild have announced they are combining their expertise to present New Zealand’s most prestigious car award, the New Zealand Car of the Year.

In addition to the announcement of the New Zealand Car of the Year, the AA and Guild will annually announce winners in eight vehicle categories, as well as the winner of a special safety award.

Guild president David Linklater says “utilising the strengths of both the AA and the Guild will create a better and bigger event – one that recognises the motor industry and gives the Kiwi motorist expert and independent knowledge to help when buying a vehicle.”

AA motoring services general manager Stella Stocks says “the AA is delighted it has been able to combine its Motoring Excellence Awards with the Guild’s Car of the Year. Today’s announcement is the coming together of two of New Zealand’s most highly regarded car awards.”

“There can be no doubt that the real winner from today’s announcement will be the motorists of New Zealand,” says Ms Stocks.

The AA and Guild will jointly nominate 10 new vehicles available for sale in New Zealand for the New Zealand Car of the Year. More than forty motoring writers across New Zealand will then select a winner, with the votes being counted by the AA.

Each Guild member will also vote for their top vehicle in each of the eight categories. The safety award will go to the vehicle that gets the highest overall score in the ANCAP new car crash testing each year.

The winning vehicles for 2012 will be publicly announced on 12 December at a cocktail function in the Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre.

The recipient of the New Zealand Car of the Year Award will receive the uniquely shaped Peter Greenslade trophy. This has been presented to the winner of the Guild’s annual award since 1988 and recognizes the memory and contribution of the late Peter Greenslade, a highly respected New Zealand motoring writer.

“The Peter Greenslade trophy is one that has been highly coveted for 25 years by the motoring industry. It was first won by the E34 BMW 5-Series and by joining with the AA, the Guild believes Peter’s contribution to the industry will continue to be recognised for the next 25 years,” says Mr Linklater.

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