Ford Fiesta

“The Fiesta is powered by a 120 horsepower 1.6 liter engine that’s enthusiastic, if a bit noisy. It’s available with a 5-speed stick [and a] 6-speed automatic — a special type of gearbox called a twin-clutch. Twin-clutch automatics are used in sports cars like the Nissan GT-R, VW GTI, and Porsche 911 because they provide excellent power delivery and near-instant shifts. But they also provide outstanding fuel economy, which is why Ford chose a twin-clutch for the Fiesta. EPA estimates for the automatic Fiesta are 30 MPG city/40 MPG highway.”

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Cadillac CTSv Coupe

“The new CTS-V Coupe is powered by a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 that produces a monstrous 556 horsepower and 551 lb-ft of torque. Cadillac claims that the CTS-V Coupe can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 3.9 seconds, but the more impressive aspect of this car is how it handles around the track. One element of the new CTS Coupe that improves handling abilities is the rear track, which has been widened by almost an inch on the CTS-V model to optimize cornering stability.”

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Ford Mustang GT

Ford has been quick to willingly put their new 5.0-powered 2011 Mustang GT head to head with the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS and in this video, courtesy of Ford Motor Company; we get a good look at the two legendary pony cars roasting their tires side by side. Make sure that your volume is up as this video also gives you a great sample of what the 2011 Mustang GT will sound like at wide open throttle when it is smoking the tires.

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A panel of 15 Internet automotive writers has voted on 8 semi-finalists for Internet Car of the Year and 7 semi-finalists for Internet Truck of the Year. That’s right – this year there are 8 semi-finalists for car of the year because of a tie in voting by the jurors.

This is the only place on the Internet (where 91% of new car shoppers begin their shopping process) for consumers to vote on a Car and Truck of the Year at a website not dominated by manufacturer advertising. The website will not accept any OEM advertising for vehicles eligible for a Car or Truck of the Year award.

Consumers will have until Oct. 16 at noon to register their selections for Internet Car of the Year and Internet Truck of the Year. Then, starting Oct. 19 at noon they will select among three vehicles in each category that have been selected as finalists. Voting ends Nov. 13. The awards will be presented in December.

Head on over to the voting page and share your opinions.

The Internet Car and Truck of the Year website, an online venue not dependent on OEM advertising, held its inaugural Internet Pros and Average Joes vote for their favorite new cars.

The Internet Pros are comprised of a select team of 12 online writers from some of the leading automotive Internet sites, while the Average Joes consisted of more than 50,000 votes from the motoring public.

The winners, announced from the Chicago Auto Show today, are:
Internet Pros:
Car of the Year: 2010 Mazda3
Truck of the Year: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox

Average Joes:
Car of the Year: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
Truck of the Year: 2010 Chevrolet Equinox

Automotive Analyst Lauren Fix, one of the 12-member jury for the Internet Pros, had this to say about the Mazda3: “It’s just the right size and has great performance. It comes standard with all the available bells and whistles and it’s really edgy looking. I just wanted to take it to the track because it handled tightly, has great throttle response, and it’s a blast to drive.”

Another juror, Dan Roth from Autoblog.com, said he voted for the Chevrolet Equinox because “”…it’s a clear signal of General Motors newfound realization that it not only needs great products, it needs the *right* great products. Cars like the Camaro, Cadillac CTS-V, and of course the Corvette – we all expect those to be great, and they are. Greatness in a niche is fine, but what’s really going to breathe new life into the stumbling behemoth are the bread-and-butter cars.”

So while the Internet Pros and Average Joes agree on the Truck of the Year they have very differing opinions when it comes to their favorite car. The Pros opted for practicality while the Joes chose power. However, both demonstrated their respect for American Sheet metal with the Equinox.

Between the semi-finals and finals rounds, more than 50,000 votes were cast for the Consumer Internet Car and Truck of the Year. Percent of males vs. females was 79 to 21 percent. Forty-seven percent of the voters were between the ages of 40-55.

College graduates made up 39 percent of the voters, with 30 percent having a graduate degree. Thirty percent of voters reported household income between $100-$149,000. The next largest group at 20 percent was $80,000 to $99,999.

Also announced was the selection of John Neff as Internet Automotive Journalist of the Year. Neff, editor-in-chief of Autoblog.com, was selected for his talented stewardship of the Internet’s largest automotive news site and his advocacy for Internet automotive journalists.

The Internet Car and Truck of the Year awards were created by Keith Griffin, the Guide to Used Cars for About.com, and the Hartford (CT) Auto Examiner for Examiner.com, as well as a print automotive journalist and vice president of the New England Motor Press Association.

For more information on Internet Car and Truck of the Year, email Keith Griffin at
keith@internetcarandtruckoftheyear.com or call (860) 292-0618.

The Internet Car of the Year finalists are:

• Mazda Mazda3
• Ford Fusion Hybrid
• Shelby GT500

The Consumer Internet Car of the Year finalists are:

• The Chevy Camaro
• Ford Shelby GT500
• The Taurus SHO

The Internet Truck of the Year finalists are:

• Chevy Equinox
• Ford Raptor
• Volvo XC60

The Consumer Internet Truck of the Year finalists are:

• Chevy Equinox
• Ford Raptor
• Audi Q7 TDI

Comment below on who you think the winners will be. The awards will be announced on Feb. 10 at 4 p.m., Central Standard Time, at the Chicago Auto Show.

The Automotive Internet Journalist of the Year has also been selected but that award will be announced at the Chicago Auto Show on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 4 p.m. on the Grand Concourse Media Stage during the presentation of the Internet Car and Truck of the Year.

Best Review Written for the Internet
The winner of “Best Review Written for the Internet” goes to Jeff Glucker, co-owner and editor of Hooniverse.com. His review of the Audi R8 “really captured the heart and soul of the car,” said one judge. As Glucker himself pointed out in the review, “[The R8] is a wonderful mash-up of form and function – style and substance – gracefulness and go-fast goodness.”

Best Feature Written for the Internet
The winner of “Best Feature Written for the Internet” goes to Lyndon Conrad Bell, editor-in-chief of On Wheels Media, for his feature “A fast road to manhood” that was published on Examiner.com, where Bell is the San Francisco sports car examiner. His story tells of the bonding between him and his son Julian at 6 a.m. while testing cars and how driving cars can be a metaphor for life.

Best Single Blog Written for the Internet
The winner of “Best Single Blog” Written for the Internet goes to Craig Hover, senior editor of the Automobile Red Book, and writer for other outlets, for his blog entry on the most mundane of topics: changing a flat tire. Titled, “The big flat. My apologies to Raymond Chandler,” the blog turns the changing of a flat tire into something out of a classic murder mystery.

Best Series of Blog Entries
An international flair is added with the selection of Jil McIntosh for “Best Series of Blog Entries.” As one judge said, “Jill has the voice of an educated neighbor who’s more than happy to tell you like it is.” McIntosh is a freelance writer and a member of the Automobile Journalists of Canada. Her regular outlets include new-car reviews and special-interest articles for The Toronto Star (Wheels section); new-car reviews and news reports for Canadian Driver, where she is also the assistant editor; and other outlets.
McIntosh submitted five blog entries for submission.