Autoblog

The fireworks are cold, the confetti cartridges are spent, and the 2008 World Car of the Year Awards have come to an end. Based on standards of merit, value, safety, environmental responsibility, significance, and emotional appeal, the three finalists were the Volvo Ford Mondeo, Mazda2/Demio and Mercedes C-Class. Don't read any further if, for some reason, you don't want to know what the 2008 World Car of the Year is and you haven't seen the photo above: the Mazda 2/Demio. What we earlier called the squat hatch with the aggressive wedge shape and swooping beltline showed its well-proportioned rump (also our term, and Mazda, feel free to quote us) to worthy competition.

In the other categories, the BMW 118d with Efficient Dynamics took home the World Green Car of the Year Award. In what should have been a surprise to no one, the Audi R8 walked off with trophies from both categories in which it was entered: World Performance Car of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. Having taken the awards in both categories last year as well (with the RS4 and TT), Audi knowS how to get the judges on its side. Now if it can get one million buyers on its side this year, that will really be a trophy it can brag about.

The new Mazda2 has officially gone on sale in Japan, several months after the car made its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show. Known locally as the Demio, the new B-segment model, now in its third generation, has some big shoes to fill. Previous generation Demios were Mazda's most popular models in the Japanese domestic market, selling 1,040,000 units since its introduction in 1996.

For its latest version, Mazda expects to sell up to 5,000 units per month, which shouldn't be hard seeing as it weighs 100kg less than the outgoing model and features top class fuel economy, safety, performance and comfort levels. The Japan spec model comes with the newly developed, naturally aspirated MZR 1.3L Miller-cycle engine and an optional CVT, which gives it a fuel efficiency of 54mpg.

We can't wait to see what Ford does with the platform when it introduces its own version of the car towards the end of the decade.

[Source: Mazda]

Click ahead for the full press release.