We recently talked to you about the 7 finalists just announced for the title of European Car of the Year 2024! The final result will be announced at the Geneva Motor Show, which will be held from February 26 to March 3, 2024 at Palexpo. Meanwhile, two parallel contests were secretly held: the election of the “International Van of the Year”, that is, the SUV of the Year, and the Pickup of the Year, both Solutrans exhibition in Lyon. For the first, four models made it to the finals: Ford Transit Custom, Master Hyvia H2 Tech, Opel Vivaro-e Hydrogen and Mercedes e-Citan. The finalists were determined in the “Pickup of the Year” competition (a competition held once every two years). Isuzu D-MaxTHE Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Amarok.

Transit won the award again

If you read the title of the article, the results will not surprise you: Ford won a double victory ! The jury includes 24 journalists from around the world received an award for the Transit Custom SUV. The decision was welcomed by Hans Schepp, managing director of Ford Pro Europe, who said: “We are very proud that the IVOTY jury has awarded this prestigious award to the all-new personalized Transit. Because of solid color van preferred by European customersthe all-new Transit Custom has been designed and built to meet a wide variety of needs. Except ours award-winning diesel enginecustomers will soon have a choice as well electric and PHEV versions. » Transit has received this prestigious award for the fifth time in its history. He had it in the past in 2001, 2007, 2013 and 2020.

Ranger and Amarok, same fight

On the other hand, the “IPUA” jury meeting at the Solutrans exhibition in Lyon awarded the award a precious key to a new Ford Ranger. Original fact, it has arrived related to the Volkswagen Amarok, to whom it lends its platform, its chassis, its engines and even its factory in South Africa! These two models the result of a partnership between Ford and Volkswagenboth in passenger cars and in electric vehicles.

“It was impossible to separate the two models because the new Ranger and Amarok were jointly developed and produced together, at the Ford plant in South Africa. Although it was a joint project, each builder could do it keep your unique style and driving characteristics, which customers will be able to testify to,” explained Jarlat Sweeney, President of the IPUA Jury. A very pleasant victory for Ford, who was not selected this year finalists of the “Car of the Year 2024” competition.

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Car of the Year 2024: Here are the seven finalists

Ford and Volkswagen: 35 years of cooperation

Ford Ranger PHEV: electric range up to 45 km