31M43-5577 - Local History Archives

January 13,2005
Grosse Pointe News Automotive
17A
The '05 North American Car and Truck of the Year
Forty-eight automotive
journalists from the United
States, and Canada have
selected the Chrysler
300/300c as the North
American Car of the Year
(NACOTY). The Ford Escape
Hybrid was chosen as the
North American Truck of the
Year.
The winners were
announced at a news conference
at the North American
International Auto Show,
which is not otherwise
involved in the awards.
It was the second year in a
row that a hybrid vehicle has
been honored by the group.
Last year the Toyota Prius
was the North American Car
of the Year.
Each year since 1994 the
jury of automotive journalists
representing newspapers,
magazines and television
honors a new car and a
new truck that set the new
standard in their segments
in areas including innovation,
value for the dollar,
safety, ride and handling.
2005 Chrysler 300
"The Chrysler group is
honored and proud of this
award, and we want to thank
our employees and customers
as well as the journalists
who voted on the
award," said Eric Ridenour,
Executive Vice President —
Product Development. "We
believe the Chrysler 300 fully
represents our operating philosophy
of disciplined pizzazz."
Seventeen cars and 12
trucks were eligible for the
2005 NACOTY and North
American Truck of the Year
awards.
"The 2005 Chrysler 300
marked the Chrysler brand's
return to a rear-wheel-drive,
HEMI-powered automobile
for the first time in more
than a decade. Chrysler has
single-handedly reinvented
the large, V-8 powered
American sedan," said Matt
DeLorenzo .Road & Track
Magazine. "With its bold
looks that are uniquely
American, growling HEMI
power and enough attitude to
cut a rap record on its own,
the Chrysler 300C is a bad
boy for hipsters and yet with
its affordable sticker, V-6
optional engines, appeals to
traditional full-size
American car buyers. Quite a
feat to bring two disparate
market segments together
with just one car."
2005 North American fetematfoftal »."