*UPDATED* 2012 CarSPIN Award WINNERS!

[SVT666]

2012 CarSPIN Car of The Year!!!
Nissan GT-R




2012 Sub-Compact/Compact COTY
VW Golf / GTI (repeat winner)




2012 Midsize/Fullsize COTY
VW Passat




2012 Small People Hauler OTY
Volvo XC60 (repeat winner)




2012 Midsize/Large People Hauler OTY
Jeep Grand Cherokee (repeat winner)




2012 Truck OTY
Ford SVT Raptor (repeat winner)




2012 Entry Luxury COTY
BMW 3 Series (repeat winner)




2012 Luxury COTY
Jaguar XJ Supersport




2012 Sports/GT Under $50K COTY
BMW 1M (unbelievable)




2012 Sports/GT Under $100K COTY
Nissan GT-R




2012 Sports/GT Over $100K COTY
Ferrir 458 Italia Spyder




2012 Supercar OTY
Lexus LF-A

[SVT666]

The CarSPIN Car Of The Year poll will take place after the Boss 302 vs. 1M poll is settled.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Only 2 domestics (so far) and they're both trucks.........

[Onslaught]

I really only like the last three. I've got nothing agains't the Raptor other then I'm not in love with the modern looks of the F150. But it's not my cup of tea.

[Raza]

Hmm, not as many bad choices as I expected.  Nice work, team.

[SVT666]

Hmm, not as many bad choices as I expected.  Nice work, team.

Don't worry.  The bad choice has yet to come.  1M is kicking the Boss' ass in the Showdown poll. 

[RomanChariot]

Only 2 domestics (so far) and they're both trucks.........

So the current breakdown, with one to go is as follows.

Germany - 3
USA - 2
Japan - 2
Italy - 1
Sweden/China - 1
England/India - 1

[MexicoCityM3]

Did we select the new F30 3 or the E90 3? Or both? Not that it matters. Every F30 review in the world (except C&D - take that Wimmer) is praising it as better than the E90.

[GoCougs]

Since it's "2012" COTY it must (or should be) the F30. I'm in the market for a new car but after some research last night I am not happy to find out that iDrive is standard on ALL F30 cars of any trim level. Ugh.

[SVT666]

You wouldn't buy a BMW anyway.  You don't want to be pretentious....remember?

[GoCougs]

You wouldn't buy a BMW anyway.  You don't want to be pretentious....remember?

A 3-series isn't pretentious.

[CALL_911]

A 3-series isn't pretentious.

Of course it is, it tells the world "I want a BMW, but I couldn't afford more than this!"

Mind you, I'm a huge proponent of the 3-series.

[GoCougs]

Of course it is, it tells the world "I want a BMW, but I couldn't afford more than this!"

Mind you, I'm a huge proponent of the 3-series.

The 3-series (and the 2002 before it) have been a part of BMW's lineup for 50 years, carrying forward a distinct mission that entire time (yes, the cheap model, but the one most oriented toward handling/driving). Sure some; most notably chicks; treat it as a stepping stone/posersim, but many don't and the design of the car doesn't support that.

The badgeism IMO applies most prominently to the C-class - a relatively newly invented badge that doesn't do anything better/different than its higher-class stablemates other than cost less.

And mind you, I'm not a huge proponent at all of the 3-series. Nice cars but never been a huge fan. I'm only sort getting steered that way because it is one of the few vehicles that offers decent performance, AWD and MT in a sedan configuration.

[CALL_911]

Check out a CPO S4.

[SVT666]

A 3-series isn't pretentious.

BS.  You have stated otherwise in previous threads that you don't want option laden cars because it projects an image you don't want to project.

[r0tor]

Jeep!

[GoCougs]

Check out a CPO S4.

As far as I can tell all S4s have an iDrive-like interface thingy. I was planning to drive one this weekend but that may prove tough. I really, really don't want an iDrive thingy in my car.

[ifcar]

As far as I can tell all S4s have an iDrive-like interface thingy. I was planning to drive one this weekend but that may prove tough. I really, really don't want an iDrive thingy in my car.

How much of a problem they are depends on how easy it is to get what you want without dealing with it. If there are enough redundant controls that you would rarely need to go into it, it shouldn't be a deal-breaker.

[GoCougs]

How much of a problem they are depends on how easy it is to get what you want without dealing with it. If there are enough redundant controls that you would rarely need to go into it, it shouldn't be a deal-breaker.

It just gets me into HEY-YOU-KIDS-GET-OFF-MY-LAWN mode whenever I think about it.

[Raza]

As far as I can tell all S4s have an iDrive-like interface thingy. I was planning to drive one this weekend but that may prove tough. I really, really don't want an iDrive thingy in my car.

MMI is pretty easy to use.  It's not as intuitive as I'd hoped, but it's much better than iDrive. 

[ifcar]

It just gets me into HEY-YOU-KIDS-GET-OFF-MY-LAWN mode whenever I think about it.

I can certainly see the appeal of lots of customized settings. To me, it's only a problem -- and on some of these systems, it is -- when you actually need to go into the menus routinely. If the knob just sits there all the time, you shouldn't even have to think about it.

Certainly worth a test drive, at any rate.

[hounddog]

Remarkably bland competition overall.

[GoCougs]

MMI is pretty easy to use.  It's not as intuitive as I'd hoped, but it's much better than iDrive. 

I can certainly see the appeal of lots of customized settings. To me, it's only a problem -- and on some of these systems, it is -- when you actually need to go into the menus routinely. If the knob just sits there all the time, you shouldn't even have to think about it.

Certainly worth a test drive, at any rate.

Yeah, I tend to judge quickly on things. Will try to get to see on today; maybe hard to get a test drive on an S4 as I will not be buying anything today. We'll see. Also, this is why I like the Golf/GTI - no buttonism as with Honda/Acura products and no MMI/COMAND/iDrive as with ze premium Germans. I just want basic controls, damnit. Lexus seems to like basic controls tool but none of their cars appeal.

[68_427]

Yeah, I tend to judge quickly on things. Will try to get to see on today; maybe hard to get a test drive on an S4 as I will not be buying anything today. We'll see. Also, this is why I like the Golf/GTI - no buttonism as with Honda/Acura products and no MMI/COMAND/iDrive as with ze premium Germans. I just want basic controls, damnit. Lexus seems to like basic controls tool but none of their cars appeal.

The new IS is supposed to share the same platform as the BRZ/FR-S.

[Raza]

The new IS is supposed to share the same platform as the BRZ/FR-S.

Unless they give the decent engine a stick, the IS is useless to me.  I like the current IS, but I'm assuming that like the Genesis coupe, the weight is dulls the engine.  It may be decently quick, but it doesn't feel it. 

[68_427]

I agree.  If the IS-F was available with a manual, it's be my second choice in that class after the CTS-V.

[SVT666]

bump!  OP updated