The winners of the Indian automotive Industry’s most coveted honors, the 14th Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) and the 12th Indian Motorcycle of the Year (IMOTY) were announced at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai. The awards highlighted and recognized brilliance in the auto sector amidst a packed house of Industry leaders, eminent representatives of industrial bodies and auto enthusiasts.
The Maruti Suzuki Swift and Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 that are counted among the most popular introductions of 2019, were announced the Indian Car of the Year 2019 and Indian Bike of the Year 2019 respectively.
Making a debut at the ICOTY platform, the Premium Car of the Year 2019 was introduced this year and the Volvo XC40 received this honor in the inaugural edition of the category.
Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman & Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries Limited, presented the awards to the winning teams along with Mr. Yogendra Pratap, Chairman, ICOTY 2019, and Mr. Shubhabrata Marmar, Chairman, IMOTY 2019.
Every year, a panel of domain experts from India’s top automobile publications adjudges the ICOTY and IMOTY Awards. This year’s awards judged the best car and the best motorcycle from a plethora of new launches witnessed throughout the year.
The winner of the ICOTY 2019, the Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Premium Car of the Year 2019, Volvo XC40, had to contend with 17 other vehicles, who were all put through a series of rigorous tests.
Representing Maruti Suzuki Swift, the winner of ICOTY 2019, Mr. Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki, said,
Swift has been one of the most loved premium hatchbacks and it is an honor to receive such an high accolade yet again. Brand Swift has consistently made us proud and has been among the top 5 best-selling cars in India for over a decade. The journey with Swift has been extraordinary and we are overwhelmed by its popularity among customers. We are grateful to all our customers for their immense trust in the brand. We also thank our Vendors and Dealers who have been supporting us to delight our customers To be recognized as the Indian Car of the Year, for three times, by an independent jury, comprising India’s leading automobile experts, makes this prestigious award even more special.
Winning in the inaugural edition of the Premium Car of the Year 2019, Mr. Charles Frump, Managing Director, Volvo Car India, commented,
We are extremely happy that there is an extension of ICOTY IMOTY to a Premium Car of The Year, I feel there is a lot that a premium car gets to the market from top-notch technology to safety and connectivity. In a way, we are like the torch bearers of the automotive industry and it’s great to be recognized. I also thank JK Tyre & Industries for sponsoring these prestigious awards and looking forward to many more relevant categories in future especially Green Car of The Year
The winner of IMOTY 2019, Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, had to battle it out with 11 other motorcycles.
Representing the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 which emerged as the winner of IMOTY 2019, Mr. Siddhartha Lal, CEO, Royal Enfield said,
We are delighted to win the coveted Indian Motorcycle of the Year award for the Royal Enfield Interceptor INT 650. The 650 Twins mark the beginning of a new global chapter for Royal Enfield. This acknowledgement from IMOTY’s expert jury is testament that our idea of classic, fun, evocative motorcycles with completely modern underpinnings resonate with the discerning motorcycle riders
Assessments for both the categories, the ICOTY 2019 and IMOTY 2019 were based on a series of stringent parameters, such as price, fuel efficiency, styling, comfort, safety, performance, practicality, technical innovation, build quality, value for money and suitability for Indian riding conditions.
Congratulating the winners, Mr. Yogendra Pratap, Chairman, ICOTY 2019, said,
In an unprecedented and overwhelming victory, the Maruti-Suzuki Swift became the Indian Car of the Year 2019. After a series of close contests the Swift immersed as the winner for a record 3rd time in the 14 years of ICOTY and that too a victory by nearly 30 points.
For a car to win ICOTY it has to please a wide variety of automotive journalists, petrol heads and comfort-mongers, at the same time proving its fuel efficiency and not disappointing the performance oriented.
Particularly for the premium category, the old order changed yielding place to new. Who would have thought that one of the newest entrants in the premium car space would not only win the award but also take the first two places. Remarkable and something for the others to watch out for as the Volvo XC40 takes the award
Mr. Shubhabrata Marmar, Chairman, IMOTY 2019, said,
This was a great year with four motorcycles from completely different parts of the market vying for the ultimate award in India. The Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 didn’t even blink though. Its victory was emphatic. It’s the combination of effortless performance, good quality and a stunning price that wins. In fact, Royal Enfield’s pricing makes everything else in the premium market look expensive. The IMOTY Jury congratulates Royal Enfield!
Introduced in 2005 and 2007 respectively, the ICOTY and IMOTY are the most prestigious awards in the Indian Automobile Industry.
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