Automobile Magazine Names Car of Year

"At a time when the world's economy is in shambles and fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are on everyone's minds, there remains only one car that ticks all the enthusiast boxes without setting off a single wretched-excess alarm," stated Joe DeMatio, executive editor of the magazine 

"That's the Volkswagen GTI, and that's why it is, once again, AutomobileMagazine's Automobile of the Year," he added. 

Officials said the model has been praised for blending sporty performance and practicality. It includes a 2.0-liter, 16-valve DOHC turbo-charged four-cylinder engine with 200-horsepower and 207 pounds/foot of torque. 

However, it also features a fuel economy of 32 miles per gallon on the highway and 24 mpg in the city, and has such safety amenities as a three-channel anti-lock brake system, anti-slip regulation, electronic differential lock, engine brake assist, tire pressure monitoring system and the Electronic Stabilization Program that comes standard on 2010 VW models. 

The new GTI also features a standard electronic limited slip system (named XDS) that electronically monitors input from various wheel sensors. If there is slippage, XDS is designed to transfer extra torque to the wheel or wheels with the most traction, according to officials. 

In response to the automaker's model receiving the ward, Volkswagen of America chief operating officer Mark Barnes commented: "Having our GTI namedAutomobile Magazine's Automobile of the Year once again is a tremendous honor for our brand. 

"We're thrilled that the staff of Automobile Magazine acknowledged that today's sports car consumers are looking beyond horsepower and going fast, rather they are looking for vehicles that are practical, fuel efficient, and fast," he continued. "The GTI truly embodies what the Volkswagen brand is all about: affordable, efficient, and fun-to-drive German Engineering."