INTENSIVE AUTOMOTIVE TESTING PROGRAM IS UNDERWAY
CLARINGTON, ON, Oct. 26, 2016 /CNW/ - Over 60 of Canada's top automotive journalists are testing 100 vehicles to vote on the 2017 "Best New" cars, trucks and SUVs for the Canadian Car of the Year awards (CCOTY). The event is organized by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). The Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Clarington, Ontario is hosting the event.
The CCOTY program capitalizes on the experience of its journalists, who drive all entries back-to-back on a series of drive routes that include public roads, a performance course, handling course, and off-road course, creating a range of conditions that everyday drivers may experience with their own vehicles.
In addition to the category and overall winning vehicles, the program produces information that can guide consumers in their vehicle purchases.
"Our program is testing-based, and driven by data and weighted scoring," says Justin Pritchard, CCOTY co-chair. "Dozens of experienced vehicle testers drive dozens of vehicles, back to back, over several days. This testing process generates thousands of data points. We share every aspect of this test data online, so shoppers can see exactly how a given vehicle won its category or how it stacked up to the category winner.
"Whether you're interested in one of this year's category winners, which we'll announce in November, or another model from a previous year, every bit of our testing and voting data is shared online, along with tools to compare vehicles across various categories and years," Pritchard says. "Our objective performance data, which is factored into every vehicle's overall score, is also published. The ultimate goal is to provide highly relevant, consumer-driven information for Canadian shoppers to take into the marketplace."
Vehicles are divided into categories by type, size, and use. The winners in each category will then compete in a second round of voting for the overall title of Canadian Car of the Year, Canadian Truck or Utility Vehicle of the Year, Canadian Green Car of the Year, and Canadian Green Utility Vehicle of the Year. The awards are open to passenger vehicles that are new or significantly updated for 2017.
"Michelin and BFGoodrich welcomed the opportunity to sponsor media events at this year's AJAC Test Fest at the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park," said Sabrina Garofalo, Country Operations Marketing Manager. "This event and the Park are a perfect combination to showcase this year's line-up of cars. We certainly look forward to next year's event."
"Our business is to intimately understand cars and trucks, so we can ensure the attributes we associate to those vehicles are absolutely accurate and we remain Canada's trusted source for vehicle data. Test Fest is a perfect example of an initiative we watch with a keen eye, so Canadian Black Book can track how today's vehicles perform, helping us formulate the data and values for tomorrow's used vehicles," says Brad Rome, President, Canadian Black Book.
Testing and voting data for the 2017 models tested will be available online soon at www.AJAC.ca. Consumers can use all of AJAC's information at no charge.
PRESS ROOM FOR MEDIA: All media have access to AJAC's virtual online press room where the following can be downloaded:
VIDEO: B-roll of the four-day event, as well as 90-second videos ideal for YouTube
AERIAL VIEW: Drone footage of the event will be posted by Friday.
FACT SHEET: Including recent press releases
Link is: http://ajac.ca/web/ccoty/pressroom.asp
SOURCE Automobile Journalists Association of Canada
about the AJAC CCOTY Awards, please visit the AJAC web site: www.ajac.ca or contact: Justin Pritchard Co-Chair ([email protected]), Gary Grant Co-Chair ([email protected]); Brian Early Director ([email protected]), Haney Louka Director ([email protected]): David Taylor Director ([email protected]) or Charles Jolicoeur Director ([email protected])
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