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European jury picks finalists for 2015 Car of the Year

There are countless Car of the Year awards handed out each year, and naturally, Europe has its own way of doing things. Every year, a panel of jurists representing seven publications in seven different languages and seven different countries get together to name their joint Car of the Year. The panel released a list of 32 candidates back in July, and it has now whittled that list down to seven nominees. The list consists of the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer, the Citroen C4 Cactus (shown), the Ford Mondeo, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the Nissan Qashqai, the Renault Twingo and the Volkswagen Passat. Of those seven, only two are available in the US – those being the Mondeo (sold Stateside as the Fusion) and the C-Class. The Passat is an entirely different model in North America, the Qashqai isn't offered here, Citroen and Renault don't even participate in our market and the BMW 2 Series is represented here only by the completely different coupe and convertible. Expect the one and only recipient of the 2015 Car of the Year award to be announced at the Geneva Motor Show this coming March, and while you're waiting, you can place your guesses for the eventual winner in Comments. Featured Gallery 2015 European Car of the Year: Nominees News Source: CaroftheYear.org BMW Ford Mercedes-Benz Nissan Volkswagen Citroen Renault car of the year nissan qashqai citroen c4 cactus bmw 2 series active tourer

If you're a Daimler exec, you'll soon have to drive an EV

Luckily, for Daimler's "senior level" managers, the company has a lot of plug-in vehicle options. Lucky because "in the future," these managers will have to drive the company's electrified vehicles. This most likely means a plug-in hybrid – something like the C 350 e or the GLE 500 e 4MATIC – but it could also be the all-electric and peppy Smart ED or the B-Class EV. Board member Ola Kallenius said in a statement (available below) that this new policy, "We are continuing on the path of zero-emission driving with consistency. This is why we are making electric mobility an integral part of the everyday lives of our top management to set an example and to provide a clear role model." It's a big change from five years ago, when Daimler's director of fuel cell and battery drive development, Christian Mohrdieck, was willing to talk up the drawbacks EVs face. Even a year ago, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche explained the financial hardships involved in making EVs. But, EV technology continues to change, and so, perhaps, do the attitudes inside Daimler. As EV advocate Chelsea Sexton said on Facebook regarding this new policy, "This should be standard procedure in any automaker seeking a leadership role in the plug-in vehicle movement. Commitment starts at the top." Related Video: Electric Mobility: Daimler Management leads by example Daimler is once again setting a new milestone on the road to zero-emission driving: In the future managers will drive electrified company cars. Furthermore, Daimler is this year set to invest a further 30 million euros into extending the company's own charging infrastructure across many of its sites. This will also benefit employees, who have access to a growing range of vehicles with alternative drive systems. Stuttgart. It represents a further commitment from Daimler to an electric future for mobility: "We are continuing on the path of zero-emission driving with consistency", states Ola Kallenius, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars Sales and Marketing, about the importance of the current initiative. "This is why we are making electric mobility an integral part of the everyday lives of our top management to set an example and to provide a clear role model." The agreement applies to the company's senior levels of management and focuses on plug-in hybrids.

Weekly Recap: Takeaways from the Frankfurt Motor Show

We obsessively covered the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and naturally, we selected our favorites from this fall's biggest automotive event. Now that the dust has settled, we're looking ahead to what it all means. Here are three takeaways from the floor in Frankfurt. The Germans are serious about electric vehicles: It's a bit cliche to say BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have downplayed electrics in favor of other technologies, like diesels. For a time that may have been true, but those three companies, along with Porsche and Volkswagen, are emerging as leaders in EV development. That was on display in Frankfurt, when all of them revealed either all-electric or plug-in hybrid models. Gas prices are relatively low in the United States, but clearly the Germans are thinking long-term and globally. Everyone is serious about SUVs: You gotta have one, even if you're Bentley or Jaguar. It's 2015 and it's what consumers want. As Jaguar design director Ian Callum put it, "Not to be in the sector would be a little naive for the sake of purity." It's not just the flashy exotic luxury makers. Nissan showed the Gripz concept, which is rakish, radical, and meant to blend traits of SUVs and sports cars into a vehicle that really crosses over. Look for more, especially in the luxury sector, as Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin ramp up their own SUV efforts. There's no ceiling to the luxury market: Speaking of high-end cars, companies are continuing to invest in extravagant wares beyond just SUVs. Even during the recession, ultra-luxury makers remained relevant, and now they're back at full stride. In Frankfurt, that was illustrated by yet another S-Class model, the cabriolet, which will come in S550 and S63 AMG variants in the United States. Ferrari also showed off the 488 Spider, and Lamborghini opened up the Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder. Meanwhile, Bugatti's Vision Grand Turismo concept reminded enthusiasts that it's plotting life after the Veyron. European auto shows always draw the glitziest reveals from luxury makers, and this year didn't disappoint. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 Honda Civic redesigned with snazzier style, turbo power The 10th-generation of the Honda Civic debuted this week at events in Los Angeles and Detroit ahead of its launch in the United States this fall as a 2016 model. Honda fortified the Civic with LED lights, an available turbo engine, and a more tech-laden cabin.