ACI Bureau
The Maruti Suzuki Swift and Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 are declared as Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) 2019 and Indian Motorcycle of the Year (IMOTY) 2019. 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.
The winners of the 14th ICOTY and the 12th IMOTY were announced at a special function in Mumbai. The awards highlighted and recognised brilliance in the auto sector amidst a packed house of Industry leaders, representatives of industrial bodies and auto enthusiasts.
Dr Raghupati Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director, JK Tyre & Industries Limited said, “The ICOTY and IMOTY awards are like the Oscars of the Indian auto industry, rewarding the most exciting vehicles that have been introduced on Indian roads this year. The awards have undergone a rich journey over the years and today they represent the highest level of credibility, judgment and recognition. The Indian auto industry is at par with the global auto industry and this has further intensified the competition and made the evaluation process tougher at ICOTY and IMOTY. I would like to thank the jury members for the task, though challenging, accomplished so well. At JK Tyre, we believe that innovation and superior technology are the foundation for the future. This is the key reasons we have collaborated with the ICOTY and IMOTY awards since inception. I congratulate Maruti Suzuki Swift, Volvo XC40 and Royal Enfield Interceptor 650, for winning among the bests of the industry, and for providing best-in-class value proposition to the customers.”
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, Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director and CEO of Maruti Suzuki said, “Swift has been one of the most loved premium hatchbacks and it is an honour to receive such an high accolade yet again. 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 recognised as the Indian Car of the Year, for 3 times, by an independent jury, comprising India’s leading automobile experts, makes this prestigious award even more special.”
Charles Frump, MD, Volvo Car India said, “We are extremely happy that there is an extension of ICOTY 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 recognised. I am also looking forward to many more relevant categories in future especially Green Car of The Year.”
Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 had to battle it out with 11 others to be the IMOTY 2019. Siddhartha Lal, CEO, Royal Enfield said, “We are delighted to win the coveted IMOTY 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. Introduced in 2005 and 2007 respectively, theICOTY and IMOTY are the most prestigious awards in the Indian automotive industry.
