Car of the Year has sting in its tail
The Kia Stinger GT surprises all by taking the top prize at the 2018 Wheels awards night
The 2018 Wheels Car of the Year awards, held last night at the sprawling Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, was attended by all of the key players of the UAE’s motoring industry. One of the premier events in the Middle East’s motoring calendar, the 2018 ceremony - in association with event partner Emirates NBD, and associate partners Idealz, Armor All and Enoc Auto Pro celebrated the best automobiles of the year and was yet another resounding success.
The highly-prized overall Car of the Year as selected by the panel of experienced Wheels judges and that honour went to the Kia Stinger GT.
While there were several veterans of the car world that surpassed their own exacting standards with new models this year, the Stinger GT was selected for its brilliant first attempt at making driving exciting and more accessible to the masses. The 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 fastback which packs 370 horses and 510Nm of torque also scooped the Best Sports Saloon accolade.
In fact, Kia won three trophies with the Picanto winning for Best City Car. Understandably, Yaser Shabsogh, Chief Operating Officer, Kia Motor Corporation, Regional Headquarters, and Samee Akbar Mitkar, National Marketing Manager, Al Majid Motors-Kia were delighted.
In total, 28 awards were presented, with wheels Editor Sony Thomas and Commercial Director, Gulf News Rajiv Khanna handing the winners their trophies. Some of the highlights included the Readers’ Choice Car of the Year – where Wheels readers had been encouraged to vote via an online poll.
Thousands logged on to wheels.ae to vote and the winner and by some distance too, was the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Convertible. Collecting the trophy was an ecstatic Daniella D’souza, Chevrolet Senior Product Marketing Manager.