General Motors' (GM) Chevrolet brand swept two most significant awards at the 2014 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Its Corvette Stingray bagged the honor of North American Car of the Year while the Chevrolet Silverado was adjudged North American Truck/Utility of the Year.
The other two finalists were Cadillac CTS and Mazda3.
This is the second consecutive win for General Motors. Last year, it won for its Cadillac ATS compact sedan.
The car and truck of the year awards, considered as auto industry’s most coveted awards, were chosen by 48 full-time automotive journalists.
The current model of Corvette Stingray that represents its seventh generation, debuted exactly one year ago.
The new Corvette is more nimble and more powerful than its past models. Apart from having a powerful 460-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 engine, it also manages to deliver better fuel efficiency too.
Stingray's base price of $51,995 (including shipping) is also far lower than other cars with almost identical capabilities. Recently, the Automobile Magazine also honored Corvette Stingray with the title 'Automobile of the Year.'
The Chevrolet Silverado scored for its interior quality and fuel economy over its contemporaries. The truck, which is powered by a base V8, delivers an EPA-estimated 19 miles per gallon overall. According to industry experts, the Silverado carries greater importance to the company than a niche performance car like the Corvette Stingray.
Alan Batey, who is going to be GM's North American chief, said the company was not able to make enough Corvettes. "Everything that's in the factory is pretty much customer sold," he said.
Batey also noted the brand Chevrolet was not as healthy as it needed to be globally, but such independents awards will certainly signal that the brand and automaker were "on the move." Compared to 480,000 Silverados sold in United States last year, the total number of Corvette Stingrays sold was only 17,000, according to CNN.
