Vote for your favourite cars, trucks online

MOTOR vehicles enthusiasts here is your chance to vote for your favourite car and truck of the year.

You can do so by going to http://www.internetcarandtruckoftheyear.com and cast your votes.

Voting is simple. All you have to do click on the link that will bring you to our voting site. Rank the cars and trucks in order your favorite: 1 is your favorite and 7 is your least favorite. This process will take roughly five minutes or maybe less.

This Internet Car and Truck of the Year is a consumer survey and it is being held for the first time.

In this survey, you will help determine the three finalists for Consumer Internet Car and Truck of the Year.

A jury of 12 of the best automotive writers on the Internet, from prestigious sites such as Autoblog.com, About.com, and LatinosOnWheels.com, will select from among all new or substantially revised cars, trucks, SUVs and CUVs introduced from November 2008 to September 2009 and select the Internet Car of the Year and Internet Truck of the Year.

As the experts do not have all the answers, that is why the consumers aspect are welcomed.

Furthermore, the Internet is the No 1 source for information on cars and trucks, as well as the No 1 spot to debate cars and trucks.

That is why consumers are also invited to vote for the Internet Consumer Car of the Year and Internet Consumer Truck of the Year.

It is the first time Internet-savvy consumers will have the opportunity to select their Car and Truck of the Year in one place at a site not dominated by manufacturer advertising.

The best part is consumers will be voting at the same time as the jurors.

In September 2009 consumers will be asked to vote on 7 cars and trucks.

In October 2009, the three finalists will be announced and consumers will vote again.

Then in December, during a major US car show, the winners will be announced.

It will be exciting to see how closely aligned consumers and journalists are!

This website is the only place on the Internet where the consumers, can vote for their choice for the Internet Car & Truck of the Year without being influenced by manufacturer advertising.

Results of the semi-final voting will close on October 16 at noon.

Then, voting for the three finalists will begins October 19. Here are the list of the semi-finalists for Car of the Year that include: Chevrolet Camaro SS, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford Taurus SHO, Kia Forte sedan, Mazda Mazda3, Nissan Cube and Ford Shelby GT500.

Meanwhile, the semi-finalists for Truck of the Year include: Audi Q5, Audi Q7 TDI, Chevrolet Equionx, Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, Ford Transit Connect, Mercedes-Benz GLK and Volvo XC60.

Here are among the car semi-finalists with the pros and cons.

1. Chevrolet Camaro SS.

The Pros: Fully independent suspension; rigid chassis, taken from the Zeta platform seen in Pontiac G8; a trim level for every type of driver from average to high performance LS, LT, SS; and SS outperforms the top models of the immediate competition: Mustang, Challenger.

The Cons: Cheap Interior

2. Ford Fusion Hybrid.

The Pros: 41mpg city and 36mpg highway; engaging handling for a hybrid sedan; user friendly electronics, including Ford's Sync system; spacious; and comfortable interior.

The Cons: Priced at a premium over the 4-cylinder Fusion (US$27k vs. US$19k); and navigation system difficult to use.

3. Ford Taurus SHO.

The Pros:3.5 liter twin-turbo V6 (365hp and 350 lb-ft); comfortable, controlled ride paired with standard all-wheel-drive; enormous trunk space; and fuel economy equal to a motor half its size.

The Cons: Price tag puts this in competition with the likes of Cadillac, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes.

Some might think twice about spending US$40k or more for a Ford; much heavier than the outgoing SHO of the 90s; and gauges are difficult to read.

4. Kia Forte Sedan.

The Pros: Good fuel economy; nice design and affordable; long warrant; peppy acceleration with either engine (2.0 or 2.4 liter) ; and i-Pod and Bluetooth ready.

The Cons: Wide-geared, sluggish 4-speed automatic transmission; and dull handling.

5. Mazda3.

The Pros:Impressive handling and agility; luxurious qualities set it apart from others in its class; available hatchback makes this an extremely useful car.

The Cons: Firm ride might be too harsh for some; lacking interior and trunk space.

6. Nissan Cube.

The Pros: Zesty engine performance; good use of interior space — lots of room; fits into almost any parking space; and good fuel economy (26-29mpg).

The Cons: Sloppy handling; interior space with the seats up is not great compared to competitors; and very audible wind noise.

7. Shelby GT 500.

The Pros: SVT performance-tuned suspension components; engine output to 540 hp and 510 ft-lb of torque; and improved fuel economy.

The Cons: Leather-wrapped steering wheel that features Alcantara suede inserts; suppressed supercharger sound

(Shelby info courtesy of Mustangs.About.Com) and other information courtesy Alex Bernstein of 0-60 Magazine.

Among the truck semi -finalists with pros and cons.

1. Audi Q5.

The Pros: Spacious interior when compared to other luxury crossovers (Infiniti EX35 and Mercedes GLK); great ride quality, combining sporty and comfort.

The Cons: Pricing in the higher trim levels can seem unreasonable; lacking cargo space (67 cubic feet); 270hp 3.2 liter V6 is the only engine offered, which is not the best pairing for a 4,000-pound or more vehicle.

2. Audi Q7 TDI.

The Pros: Potent 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel engine; 500-mile range on one tank of gas; standard third-row seating thanks to 1-foot in length over the Touareg.

The Cons:: Air suspension is not available on the TDI model; Touareg 2 has better value, also available air suspension; limited off-road capability.

3. Chevrolet Equinox.

The Pros: Attractive price tag; available with all-wheel-drive and leather seats; standard stability control; spacious interior and a comfortable ride.

The Cons: Lacking cargo space, similar to others in the small crossover market (63 cubic feet)

4. Ford Raptor.

The Pros: 5.4L 3-valve V-8 (320hp and 390 lb.-ft. of torque); Handles off-road, on-road tasks equally well; new 6-speed automatic transmission and transfer case connect to 4.10 ratio front and rear differentials; adjustable anti-lock brakes.

The Cons: Length might limit Raptor in tight conditions; 6.2-liter V8 not available until December. (Raptor info courtesy of Trucks.About.Com)

5. Ford Transit Connect.

The Pros: Easy to maneuver through tight city streets; average of 23mpg, which is great for a vehicle of this size; many options for small business owners working out of their car; Ford Work Solutions offers everything from a Windows-based computer in the dash to organised shelving units; 135 cubic feet behind the driver's seat.

The Cons: Underpowered (130hp for a 3,400lb van); lacking a bigger engine option for those who want towing ability.

6. Mercedes GLK 350.

The Pros: Solid, tank-like chassis; superb ride and handling; meticulously designed cabin; many available high-tech options.

The Cons: More pricier than its Japanese and German rivals; could use more interior space and storage capacity Volvo XC60.

The Pros: Strong emphasis on safety features; unique exterior / interior design; strong turbocharged engine; tons of standard feature; large interior capacity.

The Cons: Does not have the same sporty feel as other small SUVs in its class; poor gas mileage (18-21mpg).

Information courtesy of Alex Bernstein of 0-60 Magazine.

Check out the website and cast your votes. Your views and feedbacks matter.www.internetcarandtruckof theyear.com and

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