2015 WesBank / SAGMJ Car of the Year Semi-finalists Shortlist

So the list of semi-finalists I posted last week have been whittled down to a shortlist of, well, semi-finalists. It's a much shorter list than before but I don't think it will make the judging any less difficult. I don't envy those involved.  I see the Porsche is still in the mix, as is the BMW M4.  It's also good to see the Subaru still there and of course the Golf R. My favourite for the competition is the Renault Duster, and yeah, it's there ( like you couldn't tell from the pic above).  What's your favourite? Remember, it's not about the most expensive car, it's about the best possible car all round in the segment that it competes in. 

Herewith, the Guild's press release:

Following a vote by the 2015 Car of the Year Jury, the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists is proud to announce the shortlist of Semi-finalists for the 2015 WesBank / SAGMJ Car of the Year competition (in alphabetical order):

• Audi A3 Sedan 1.4T SE S Tronic
• BMW M235i Coupe
• BMW M4 Coupe Auto
• Citroën C4 Picasso e-HDi 115 Intensive
• Honda Accord 3.5 V6 Exclusive
• Hyundai Grand i10 1.25 Fluid
• Infiniti Q50 3.5 V6 S Hybrid RWD
• Land Rover Range Rover Sport Supercharged HSE Dynamic
• Lexus ES 250 EX
• Mercedes Benz C-Class C200 auto
• Mercedes-Benz S-Class S500
• MINI Cooper Hatch
• Nissan Qashqai 1.6dCi Acenta auto
• Porsche Macan S Diesel
• Renault Duster 1.5dCi Dynamique 4WD
• Renault New Sandero Turbo Dynamique 66kW
• Subaru WRX Premium
• Toyota Corolla 1.4D-4D Prestige
• Volkswagen Golf R 2.0 TSI DSG
• Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI 81kw Highline DSG

The finalists for the 2015 WesBank / SAGMJ Car of the Year competition will derive from this shortlist and will be announced on Thursday, 23 October 2014, at the Inanda Polo Club, Johannesburg. With the sole aim of rewarding automotive excellence, the Jury will put the finalists through stringent testing in early March 2015 before scoring each finalist against its direct class competitors, on aspects that include aesthetics, dynamics, technology and innovation, safety and value for money, to name a few.  The 2015 WesBank / SAGMJ Car of the Year will be announced at a black tie event on 18 March 2015. The SA Guild of Motoring Journalists has run the SA Car of the Year competition since 1986, with WesBank – one of South Africa’s largest vehicle finance institutions – as its headline sponsor since inception.

Motul and Hollard Insurance supply support sponsorship.