Petrolblog doesn't need to issue a ‘spoiler alert’ before telling you that the Ford Model T was named Car of the Century. There's a Wikipedia page devoted to the international award and it's the first page that pops up if you google 'Car of the Century’.
But did you know that the selection process started in 1996 and there were 1500 cars in the running for the award? Were you aware that Jeremy Clarkson was one of the 135 journalists and experts invited to form the professional jury?
Did you even consider the fact that the Renault Safrane could have been one of the 100 candidates in the running for the big award? ‘Could’ is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that question.
Well, thanks to the acquisition of the official handbook for the Car of the Century title, Petrolblog can reveal the final 100 cars and a bit more info on the voting process.
To be in with a chance of winning the award, the car had to be designed for the transport of passengers, at least fifty units had to have been produced, and of these at least three still had to be in existence. Of the 1500 proposed cars, 716 met the criteria.
The list was then reduced to 200 cars based on the following requirements:
- General design
- Historical significance
- Handling and roadworthiness
- Performance
- Technical innovations at its time
Finally, 100 cars were put forward to compose the collection of the Car of the Century Exhibition, held at the Amsterdam RAI from 27 June 1998. Visitors could vote via what the book calls “large interactive ‘mushrooms’ with built-in computers”, although voting could also be done via a ballot box and the internet. Petrolblog would have voted via the magic of mushrooms.
The old voting website for the Car of the Century (cotc.com) is now owned by the Church of the City in Nashville. Sadly, the site doesn't appear to have a page that allows you to vote for the Renault Espace, Peugeot 205 or Renault 5. A missed opportunity.
The top ten from the public vote were then added to the 25 cars chosen by the international jury to form a final shortlist of 26 nominees, which became the top five, before the winner was announced at a glitzy event in Las Vegas in December 1999.
As you'll know from the Wikipedia page, the jury ranked the five cars in their preferred order, and the results were combined with a points system. The top five were:
- Ford Model T (742 points)
- Mini (617)
- Citroën DS 19 (567)
- Volkswagen Beetle (521)
- Porsche 911 (303)
Of the 135 experts on the professional jury, 14 were from the UK, namely: John Blauth, Jeremy Clarkson, Steve Cropley, Eric Dymock, Richard Feast, Gavin Green, Ray Hutton, Judith Jackson, Stuart Marshall, Lord Montagu of Beaulieu, Ian Norris, Michael Scarlett, Mick Walsh and Gordon Wilkins.
For what could be the first time on the internet, here's a list of the 100 candidates for the Car of the Century award.
Car of the Century (001-020)
- De Dion-Bouton Quadricycle
- Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
- Ford Model T
- Cadillac Self Starter
- Hispano-Suiza Alfonso
- Stutz Bearcat
- Hispano-Suiza H6
- Austin Seven
- Bentley 3-Litre
- Lancia Lambda Torpedo
- Bugatti T35
- Ford Model A
- Mercedes-Benz S/SS/SSK
- Bentley Speed Six
- Duesenberg Model J
- Alfa Romeo 6C-1750 Gran Sport
- Cadillac V16
- Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider
- Auto Union DKW Front
- Ford V8
Car of the Century (021-040)
- Packard Twelve
- Bugatti T57
- Chrysler Airflow
- Citroën Traction Avant
- Tatra 77
- Auburn Speedster 852
- Cord Model 810 and 812
- Jaguar SS100
- BMW 328
- Delahaye 135M and MS
- Fiat 500 Topolino
- Lancia Aprilia
- Talbot-Lago T150 SS
- Lincoln Continental V12
- Willys Jeep
- MG TC
- Studebaker Champion
- Tucker 48
- Volkswagen Beetle
- Renault 4CV
Car of the Century (041-060)
- Cisitalia 202-1110 Coupé
- Citroën 2CV
- Ferrari 166
- Jaguar XK120
- Morris Minor
- Land Rover Series 1 80
- Lancia Aurelia B10
- Panhard Dyna
- Porsche 356
- Pegaso Z-120
- Bentley R Type Continental
- Triumph TR2/3/3a
- Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint
- Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider
- Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
- Citroën DS19
- Fiat 600 Multipla
- BMW 507
- Fiat Nuova 500
- Lotus Elite Type 14
Car of the Century (061-080)
- Aston Martin DB4/DB4GT
- Volvo PV544
- Cadillac Eldorado
- Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta
- Jaguar Mk2
- Mini (all types)
- Saab 96
- Jaguar E-type
- Lotus Elan Sprint Type 45
- MGB
- Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
- Porsche 911
- Ford Mustang
- AC Cobra 427
- Lancia Fulvia Coupé HF
- Renault 16
- Jensen FF
- Toyota Corolla
- Lamborghini Miura
- NSU Ro80
Car of the Century (081-100)
- BMW 2002
- Ferrari 365 GTB4 Daytona
- Datsun 240Z
- Range Rover
- Lamborghini Countach LP400
- Alfa Romeo Alfasud
- Honda Civic
- Lancia Stratos HF
- Volkswagen Golf
- Renault 5
- Mazda RX-7
- Audi Quattro
- Peugeot 205
- Renault Espace
- BMW M3
- Lexus LS 400
- Mazda MX-5
- Honda NSX
- Dodge Viper 8.0 V10 RT
- Audi A8
Of the 100 cars in the running for the Car of the Century award, which one would you have voted for? Petrolblog would be leaning towards the Saab 96, Renault 16, Toyota Corolla, Renault 5, Peugeot 205 and Renault Espace, while acknowledging that none of these had a chance of making the top five. That said, the Espace made the top 26.
Now that a quarter of century has passed since the original vote, it would be interesting to see which new cars would make the cut. Obvious contenders include the Audi A2, Bugatti Veyron, Fiat Multipla, Ford Focus and Toyota Prius.
To name your Car of the Century (plus 25 years), send us a fax or put your answer on the back of a stamped address envelope and send it to the usual address.
Car of the Century info courtesy of the official handbook, published by Automotive Events BV.
