Image 2 of 7 from Mazda2/Mazda Demio wins 2008 World Car of the Year

The podium consisted of the Ford Mondeo, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Mazda2/Mazda Demio

March 21, 2008 The World Car of the Year Awards began in 2005 when the Audi A6 triumphed, followed by the BMW 3-Series in 2006 and the Lexus LS460 last year. This year the top three contenders for 2008 World Car of the Year title were the Ford Mondeo, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and the Mazda2/Mazda Demio, which became the first compact car to win the award. Remarkably, the Audi R8 took out two of the main gongs, Car Design of the Year and Performance Car of the Year, but didn’t make the main event. The 2008 World Green Car of the Year was the BMW 118d