The European Car Of The Year (Coty) is one of the most famous titles in the industry. Awarded every March by a pan-European panel of judges, it highlights the very 'best' car from the previous 12 months. There are some stipulations, of course (availability in Europe, projected sales, that sort of thing) but apart from that almost any car can win it. Hatchbacks, sports cars, saloons and SUVs have all taken the award since its introduction in 1964.
The Toyota Yaris was announced as the 2021 winner on March 1. There is no Geneva motor show this year, but the award was still announced from Switzerland as per tradition. The result certainly corresponds with our view – read our road test of the latest Yaris here – and its place in this coveted hall of fame is deserved.
History hasn't been kind to all of the winners, but at some point they were all considered the very best on the market, even if they seem like junk by today's standards. As such, we can look back on almost six decades of automotive achievement and see a cross-section of the car's evolution since the early Sixties. Starting with...
1964 - the first European Car of the Year
Rover P6 2000
(2nd Mercedes-Benz 600, 3rd Hillman Imp)
The last pre-British Leyland new Rover, the P6 was praised for its excellent ride and handling, but its 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine was a weak point put right only when a 3.5-litre V8 was installed. In a long career, it was produced from 1963 to 1977.
