Overdrive Awards 2012 announced

India’s No. 1 business medium honoured India’s Finest Automobile Champions at the 12th edition of the ‘Overdrive Awards 2012’ held at The Grand, New Delhi. The ‘Overdrive Awards’ felicitates India’s best automobile manufacturers and is the ultimate benchmark award that every automobile looks up to. The awards were presided by Shri. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Chief Minister of Harayana.

The Awards are validated by India’s top notch automobile experts such as Vicky Chandok, President FMSCI; Armaan Ebrahim, an Indian racing driver; Abhay Verma, Senior Correspondent, Overdrive; Sarath Kumar, National Motorcycling Champion; Gaurav Gill, Indian National Rally champion, Production WRC driver; Hari Singh, 5-time Indian National Rally champion; Sirish Chandran, Editor, Overdrive; Bertrand D’souza, Deputy Editor; and Shubhabrata Marmar, Deputy Editor, Overdrive.

The winners of the 12th edition of India’s Most Authoritative Automobile Awards – ‘Overdrive Awards 2012’ are :-

CATEGORY	WINNER
Micro/Mini Car Of The Year	Hyundai Eon
Compact Car Of The Year	Maruti Suzuki Swift
Mid Size car of the year	Hyundai Verna
Executive Car of the Year	Volkswagen Jetta
Compact Bike of the Year	Honda CBR250R
Mid-displacement Bike of the Year	Harley-Davidson SuperLow
Premium Car of the year	Audi A6
Import Car of the year	Audi A8
Import SUV of the year	Range Rover Evoque
Storyboard auto commercial of the year-Bike	TVS Wego
Storyboard auto commercial of the year-Car	Volkswagen Jetta
Viewer’s Choice Award (2-wheelers)	Honda CBR250R
Viewer’s Choice Award (4-wheelers)	Mahindra XUV500
Manufacturer of the year	Toyota Kirloskar Motor
Motorsport award of the year	Jaypee Sports International (JPSI)
SUV/UV Of The Year	Mahindra XUV500
Bike of the year	Honda CBR250R
Car of the year	Maruti Suzuki Swift

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Anil Uniyal, CEO, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC AWAAZ said, ”Over a period of 12 years, CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards has established a benchmark for automotive excellence within the industry. Each year, with the introduction of new award categories, the CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards seek to honour those conglomerates which have set an example in automotive engineering by striking a balance between customer satisfaction and environment conservation. Additionally, year on year, we have also awarded a special salutation to either an individual or an organization for their outstanding contribution to the country thereby felicitating their exemplary services. We hope that, through the medium of CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards, the winners as well as the nominees continue to set an example of technological advancement not only in India but globally. These awards are core to the DNA of CNBC-TV18 which has always saluted the excellence in business and leadership by honouring those who have taken India global.”

Mr. Sirish Chandran, Editor, Overdrive said, “It has been a tough year for the Indian automobile industry, faced with unprecedented challenges and new hurdles. Yet through it all there has been no letup in the pace of technological progress with better efficiency, performance, not to mention style, dynamics and quality being dialed into every new vehicle. Today the Indian customer has the choice of the best cars, bikes and SUVs in the world – there simply are no sub-standard vehicles – and that makes judging the CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards that much harder.”

Speaking on this auspicious occasion, Mr. Devang Verma, Director Omkar Realtors and Developers said, “It gives us immense pleasure to be associated with CNBC-TV18 and the overdrive awards. We look for many such opportunities for associating with CNBC-TV18.”

Eminent personalities such as Vicky Chandok, President FMSCI; Armaan Ebrahim, an Indian racing driver; Abhay Verma, Senior Correspondent, Overdrive; Sarath Kumar, National Motorcycling Champion; Gaurav Gill, Indian National Rally champion, Production WRC driver; Hari Singh, 5-time Indian National Rally champion; Sirish Chandran, Editor, Overdrive; Bertrand D’souza, Deputy Editor; and Shubhabrata Marmar, Deputy Editor, Overdrive are amongst the juror panelists.