World Car of the Year new shortlist

In a clean sweep for German manufacturers, the top three contenders for the overall 2012 World Car of the Year title are the BMW 3 Series, the Porsche 911 and the Volkswagen Up!

It’s the second consecutive year that BMW is in the top three, and the previous 3 Series won the title in 2006. The shortlist was announced at a press conference at the Geneva Motor Show hosted by Bridgestone and the New York International Auto Show.

The top three finalists for Performance Car award are the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4, the McLaren MP4-12C and the Porsche 911.

The top three Design finalists are the Citroen DS5, the Land Rover Evoque and the Volkswagen Up!

Finally, the top Green car contenders are the Ford Focus Electric, the Mercedes-Benz 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid.

The overall winner in each category will be declared at the New York Auto Show on 5 April 2012.