2006 Best of GMI Awards

[Ghrankenstein]

2006 Best of GMI Awards


Forward by Ghrankenstein


We’ve been doing this for a few years now, and of the “special” pieces that we post over the course of the year, this is probably the most fun. All of the “real” publications and websites post their favorites, determining them in the various ways that they do, and I’ve always felt like our opinions are as valid as anyone’s in the automotive landscape. In some ways, we’re even more important.

We are all vehicle enthusiasts, and generally driving enthusiasts of one kind or another. We’re also torch-bearers and flag-wavers, from all walks of life, and with opinions as strong and diverse as the automotive marketplace itself, and yet we have one thing in common: We stand behind an American product based on its merits, and we recognize those merits when they go overlooked elsewhere. The American automobile is better, safer, more durable, and more competitive than it has ever been since the Japanese invasion, but years of complacency and resulting bitterness mean that we’re now fighting an uphill battle with enormous consequences.

As most of you know, I’m fairly easy to please in a lot of areas, and I tend to dismiss what others see as flaws in the name of character and amusement. A lot of you, though, are much tougher customers, and that’s a good thing. For every Ghrankenstein praising the positive, there’s an Mgescuro exposing a painful shortcoming; credit is assured when it is due, and manufacturers are reminded that their work is never done.

Read any thread on GMI, and it’s apparent that GM enthusiasts are also among GM’s toughest critics. While our demographic ranges all the way up to the seasoned and the veteran, many of those critics are younger contributors to whom GM would be wise to listen. The future of the American automotive industry is here, and they’re telling the industry not only what they want, but also who they want to build it. It’s a simple equation worth billions of dollars, millions of jobs, and perhaps the economic future of a nation.

While this feature is, at its heart, recognition of GM’s positive efforts, I’ve taken the moving-target approach toward making it better. I’ve had to scrap some ambitious plans to this end, but what I felt was most important was incorporating the voices of our diverse readership into the final product, so that the feature could truly be a “Best of GMI Awards” and not just an “Editors’ Choice Awards” as in the past.

The growth and success of GMI is the result of participation. Our staff is passionate and highly participatory, but we, the cumulative GMI, would be an ineffectual non-entity without our knowledgeable and opinionated members.

I really had no idea what to expect of the undertaking, and I should say that I chose to err on the side of conservatism. Like all of the GMI staff, I work 50+ hours a week somewhere else, and an overload of responses (in the thousands) would have paralyzed the project altogether. Thus I limited the duration, and the format, for which you could respond. The result was a bevy of responses (in the dozens) that was universally opinionated, almost always articulate, and more passionate than I could have expected.

For those who sent extended takes, I appreciate all the thought and effort. Vast differences in format, from bullets and multiple votes to true extended Jungle takes (down to the vernacular!) gave me headaches about potential editing and encapsulization. I can only apologize for not including all of them, and reassure you that they were given extra consideration. What I will say is that you guys need to submit more articles for front-page consideration.

From a statistical standpoint, your responses have been numerically significant. Based on what I’ve learned, I’ll be able to take measures to open things up a bit more the next time. For those of you who grabbed the mike, and took the floor, you’ve made GMI all the better, and you’ve made your resident evil (me) mighty proud. You’ll have your voice again, and it will be stronger.

Mightiest hails and warmest regards,

Ghrankenstein

2006 Best Overall

2006 Best Performance Vehicle/Most Fun to Drive

2006 Best Sedan/Family Vehicle

2006 Best Truck

2006 Best SUV

2006 Most Disappointing

2006 Best Concept

I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I enjoyed writing them.

[CaymanS]

GM Vehicles

2006 Best Overall- Chevrolet Silverado

2006 Best Performance Vehicle/ Most Fun to Drive- Chevrolet Corvette Z06

2006 Best Sedan/ Family Vehicle- Saturn Aura

2006 Best Truck- Chevrolet Silverado

2006 Best SUV- GMC Acadia/Chevrolet Tahoe

2006 Most Disappointing- Chevrolet Malibu Maxx SS

2006 Best Concept- Chevrolet Camaro Concept

Is this just for GM vehicles or all? If it's the latter, I'll post that list.

[asim]

Ghrankenstein, I really like how you did the awards this year. The idea of having user/member input really made the awards much more fun this year!

[HoeyHimself]

Yeah, thanks for putting this all together as well as you did Ghrankenstein. I enjoyed putting my 2 cents in, and I'm liking what I see with everyone elses takes. Good work man.

[jlmartin99]

Greetings

A very good read, thanks.

JLM

[bryce miller]

nice round up great work, thanks i aggree with most choices!

[ByTheLake]

I don't get too geeked over automotive awards. I'd prefer to let the product, and the market, do the awarding.

Since GMI is a GM enthusiast site, won't these 'winners' always be a list of GM products? Also, the list is heavily focused on products in the North American market segment. I've enjoyed driving Vauxhalls and Opels during my recent European trips, especially the Astra Twintop. Saturn Aura? Nah, gimme an Opel Vectra, whose projector headlamps were out of reach of the North American bean counter's red pen. Did Opel or Vauxhall enter into any 'award' consideration?



Given the choice, I'd take the Opel, which retains more 'European' styling. It still infuriates me that the Aura didn't have the Vectra's front styling cues and projector beams. Oh well, can't win 'em all.

[t-rex]

You people work more than 50 hours per week?????
YIKES!!!

[johnny smallblock]

Originally Posted by ByTheLake

Given the choice, I'd take the Opel, which retains more 'European' styling.

I agree with you. Also, I think you could have shortened " retains more European styling" by simply saying it looks cooler. Because, boy, does it ever.

[Ttple]

The Opel front end looks like it's falling apart.