The Fiat Punto is the winner of Carro do Ano 2008 (Car of the Year), the most important and traditional prize within the Brazilian automobile industry, which is organised by the magazine Auto Esporte.

The Fiat Punto is the winner of Carro do Ano 2008 (Car of the Year), the most important and traditional prize in the Brazilian automobile industry, organized by the magazine Auto Esporte; the prestigious award is now in its 41st edition. Elected by a jury of 37 specialist automobile journalists in Brazil, the Fiat Punto won with a total of 235 points, while second was the Citroën C4 Pallas (208 points), followed by the Nissan Sentra (152), Renault Logan (146) and Chevrolet Vectra GT (134).

With this prize Fiat Automóveis has won its 10th Carro do Ano 2008, the other models from Fiat that have won the same prize were: Fiat Idea (2006), Fiat Palio (2004), Fiat Stilo (2003), Fiat Palio (2001), Fiat Marea (1999), Fiat Uno (1992), Fiat Prêmio (1986), Fiat Uno (1985) and Fiat 147 (1978).

The Brazilian-built Punto (known in Europe as the Grande Punto) was launched to the media in August before arriving in the Latin American showrooms in the autumn. More than 6,000 were delivered to customers in Brazil during its first two months that it was on sale and the length of growing waiting list has impressed the market. Available in only 5-door format, it comes with a range of engines that offer Flex (dual fuel) capability. It also boasts the on-board Blue&Me infotelematic service which was developed by Fiat and Microsoft's automotive business division, the first time such a system has been offered on the Brazilian market.

Since its launch the Fiat Punto has collected a string of important awards in Brazil and across Latin America: Carro do Ano 2008 (Auto Esporte magazine); Carro Nacional do Ano (Abiauto, Brazilian Association of Automotive Press); Carro Abiauto do Ano (Abiauto, Brazilian Association of Automotive Press); Melhor Carro Nacional (Top Car TV 2007); Melhor Comercial do Ano Categoria Produto (Top Car TV 2007); Carro Interamericano 2008 (FIPA, Federação Internacional de Periodistas de Automovil); and finally Big Idea Chair – a Prize awarded by Yahoo Brasil, for the innovative campaign that Fiat mounted for the Punto’s launch, which saw a campaign involving cellular phones rolling out before the more traditional formats of the internet were brought in.

by Claudio Perlini