The Fiat Linea has been voted the prestigious title of India's Car of the Year in the UTVi Autocar India Awards, just as the new sedan begins rolling off the production lines at Ranjangaon and into the Indian Fiat showrooms.

The Fiat Linea has been voted the prestigious title of India's Car of the Year in the UTVi Autocar India Awards, just as the new sedan begins rolling off the production lines at Ranjangaon and into the Indian Fiat showrooms. Fiat India has high hopes for the Linea which is built in the country through a joint venture with Tata Motors.

The UTVi Autocar India Awards were quite a vibrant affair this year. 'Indian Ocean' delivered some entrancing numbers and special guest Katrina Kaif was incandescent. There were a string of automotive awards singling out cars on sale in India, but the big prize was for car of the year and here the Linea stole the honours, fending off many well fancied rivals as it impressed the judges.

"The big one, it's all very close," said Autocar India in its effusive summing up of the new Linea. "To quote Vin Diesel from Fast and the Furious, it doesn't matter whether you win by an inch or a mile, and the same applies to Fiat's Linea. The stylish new car from Italy strikes the right notes, be it styling or pricing. A creamy smooth diesel engine option just leapfrogs it to the winner's trophy. You're going to have to stand in line to get a test ride of the new Fiat Linea now."

Originally set to be launched last autumn its introduction was delayed, firstly to stop it clashing with other model launches, and then due to the Mumbai bombings. It started to arrive in the Fiat India dealer showrooms across the country in recent weeks ahead of its official presentation this month. India becomes the third country to manufacture the Linea, after Turkey (where the project was developed) and Brazil. It will soon be also built in China and Russia.

The Linea also collected the title of Best Mid Size Car in the UTVi Autocar India Awards. "The Linea has sneaked its way in to claim the title of Best Mid-Size car" said Autocar India in relation to this honour. "Armed with a diesel engine the Linea sears through the competition, most notably the new Honda City. The styling and pricing made it just a bit easy," added the publication, which is one of India's most significant automotive magazines. Other category winners in the UTVi Autocar India Awards included the Suzuki A-Star (Best Small Car), VW Jetta (Best Executive Car), Honda Accord (Best Luxury Car), Chevrolet Captiva (Best SUV), Honda City (Viewers Choice), Hyundai (Manufacturer of the Year) and Tata Indica (Best Value Car).