The journey on The Road to the World Car has begun in Paris with the celebration of the 2014 World Car of the Year winner – the Audi A3.

Stefan Moser, Head of Product Communications at AUDI AG, observed that, 'Audi was the first ever winner of a World Car Award when the A6 won the inaugural 2005 World Car of the Year title. So we have watched the rise of these awards with great interest. As well as the second overall title with the A3, we are delighted to have received three World Performance Car trophies and two World Car Design of the Year awards since then.'

The Road to the World Car will end exactly 6 months from now when the 2015 World Car of the Year winner is declared on April 2nd at the New York International Auto Show. The World Luxury Car, World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year will also be announced at this time.

In 2013, the World Car Awards and the New York Auto Show announced a five-year alliance that will keep the prestigious awards program in New York City through 2018. The agreement marks the formalising of a nine-year relationship between World Car and the New York Auto Show that has seen the awards program grow to become the recognised number 1 premier automotive award – for the second year in a row. Mark Schienberg, president of the New York International Auto Show, commented, '2015 is going to be a great year for the industry, the New York Auto Show and, of course, the World Car Awards. We have always believed that greater New York's position as the number one new vehicle market in the U.S. is an important distinction. And with the World Car Awards now reaching the top spot in the world in its category, this relationship is even more significant.'

The Road to the World Car will make a stop at the Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 to announce the top three finalists in all award categories.

While the partnership with the New York International Automobile Show is one of the founding cornerstones of the World Car Awards, a new partner was announced today at the Paris International Auto Show. Autoneum, a Swiss based global leader in vehicle acoustics and thermal management systems, will come on board as a presenting partner. The company's automotive expertise and the innovative way it sets trends and meets today's requirements for vehicle comfort, safety, efficiency and sustainability makes Autoneum the ideal candidate for a partnership with the World Car Awards. 'We are proud to be a new World Car Awards presenting partner,' said Autoneum CEO Martin Hirzel during the Paris media reception. 'Autoneum and the organisers of the World Car Awards are united by their aspiration to promote innovation in the automotive industry and thus shape the future of mobility.'

The World Car Awards (WCA) are more than just an awards program. The WCA's judging panel is made up of 73 prominent automotive journalists from around the world that form a global community of experts. The jurors ensure the integrity and credibility of the awards but also serve as an important resource for the industry with a focus on excellence and innovation on a global scale. Peter Lyon, WCA chairman, said, 'Our role is not just to reward current achievement but to provide an insight into the future, through trend studies and related initiatives and to foster innovation.' Peter Lyon further commented, 'Our partnership with Prime Research is the perfect activation of The Road Ahead initiative wherein our 73 jurors offer their expert opinion on emerging global trends and benchmark studies.'

On an annual basis, Prime Research and the World Car Awards have co-presented a Global Trends Report at the New York International Auto Show each spring. Autoneum will co-present the 2015 edition of the Global Trends Report.