DETROIT -- Cadillac's sporty ATS luxury compact sedan took honors as "car of the year" Monday as the annual Detroit auto show kicked off.
Journalist-jurors at the largest and most important car show in North America also picked Chrysler's Ram 1500 pickup as their favorite in the truck and sport utility division.
The two topped a list of nearly four dozen 2013 models from all makers, with short lists in the two categories including competitors from Honda, Ford and Mazda.
The honors were announced amid a newfound sense of confidence in the U.S. auto industry, following four years of struggle from near-collapse after the U.S. recession and financial crisis.
Analysts were predicting another boom year in 2013, as consumers who held off buying for years now are replacing old and worn cars for shiny new models.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2013
