THE new Lexus LS 460 has been declared World Car of the Year 2007 at the New York International Auto Show.

The other two contenders for the third World Car of the Year were the Audi TT and the Mini.

The Lexus LS 460, launched in January, was chosen from an initial entry list of 28 contenders nominated by World Car jurors from 22 countries.

WCOTY jurors considered the prestigious LS 460 to be "the embodiment of the Lexus brand's motto - the pursuit of perfection. Classically luxurious, with modern execution, unquestioned quality and more than ample power, it also offers a green alternative in the form of the soon to be launched LS 600h hybrid variant for those who seek guilt-free indulgence."

The jurors also recognised that Lexus continues to build its reputation with this luxury flagship boasting many firsts, including a novel automatic parking system and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

"We are honoured to receive this prestigious award recognising the LS 460 as the 2007 World Car of the Year,'" said Bob Carter, Lexus group vice president and general manager.

Rather than being just a popularity contest, the objective of WCOTY is to ensure that the award would be the product of a fair and thorough assessment process that considered the needs and wants of consumers the world over.

The process began with individual jurors evaluating and rating the candidates using a variety of standardised parameters - everything from styling and quality, to performance and safety.

The jurors then voted in January to establish a top-ten shortlist and the World Car of the Year was chosen from those finalists.