Volvo XC40, a compact SUV, wins Car of Year award in Geneva

The Volvo XC40, a compact SUV billed by the Swedish automaker as "built for city life," has been named Car of the Year by a panel of European motoring journalists.

At a flashy ceremony Monday, Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson said he felt "fantastic" that the automaker had won the award after repeated recent attempts to take home the prestigious prize.

The Volvo XC40 model was elected "Car of the Year 2018", ahead of the 88th Geneva International Motor Show, at the Palexpo, in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, March 5, 2018. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

"It's really time that we won. We have tried so many times," he said of Volvo Cars, alluding specifically to a failed bid for the award by the larger XC90 three years ago.

Samuelsson said the XC40, a compact crossover with a car-sharing technology that eliminates the need to hand over the key, features an all-new platform with Volvo's Chinese car-making owner Geely and is "in many ways representing the future of Volvo."

"It's going into a new segment: It's very important for us," he said.

The award marks the unofficial start of the Geneva auto show, now in its 88th edition.

Hakan Samuelsson, CEO of Volvo Car Group, poses with the winner's trophy next to Volvo XC40 model after it was elected "Car of the Year 2018", ahead of the 88th Geneva International Motor Show, at the Palexpo, in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, March 5, 2018. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

The six other finalists for the award were the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Audi A8, BMW 5-Series, Citroen C3 Aircross, Kia Stinger and Seat Ibiza.

The award is built around seven European magazines, and jury members hail from 23 countries.

Hakan Samuelsson, CEO of Volvo Car Group, poses with the winner's trophy next to Volvo XC40 model after it was elected "Car of the Year 2018", ahead of the 88th Geneva International Motor Show, at the Palexpo, in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday, March 5, 2018. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)

Last year's winner was the Peugeot 3008, the French automaker's offering for the mid-size SUV segment.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A race car veered off the track during a competition in Sri Lanka on Sunday and rammed into a crowd of spectators and race officials, killing seven people and injuring 20 others, officials said.

Thousands of spectators looked on as the mishap took place during a race in the town of Diyatalawa in the tea-growing central hills, about 180 kilometers (110 miles) east of the capital Colombo.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the mishap.

Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said one of the cars veered off the track and crashed into spectators and officials of the event. Seven people, including four officials, were killed and another 20 were being treated at a hospital, said Thalduwa. He said three of the injured were in critical condition.

Thalduwa said police have launched an investigation into the accident, which was the 17th out of 24 events scheduled. The race was suspended after the accident.

About 45,000 spectators had gathered at the race circuit at a Sri Lankan military academy. The event was organized by the Sri Lankan army and Sri Lanka Automobile Sports.

People attend to the injured after a racing car crashed into the spectators during the Fox Hill Supercross, a motor racing event organized by the Sri Lanka's army, in Diyatalawa, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/STR)

People gather around a car that had crashed into the spectators during the Fox Hill Supercross, a motor racing event organized by the Sri Lanka's army, in Diyatalawa, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/STR)