What's the news?
By 6pm this evening all the votes will be cast in the inaugural Association of Professional Motoring Press (APMP) Car and Van of the Year awards and the winners will be announced at a gala event in the Powerscourt Hotel, Enniskerry on Monday, October 6.
The voting comes after a 'refresher day', held yesterday (September 29) on the outskirts of Dublin where all 18 voting members of the car and van juries met for a chance to reacquaint themselves with the 51 eligible vehicles. It will now be the job of the executive committee and an independent adjudicator to tally all the votes ahead of next week's prize-giving ceremony.
Awards on the night will be given to the best City Car, Small Car, Family Car, Large Family Car Coupé/Cabriolet, Small SUV, Mid-Size SUV, Large SUV, Luxury Car and Performance Car categories with the specialist van jurors deciding on the best City Van, Small Van, Panel Van and Business Van before the overall Car and Van of the Year are announced.
There is also a special 'Innovation' award to be decided with the prize going to what the panel feels is the best innovation in the automotive industry in the last 12 months.
All four members of CompleteCar.ie have a vote on Car of the Year and cast their votes before rushing off to France for the Paris Motor Show.
Anything else?
Along with the car and van awards there will also be the usual inter-journalist rivalry on the night as everyone tries to be the first to break the news via social media. The bookies' early favourite is Dave 'Fastest Fingers' Humphreys, but he faces stiff competition for, what is for many, the ultimate prize - bragging rights!