Marianne Sterner has passed away

Marianne joined the Jury back in 1986, and retired in 2012, becoming a Honorary Member. Marianne was a pioneer in many ways. For 27 years she was one of very few female members of CotY. She started her career in the 60s, working for local Swedish newspapers, at the same time participating in rallying, often as co-pilot. She then joined motoring magazine Teknikens Varld, moved on to business daily Dagens industri and then, in 1984, to Vi Bilagare, where she stayed until 2014.

Representing Vi Bilagare, one of the CotY organizing magazines, she also took a seat in the Jury Committee. There she was an influential, contributing voice, helping CotY to become what the Organization is today: stronger, better and more relevant. For many years she was behind the wheel at the Elk Test during the Tannis test in Denmark. In 1997 she almost tipped the Mercedes A-Class over, the first time the weakness of the car was revealed. In my speech in Tannis, when she retired, I named her ”Queen of the Tannis test”, but it could just as well have been ”Queen of CotY”.

Marianne and myself shared not only the Elk test, when I had the pleasure of being co-pilot during the over 100 tests we did every year, and where I could study her impressive driving skills. We also shared cars on test drives on numerous occasions, we travelled together, and we had a lot of fun together. Marianne was a powerhouse, full of energy and ambition, and her abilities when testing cars were unrivaled.

The news that she has passed away after only a few years after her cancer diagnosis is tremendously sad, not only for me, but for the whole Car of the Year. Marianne would have turned 73 on May 4, but on the evening of May 1 her life ended. She is survived by two sons and their families.

Marianne, we miss you so much!

Hakan Matson, CotY Honorary President