The most important European car competition, the European Car of the Year, has announced the list of the 35 models that will enter the battle for the big prize in this autumn.

To be eligible for the Car of the Year award, a car must be launched in Europe during 2010 and appear on at least two continents until June 2011.

In this year finalists list, the best represented car manufacturers are Citroen and Nissan with three models each (C3, C4 and DS3, respectively Juke, Leaf and Micra). Renault with the Wind is also on the list along with the first Romanian SUV manufactured by Dacia, The Duster.

The 35 finalist of the European Car of the Year Award are:

Alfa Romeo Giulietta,Audi A1, Audi A8
BMW Seria 5, BMW X3
Chevrolet Spark, Citroën C3, Citroën C4, Citroën DS3
Dacia Duster
Fiat Doblo, Ford C-Max/Grand C-Max
Honda CR-Z, Hyundai ix35
Jaguar XJ
Kia Sportage, Kia Venga
Lexus CT200h
Mazda 5, Mini Countryman, Mitsubishi ASX
Nissan Juke, Nissan Leaf, Nissan Micra
Opel Meriva, Opel Agila
Renault Wind
Saab 9-5, Seat Alhambra, Suzuki Kizashi, Suzuki Swift
Volkswagen Sharan, Volkswagen Touareg, Volvo S60, Volvo V60

Coming from the AutoPlus french car magazine is a spy photo of the 2009 Dacia SUV, taken at a secret presentation event from inside the Renault company. The model has the Renault badge on it and it’s not based on the Dacia Logan as we thought it will be, but on the Dacia Sandero.

The prices will probably be 10.000 euros for the 4×2 base version and 15.000 euros for the 4×4 top version, with components borrowed from Nissan cars.

Production date for the Dacia SUV is set to begin in 2009, at the Romanian plant and will probably be sold as Dacia cars, not Renault cars.