ORIGINAL: joeyr
Sorry about the typo[sm=guilty.gif]: I found this list of all of Motor Trend's COTY on wikipedia.
2008 Cadillac CTS
2007 Toyota Camry
2006 Honda Civic
2005 Chrysler 300C
2004 Toyota Prius
2003 Infiniti G35
2002 Ford Thunderbird
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
2000 Lincoln LS
1999 Chrysler 300M
1998 Chevrolet Corvette
1997 Chevrolet Malibu
1996 Dodge Caravan
1995 Chrysler Cirrus
1994 Ford Mustang
1993 Ford Probe GT
1992 Cadillac Seville Touring Sedan
1991 Chevrolet Caprice Classic LTZ
1990 Lincoln Town Car
1989 Ford Thunderbird SC
1988 Pontiac Grand Prix
1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
1986 Ford Taurus LX
1985 Volkswagen GTI (eligible due to it being built in VW's now-defunct Pennsylvania plant)
1984 Chevrolet Corvette
1983 AMC / Renault Alliance
1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28
1981 Chrysler K Cars, Dodge Aries / Plymouth Reliant
1980 Chevrolet Citation
1979 Buick Riviera S
1978 Chrysler, Dodge Omni / Plymouth Horizon
1977 Chevrolet Caprice
1976 Chrysler, Dodge Aspen / Plymouth Volare
1975 Chevrolet Monza 2+2
1974 Ford Mustang II
1973 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
1972 Citroën SM (An imported vehicle that was selected overall "Car of the Year")
1971 Chevrolet Vega
1970 Ford Torino
1969 Plymouth Road Runner
1968 Pontiac GTO
1967 Mercury Cougar
1966 Oldsmobile Toronado
1965 Pontiac Motor Division
1964 Ford Motor Company (Not for the Mustang)
1963 American MotorsRambler
1962 Buick Special
1961 Pontiac Tempest
1960 Chevrolet Corvair
1959 Pontiac Motor Division
1958 Ford Thunderbird
1957 Chrysler Corporation
1956 Ford Motor Company
1955 Chevrolet Motor Division
1954 No award
1953 No award
1952 Cadillac Motor Division
1951 Chrysler Corporation
1950 No award
1949 Cadillac Motor Division
MT Import car of the year (before 99 imports and exports had seperate categories)
1999 Volkswagen New Beetle
1998 Lexus GS
1997 BMW 5-Series
1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class
1995 Nissan Maxima
1994 Honda Accord
1993 Mazda RX-7
1992 Lexus SC 400
1991 Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4
1990 Nissan 300ZX Turbo
1989 Mitsubishi Galant GS
1988 Honda CRX Si
1987 Acura Legend Coupe
1986 Mazda RX-7
1985 Toyota MR2
1984 Honda Civic CRX
1983 Mazda 626
1982 Toyota Celica Supra
1981 Mercedes-Benz 300SD
1980 Honda Civic
1979 Datsun 280ZX
1978 Toyota Celica
1977 Mercedes-Benz 280E
1976 Toyota Celica Liftback
1970 Porsche 914
What is funny is you can many times see the disconnect between what the magazines like and what people like. Take a look at the models that were not that noteworthy to failures:
2002 Thunderbird
2000 Lincoln LS
1993 Ford Probe GT
1983 AMC / Renault Alliance
1980 Chevrolet Citation
1976 Chrysler, Dodge Aspen / Plymouth Volare
1971 Chevrolet Vega
1960 Chevrolet Corvair
Other ones you would like to forget:
2004 Toyota Prius
1997 Chevrolet Malibu
1991 Chevrolet Caprice Classic LTZ
1974 Ford Mustang II
I can't testify about the new CTS as I haven't driven one, I'm not crazy about the exterior styling; however, it does appear that the interior is much nicer than anything Cadillac has made in recent memory. They need to bring back the CTS-V soon.