Will GM sweep 2014 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year awards?

GM's Cadillac CTS and Chevrolet Corvette will go against the Mazda3 for Car of the Year. The Chevy Silverado pickup truck is against crosstown rival Chrysler Group LLC’s Jeep Cherokee and the Acura MDX for Truck/Utility of the Year.

DETROIT, MI- General Motors Co. chances of sweeping the 2014 North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year awards are arguably better than ever.

Vehicles from the Detroit-based automaker hold three of the six finalist positions for the awards, including two for Car of the Year.

GM's Cadillac CTS and Chevrolet Corvette will go against the Mazda3 for Car of the Year. The Chevy Silverado pickup truck is against crosstown rival Chrysler Group LLC’s Jeep Cherokee and the Acura MDX for Truck/Utility of the Year.

“Today’s announcement is proof we're on the right track,” said Mark Reuss, GM president of North America, following the finalists being announced in December. “It's gratifying to see the experts agree that we're offering customers one of the strongest lineups of cars and trucks available on the market.”

GM swept the awards with the Saturn Aura and Chevrolet Silverado in 2007. The only other automakers to sweep both awards were Honda Motor Co. in 1996 with the Honda Civic and Honda Ridgeline and Ford Motor Co. with the Fusion Hybrid and Transit Connect.

 The finalists were announced Dec. 10 during an Automotive Press Association meeting in Detroit. The list of eligible vehicles for the jury of 48 automotive journalists originally included 28 cars and 18 truck/utilities. In September the jurors voted to focus on 12 cars and 12 truck/utilities and those vehicles were on the ballot.

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Cadillac CTS and Chevrolet Silverado Nominated as Finalists for 2014 North American Car and Truck of the Year.GM

The winners will be announced Monday during Press Preview of the 2014 North American International Auto Show, which opens to the public Jan 18.

To be eligible for the awards, a vehicle must have been “substantially changed from the previous model and must go on sale shortly after the announcement of the award.”

The goal, according to officials, is to select a car and a truck that set new benchmarks in the classes in which they compete. Jurors evaluate the vehicles on factors including value for the dollar, innovation, handling, performance, safety and driver satisfaction.

In January, General Motors Co.'s Cadillac ATS won 2013 North American Car of the Year. Chrysler Group LLC's Ram 1500 won 2013 North American Truck/Utility of the Year.

The Detroit Three have swept both awards six times -- 1995, 1996, 2005, 2010, 2011 and 2012 -- since their inception in 1994.