The executive at Toyota, Miguel Carsi, receives the "El Abrazote de Manolo" Award

The “Abrazote de Manolo”, awarded by the Spanish jury of the Car of the Year, is an award presented to a prominent figure with international influence who defends the interests of the automotive industry. It also pays tribute to our dear colleague Manolo Doménech, who passed away in September 2013.

The award commemorates the figure of Manolo Doménech, a motoring journalist who died in 2013, and takes its name from the expression he used to say goodbye to colleagues and friends.

The name of Miguel Carsi, with a brilliant career of more than 27 years at Toyota, is added this year to the list of award winners selected by the Spanish jury of the Car of the Year (COTY) award, alongside Pablo Martínez Massip (2025), Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos (2024), José Muñoz (2023), Fermín Soneira (2022), Enrique Lorenzana (2021), Emilio Herrera (2019), Luca de Meo (2018), Walter de Silva (2017), Rafa Nadal (2016), Carlos Sainz (2015), José Vicente de Los Mozos (2014) or Rafael Prieto (2013), in recognition of his professional work and as one of the most prestigious honours in the automotive sector.

With this distinction, the jury recognises his professional career, his contribution to the development of the automotive sector in Spain and the approachable, human style that has marked his entire career.

Miguel Carsi joined Toyota Spain in 1999 and has developed much of his professional career within the company. Before taking over the presidency, he held various senior positions, including Finance Director and Director of the Lexus Division, as well as serving in roles at Toyota Motor Europe. In 2019 he was appointed President and CEO of Toyota and Lexus Spain.

During his time leading Toyota Spain, Carsi led a period of sustained growth and consolidation for the company, driving its electrification strategy, network development, the strengthening of Toyota’s corporate reputation and leadership in electrification, with a decisive push into full hybrid, plug-in hybrid and zero-emission vehicles.

Since January 2026, Carsi has continued his career at Toyota Motor Europe as Head of H2 Cluster Business Development and Value Chain, a role linked to developing the business and the hydrogen value chain in Europe, bringing supply and demand together to guarantee the viability of projects: “Hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be produced, which ensures energy resilience, an increasingly important issue in Europe. If it is also produced with renewable energy, it is carbon-neutral, which favours the decarbonisation of industry and mobility”, said Carsi.

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