NEW YORK, March 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- At a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show, Bridgestone Corporation, and Autoneum, the BMW 7 SERIES was declared the 2016 World Luxury Car.
The BMW Group is no stranger to the World Car Awards – now in their 12th year. BMW cars have previously won the World Green Car title two years in a row (2015 – BMW i8; 2014 – BMW i3) and in 2008 for the BMW 118d with Efficient Dynamics. In 2006, the BMW 3-Series was the World Car of the Year while in 2014, the BMW i3 won World Car Design of the Year.
The World Luxury Car category was created in 2014 to acknowledge higher-priced premium models selling in more limited numbers worldwide.
This year's winner was chosen from an initial entry list of eight prestigious cars from all over the world, then a short list of three finalists: the winner as well as the Audi Q7 and the Volvo XC 90.
"We are delighted and honoured that the BMW 7 Series has been recognised as the World Luxury Car of the Year. Since it launched last autumn, the response from both the media and our customers has been extremely positive, with people especially appreciative of the way the 7 Series combines superb modern luxury with the outstanding driving dynamics BMW is famous for. With its many technical innovations, including gesture control and laser lights, there can be no doubt that the new BMW 7 Series is an outstanding flagship for the brand, setting new standards in its class."
The World Car jurors observed that, "This is the flagship model for the Bavarian car maker, and so it simply has to be the epitome of what the brand represents in terms of technology, design and performance. And the new 7 Series certainly delivers. It is very much the new face of BMW in the new family design – and yet it is a classic BMW all at once. It drives phenomenally well courtesy a new range of engines, and has a sporty drive dynamic that the rivals in the segment cannot claim as their USP. This comes from a 130 kg drop in weight thanks to the new 'Carbon Core' frame. 25 new features, of which 13 are segment firsts! Inside the cabin, BMW has taken things up a notch on luxury, pampering the owner with not just very comfortable and well designed seating, but with loads of technology, entertainment too. The new 7 Series brings in new features like the ambient 'sky lounge' sunroof, the ambient air package and the all-new gesture control."
Vehicles in all award categories are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 73 top-level automotive journalists from 23 countries around the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of many millions world-wide. The international accounting firm KPMG tabulates the jurors' ballots.
Previous World Luxury Car winners were the Mercedes-Benz S Coupé (2015) and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (2014).
The Road to World Car began in Frankfurt on September 15, was followed by a four and a half day stop in Los Angeles for test-drives of the North American, Japanese and Swedish contenders in November, continued in Geneva with the Top Three in the World announcement, and finally ended today with the declaration of the winners in five categories at the New York International Auto Show.
2016 marks the 10th anniversary of the partnership between World Car and the New York show, and the third consecutive year that the World Car Awards have retained their ranking as the number one automotive awards program in the world in terms of media reach.
The Global Trends Report, co-presented by Prime Research and Autoneum, was presented just before the winners' press conference. Autoneum CEO Martin Hirzel said, "The findings of the Global Trends Report show clearly that sound inside the driver cabin has major influence on the overall evaluation of a car. Since decades, we from Autoneum are experts in the field of noise reduction for vehicles. Our lightweight and multifunctional products support the car manufacturers to reduce emission, noise and heat and thereby lead to an enhanced driving comfort for the end-customer. The global need for our products confirms us in further focusing on driving innovation in acoustic and thermal management solutions."
The World Car Awards media breakfast and winners' press conference at the New York International Auto Show is presented by Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest tire and rubber company. This is the 8th year Bridgestone has sponsored World Car of the Year. "The future of the auto industry will be built on innovation, performance and sustainability – from automakers and also their suppliers," said Mike Martini, president, original equipment tire sales, U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. "Bridgestone invests heavily in research and product development to ensure that we continue to deliver world-class products in collaboration and partnership with automakers around the world."
As the global nature of the industry continues to strengthen, and the pace of innovation continues to accelerate, World Car is proud to be a part of this amazing journey along with the New York International Auto Show, Prime Research, Bridgestone, Autoneum, KPMG and Newspress.
For additional information either visit our web site (www.wcoty.com) or please contact Beth Rhind, Executive Manager, E: beth@wcoty.com
About World Car Awards
The World Car Awards (WCA) are more than just an awards program. The WCA's judging panel is made up of 73 prominent automotive journalists from around the world that form a global community of experts. The jurors ensure the integrity and credibility of the awards but also serve as an important resource for the industry with a focus on excellence and innovation on a global scale.
About Autoneum
Autoneum, with its headquarters in Winterthur, Switzerland, is the globally leading producer of vehicle acoustics and thermal management systems. The company develops and manufactures components, modules and complete systems for interior and engine bay as well as heatshields and underbody shields. Customers include leading automobile producers in the key markets of Europe, North America, South America and Asia. Autoneum is represented at around 50 locations in over 20 countries and employs more than 11,000 people worldwide, of whom about 5% are in Switzerland. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker symbol AUTN).
About the New York International Auto Show
Owned and operated by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, the New York Auto Show is an awesome combination of new ideas, technological innovation, exceptional concept cars and nearly 1,000 of the latest new cars and trucks. Over one million visitors are expected to visit the show this year to see what is truly possible from the automotive industry.
Important 2016 Auto Show Dates
Automotive Forum: March 22
Press Preview, March 23 & March 24(credentials required)
Public Sneak Preview, Friday, March 25
Public Show Dates, Friday, March 25 – Sunday, April 3
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS WITH THE NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW
THE ROAD TO WORLD CAR:
BEGAN IN FRANKFURT SEPT. 15, 2015. ENDS IN NEW YORK MARCH 24, 2016.
FOLLOW OUR 70+ INTERNATIONAL JURORS : wcoty.com #wcoty2016
SOURCE New York International Auto Show