The BBC TopGear Magazine awards the Volvo V90 the Best Estate car Award 2016

The Volvo V90 has been handed the prestigious title of Best Estate in this year’s TopGear Magazine Best Cars in the World awards.

In its review of the car, the magazine praised the V90’s “genuinely brilliant” styling, efficient engines, blend of handling and refinement, interior ambience, and intuitive connectivity.

The TopGear award is the latest in a growing list of accolades for Volvo’s 90 series cars, which also include the new S90 premium saloon and XC90 SUV. 

The latter has picked up more than 10 awards in the UK alone since its launch in 2015, while the V90 was awarded the overall Scottish Car of the Year title earlier this month.

Commenting on the award, TopGear Magazine said: “Somehow, the Volvo V90 manages to be the antidote to 2016’s obsession with total connectivity and instant gratification while being totally connected and instantly gratifying.”

Launched earlier this year together with the S90, the V90 marks another step in the transformation of Volvo’s product range. Its advanced technology includes the standard fitment of the firm’s semi-autonomous Pilot Assist feature, as well as the world-first introductions of Run-off Road Mitigation and Large Animal Detection. The Volvo On Call app allows the driver to control a range of functions from a mobile device, including the ability to remotely heat or cool the cabin before they get in. The car can also be turned into a WiFi hotspot, while smartphone integration is available.

At the heart of the V90 is a simple, luxurious cabin which uses natural materials to take interior design to a new level.

Jon Wakefield, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK, said: “With its compelling mix of innovation, style and functionality, the new V90 defines the premium estate segment. To receive this award from TopGear Magazine is a tribute to the car’s game-changing abilities in a competitive marketplace.”

BBC TopGear Magazine gives a trio of plaudits to Ferrari.

Ferrari has taken an impressive three plaudits in this year’s special Awards Issue of the authoritative BBC Top Gear Magazine,  bringing its total tally to 16 over 12 years.

The 458 Speciale A, which is the Prancing Horse’s most powerful ever spider, was named “Convertible of the Year”. Commenting on the latest addition to the Ferrari range presented at the 2014 Paris Show, the magazine declared: “It’s singular and superb and utterly magnificent. It’s easily Top Gear magazine’s Cabriolet of the Year. 

To drive this car in the blazing sun – the smells of the countryside whipping into the cabin and the Speciale’s engine bouncing merrily around the hills above Maranello – is nothing short of magical.” The 458 Speciale A is a very limited series open-top version of the 458 Speciale which won the title of “Supercar of the Year” in last year’s awards.

The LaFerrari is lauded by James May because “I’ve driven the LaFerrari very hard around Fiorano, twice, and even I can handle it. That alone makes it my Car of the Year”; while Mr Montezemolo receives praise because “few people articulated the brand or understood how to manage its exclusivity and desirability better than di Montezemolo”.

BBC TopGear Magazine gives a trio of awards to Mercedes-Benz.

• All-new Mercedes-AMG GT named Sports Car of the Year
• C-Class Estate proves versatility and wins Family Car of the Year
• S-Class Coupé named Luxury Car of the Year
• Tobias Moers, Chairman and CEO of Mercedes-AMG, named as one of the Men of the Year

TopGear Magazine has honoured Mercedes-Benz with three Awards as well as singling out Chairman and CEO of Mercedes-AMG, Tobias Moers, as one of its Men of the Year.

The mighty Mercedes-AMG GT has won ‘Sports Car of the Year’. Paul Horrell, Consultant Editor, said: “Right out of the box, everything about the driving of the AMG is pretty well spot-on. Its bark is fierce and its actions sharp, but it’s on your side. It’s got the racing spirit of AMG and the thoroughness of a Mercedes. It’s got looks and soul, and is duly our Sports Car of the Year.”

Taking a more relaxed but still highly challenging route were Vijay Pattni and Sam Philip who, in awarding the new C-Class Estate the Family Car of the Year honour, set out to see just how versatile and efficient it could be, by travelling as far as they could in identical cars on a single tank of fuel. 

Embarking on their adventure from the home of Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart, Vijay headed north, and Sam pointed his C-Class Estate south. The outcome can be read in TopGear Magazine – in summing up, Vijay Pattni explained: “The high point of this trip was the C-Class itself. Capable of big miles, it’s the ideal companion for such a mission: a relaxed, gorgeously appointed estate that never once put a foot wrong. A worthy Family Car of the Year.”

The Luxury Car of the Year honour went to the S-Class Coupé – available in the UK with eight cylinders and 585 hp in the form of the S 63 AMG Coupé or equipped with a V12 and 630 hp, the S 65 AMG Coupé. Associate Editor, Tom Ford, added: “The S-Class Coupé from Mercedes-Benz is both a technical highlight, and a beautiful thing to boot. And for those reasons, it is also TopGear Magazine’s Luxury Car of the Year.”

The cars weren’t the only winners – Chairman and CEO of Mercedes-AMG, Tobias Moers, was singled out as one of TopGear Magazine’s Men of the Year. The judges at TopGear said: “Moers is the sort of bloke you’d want steering your car company. Especially if your car company is AMG. He’s been there for 20 years, and his fingerprints have been all over the firm’s products since 1999. He probably enters and exits his office sideways.”

The TopGear Magazine Awards are the climax of a record year for Mercedes-Benz in the UK - with registrations at the end of November up 13.4 per cent over 2013, which was itself a record year. Sales of Mercedes-Benz cars in the UK are now well over 100,000 vehicles, of which over 3,000 are AMGs – making Mercedes-AMG the fastest-growing performance brand in the UK.

BBC TopGear magazine Awards Global Car Of The Year to BMW and its i8 super electric car.

The BMW i8 has been named as Top Gear magazine’s global Car of the Year 2014. The plug-in hybrid performance vehicle beat off some stiff competition from a host of other premium and luxury manufacturers to win the overall award.

The editorial team of Top Gear commended the BMW i8 for its breadth of abilities. Its 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine combined with an electric motor gives searing acceleration and driver enjoyment but all wrapped in a package that takes BMW’s EfficientDynamics philosophy to the extreme courtesy of CO₂emissions less than 49g/km and a 135mpg combined cycle figure.

Charlie Turner, Editor in Chief at Top Gear magazine, said: “The BMW is a milestone in the annals of automotive history and a glorious statement for an exciting and positive future. The i8 delivers – and then some. It’s the kind of car we should celebrate, a beautiful vision of the future, delivered now. It is a resounding success for the BMW i8 and the whole team were unanimous in naming the BMW i8 as Top Gear magazine’s Car of the Year.”

Top Gear magazine is one of the most influential global motoring and lifestyle magazines and, in addition to the original UK publication, has 31 international editions. Its website has 5.5million users a month while its YouTube channel has 3.9million subscribers and its Facebook page has nearly 24million fans.

Dr Ian Robertson, BMW AG Management Board member for Sales and Marketing BMW, said: “We always knew the BMW i8 was going to be a game changing vehicle and the strength of orders shows just how desirable this car is for customers. Prestigious awards such as this one from Top Gear magazine prove that it has global recognition within the industry too. In 2015, both the i3 and the i8 will play their part in ensuring we build on our market leading position as the world’s best-selling and most innovative premium car manufacturer.”

AUDI TT Wins BBC TopGear Magazine Coupe of the Year awards

Top Gear team shows its approval for ground-up rework of Audi sports car with coveted award in annual honours

• All new TT Coupé scoops Coupé of the Year accolade in BBC Top Gear Magazine’s annual awards
• TT Coupé now available to order in the UK priced from £29,770 OTR to £35,335 OTR –  UK deliveries have now begun
• 310PS TTS Coupe now available to order priced from £38,790 OTR – first deliveries in April
• Sport and S line specification options and choice of 2.0 TFSI 230PS engine in conjunction with either front-wheel-drive or quattro all-wheel-drive and 2.0 TDI 184PS unit exclusively with front-wheel-drive
• Efficiency-focused TT 2.0 TDI ultra combines 67.3mpg capability with CO₂ output of just 110g/km, yet can also reach 62mph in 7.1 seconds and top out at 150mph

The magazine team known for pulling no punches in its car appraisals has been won over by the Audi sports car designed with an equally uncompromising approach – the all new Audi TT Coupé is BBC Top Gear Magazine’s Coupé of the Year.

The version of the new high-tech Audi sports car which was singled out for particular praise in the magazine’s awards citation is the remarkable new 2.0 TDI ultra, which with 184PS and 380Nm of torque has the necessary brawn to deliver performance which befits the breed, yet combines this with the potential to return a distinctly uncharacteristic 67mpg with CO2 emissions of just 110g/km.  

The Top Gear Magazine test team showed its approval by writing: “The 2.0-litre in the TDI ultra is smooth, quiet and punchy, drives cleanly and is, maybe surprisingly, the version that impressed us m

ore. It doesn’t try hard to be great and so strikes a happy balance. Well done, Audi – this one’s a corker.”

The new Audi virtual cockpit which is a standard feature in all TT models also played a significant role in the judges’ decision.

Based around a 12.3-inch, high resolution LCD display that completely fills the driver’s instrument binnacle, it  replaces the traditional analogue dials with brilliantly sharp digital equivalents which can either fill the display or be minimised to make room for other functions, such as the media screens or navigation map. It also enables the driver to easily control the majority of functions via the multi-function steering wheel.

The Top Gear test team showed its appreciation for this classic embodiment of Vorsprung durch Technik by writing: “[The interior] works logically and brilliantly. Almost everything can be controlled by your thumbs on the wheel, it’s intuitive and attractive and really rather, well, wonderful.”

From 184PS to 310PS

Available in the UK now priced from £29,770 OTR and arriving with its first customers during this month, the TT Coupé envelops its all-digital virtual cockpit in a beautiful new body that is unmistakably TT but also distinctly contemporary. In addition to the 184 PS 2.0-litre TDI engine it also offers the option of state-of-the-art 230PS or 310PS versions of the 2.0-litre TFSI petrol engine, the latter reserved for the TTS which is also now available and will reach its first UK customers in April.

All are underpinned by a completely new platform which sets new standards for handling agility and control, particularly when combined with the very latest evolution of the quattro all-wheel-drive system which is available for the 2.0 TFSI model and standard for the TTS.    

Interior technology highlights common to the Sport and S line versions that make up the TT range  include the Multi Media Interface with the MMI touch pad for fingertip data entry, the Audi Music Interface, Bluetooth connectivity, the Audi drive select adaptive dynamics system and keyless go. Complementary comforts also include Alcantara and leather combination upholstery for the standard sports seats and air conditioning which can be adjusted via controls innovatively integrated into the air vents themselves.

Outside the cabin, the two specification levels include 18-inch or 19-inch alloy wheels, and Xenon or LED headlamps respectively, plus a speed-dependent active rear spoiler and sports suspension. S line versions with their exclusive S line body styling and dynamic rear ‘sweeping’ indicators also offer the no cost option to swap to tauter S line sports suspension bringing a further 10mm reduction in ride height.

The TTS Coupe offers its own exclusive specification adding ‘S-specific’ styling details inside and out and features such as Audi magnetic ride variable damper control, heated super sports seats upholstered in Fine Nappa leather and a bespoke version of the Audi virtual cockpit with a third, TTS-specific display setting.

TopGear magazine names the Volkswagen Golf R as HotHatch of the year 2014

The Volkswagen Golf R, the most powerful Golf on sale, has won a prestigious TopGear Magazine award, Hot Hatch of the Year 2014.

At the heart of the Golf R is 2.0-litre 300 PS TSI, which is 30 PS more powerful and up to 18 per cent more fuel efficient than the previous model.  This power is transferred to the road via the latest version of Volkswagen’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive system.

Commenting on the award, Ollie Marriage, Motoring Editor of TopGear Magazine stated: ‘Volkswagen has taken the already excellent GTI and left no stone unturned in its pursuit of improvement.’

The Golf R can reach 62 mph from a standing start in 5.1 seconds when mated to a manual gearbox.  A DSG dual clutch gearbox is available as an option and enables the R to complete the sprint in just 4.9 seconds.  The Golf R has an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

Prices start from £30,150 RRP OTR for the three-door manual model, and the Golf R is also remarkably efficient for a car with these performance credentials.  The R emits 165 g/km thanks to the Stop-Start and battery regeneration systems, and together with the optional six-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) it has a combined average of 40.9 mpg. 

Marriage added: ‘It is the car that can do everything – 40 mpg cruiser, upmarket business chariot, winter weapon…genuine thrill provider. … Congratulations Volkswagen – the result of your efforts is the best hot hatch on sale today.’

This award is the icing on the cake for the Golf R as it has also been named top in Autocar’s Britain’s Top 50 Cars of 2014 and picked up the hot hatch award in last week’s 2014 Scottish Car of the Year Awards.

TopGear magazine names the Renault Twingo as CityCar of the year 2014

The All-New Renault Twingo has been named ‘City Car of the Year’ in the 2014 TopGear Magazine Awards. 

Winners were announced in the latest ‘Awards’ issue of the magazine, out today, where the All-New Twingo showed that good things can indeed come in small packages as it held its own amongst other winners including supercars, exotica and more expensive machinery.

Sam Philip, Senior Writer, BBC TopGear Magazine commented on the decision to give the award to the Twingo: “This is a masterwork of packaging, that knotty art of carving a large amount of space from within a very small wheelbase. The Twingo should be celebrated for what it is: a car that does the business of being a city car better than anything else out there.”

Ken Ramirez, Managing Director, Renault UK, commented: “All-New Twingo represents a bold innovation in the city car category with its clever rear-engined layout.  We were always confident that our latest Twingo would prove to be a hit so I am delighted to know that the experts at TopGear Magazine agree. ‘City Car of the Year’ is a fantastic accolade and one that everyone at Renault is very proud of.”

The All-New Twingo went on sale in the UK in September winning critical praise for its charm, looks, clever packaging and innovative rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive layout.  The Twingo, now in its third generation, is available with a choice of two efficient petrol engines, three trim levels, including many personalisation options and is priced from £9,495.

TopGear magazine names the Citroen C4 Cactus as Hatchback of the year 2014.

• New Citroën C4 Cactus named BBC TopGear Magazine ‘Hatchback of the Year’
• BBC TopGear Magazine’s judges were impressed by the model’s ‘less is more’ philosophy
• This year’s ‘Hatchback of the Year’ prize is the latest Citroën success in the publication’s prestigious annual awards: Grand C4 Picasso was ‘Family Car of the Year’ in 2013; DS 5 was named ‘Family Car of the Year’ in 2011 & DS 3 was crowned overall ‘Car of the Year’ in 2010

BBC TopGear Magazine has honoured the New Citroën C4 Cactus in its prestigious annual awards, naming it ‘Hatchback of the Year’ for 2014.

With a design philosophy that aims to provide a real alternative to the traditional compact hatchback, the BBC TopGear Magazine judges were won over by the C4 Cactus’s “elegant use of simple resources” and “bubbly styling”, naming it their favourite hatchback of 2014 and the “most thoughtful of our Cars of the Year”.

James Parfett, Citroën UK’s Communications Director, said; “With the New C4 Cactus, we’re making a bold response to the changing needs and priorities of today’s car owners and we’re very proud that this has been recognised by such a prestigious and popular publication as BBC TopGear Magazine. The New C4 Cactus stands out in a competitive marketplace as a visually striking model that combines efficiency and practicality in a unique blend of form and function. The judges’ comments, that the New C4 Cactus is a car that is heading in a new direction and beating the competition in the process, is a pleasing endorsement of this new philosophy.”

The judges also praised the C4 Cactus for its lightweight and simplified design – from the aluminium bonnet to the minimalist interior and protective Airbump® technology – adding that these innovations deliver honest cost savings for both the manufacturer and the customer alike.