The new Alfa Romeo Giulia has been named "Most Beautiful Car" in the Golden Steering Wheel competition.

The new Alfa Romeo Giulia has been named "Most Beautiful Car" in the "Das Goldene Lenkrad" ("Golden Steering Wheel") competition. The award adds to the remarkable collection of international prizes won by the new Alfa Romeo sports car.

The Giulia was voted for by readers of Auto Bild and Bild am Sonntag, with a panel of 29 automotive experts. 

Panel members included rally world champions Walter Röhrl and Sébastien Ogier, DTM champion Mattias Ekström and designer Andrea Zagato.

Created by the Alfa Romeo Style Centre, the exciting Giulia is a new expression of the best Italian tradition that combines harmonic proportions, linearity of style, high quality materials and sophisticated aluminium, wood and leather accents. All these are embellished with iconic elements originating in the brand's over 100-year history, the most significant of which is the trefoil, arguably the most famous emblem of Alfa Romeo design.

Awarded since 1976 and this year divided into seven categories, the "Golden Steering Wheel" was won by Alfa Romeo in 2011 for the "I am Giulietta" advertising campaign. Alfa Romeo 147 won in its category in 2000, while in 1995 the "Golden Steering Wheel" award for the "Coupé" category went to Alfa Romeo GTV

Renault Sport Formula One announces that Nico Hulkenberg will join the team from 2017 in a multi year deal.

Renault Sport Formula One Team is proud to announce that Nico Hülkenberg will join the team for 2017 as part of a multi-year deal.

Twenty-nine year-old Nico has raced in 111 Formula 1 Grands Prix since making his debut in 2010. 

Nico’s motorsport CV includes a Formula 1 pole position in his debut season, winning the GP2 Series at his first attempt as well as victory in his first Le Mans 24 Hours. Currently driving for Force India, Nico has previously raced for Williams and Sauber in Formula 1.

Jérôme Stoll, Renault Sport Racing Chairman:

“2017 will be the second season of Groupe Renault’s return as a manufacturer entry in Formula 1 and the next step in our journey. This season has been about putting the foundations in place for future success. For our next step we required an experienced driver who is still hungry for podiums. Nico Hülkenberg fulfils this role perfectly and is an excellent complement to what we want to achieve. He is a highly talented, dedicated and motivated driver. Nico will enable us to harness all the hard work completed this season and translate it to improved results on track in 2017 and beyond. We look forward to seeing him in our new car for 2017.”

Nico Hülkenberg:

“I’m very happy to join Renault Sport Formula One Team in 2017. Renault has always been a big player in the motorsport world that brings up incredible memories: in his stint at Renault, Michael Schumacher not only made Germany an F1 nation, he also sparked my enthusiasm and fire for racing. As a part of the Renault family, I want to develop the car and write new success stories.

“It has always been my dream to work for a manufacturer team. F1’s new regulations will change the game and give our team a good opportunity. In the years to come, Renault will play a challenger role, which fits my approach to racing 100%. I can’t wait to become part of the family.

“For the remaining races this year, I will give my best for Force India to reach fourth place in the constructors’ championship. This would be a great achievement for the whole Force India team, the biggest success in its history and a great end to a fantastic time there.

“I am grateful that Force India has given me the chance to take up this new opportunity.”

DieselCar Magazine has announced it's Top 50 best cars in the UK, there are some surprises in the top 10.

DieselCar Magazine has been championing economy motoring for more than 28 years and is proud to announce the DieselCar Top 50. In a departure from previous years where we name Car of the Year winners across ten key categories, we’ve torn up the rule book and come up with something altogether more meaningful, announcing the best 50 new cars on sale today.

In this month’s issue, which goes on sale at Newsagents today, we kick off the DieselCar Top 50 by counting down from 50, all the way to the number one spot. Our team of talented writers have tested more than 200 new cars over the past twelve months, in addition to thousands over the preceding years, and each of these results have been utilised to deliver this definitive new car verdict.

Explaining the changes, Editor and Publisher Ian Robertson commented “we are very pleased to announce a new format for 2016, eschewing the familiar, and overused, Car of the Year Awards format in favour of a more measured approach”. He went on to say “Every single car that has been evaluated by the DieselCar test team have had their results utilised to compile a comprehensive list of the top 50 best cars on sale today.”

In announcing the results of the first DieselCar Top 50, Ian Robertson first commended the winner for its generous equipment levels, keen prices and excellent road manners, not to mention the industry leading seven-year warranty. Of course those clues could only point to one car securing the top spot, and that’s the Kia Sportage. Editor Robertson added “this medium SUV leapfrogs the competition to sit at the very top of the class.”

The newly launched Jaguar XF grabbed second place and the title of our favourite Executive Car, while the Volvo XC90 achieved third place, and becomes our Best Luxury SUV. Skoda’s Superb sits in fourth place, while the Ford Focus at number five is rated as our favourite medium car, and in sporty ST diesel guise, the best hot hatch on sale today.

Citroën’s C4 Cactus – last year’s winner – achieved sixth place and the title of Best Compact Crossover, with Nissan’s Qashqai at number seven. One of the newest vehicles to hit the showrooms, Jaguar’s F-Pace, sits in eighth place, while the Tesla Model S achieved the award of Best Electric EcoCar and secured ninth position. And at number ten, the Skoda Octavia also grabs the gong for Best Estate Car. The full list of top 50 placings and category winners can be found below.

Ranking	Make and model	Class winners
1	Kia Sportage	Best Medium SUV
2	Jaguar XF	Best Executive Car
3	Volvo XC90	Best Luxury SUV
4	Skoda Superb
5	Ford Focus	Best Medium Car / Best Hot Hatch
6	Citroën C4 Cactus	Best Compact Crossover
7	Nissan Qashqai
8	Jaguar F-Pace
9	Tesla Model S	Best Electric EcoCar
10	Skoda Octavia	Best Estate Car
11	Range Rover Sport
12	Ford Fiesta	Best Small Car
13	Hyundai i10	Best sub-100g/km Petrol EcoCar
14	Audi A4	Best Compact Executive Car
15	MINI Clubman
16	Citroen C4 Picasso/Grand C4 Picasso	Best Medium MPV
17	Mercedes-Benz E-Class
18	SEAT Leon
19	Jaguar XE
20	Volkswagen Golf
21	Kia cee’d
22	Mazda CX-5
23	Porsche Macan
24	Audi TT	Best Sports Car
25	Ford S-MAX	Best Large MPV
26	Mercedes-Benz S-Class	Best Luxury Car
27	Range Rover
28	Ford Galaxy
29	Land Rover Discovery Sport
30	Skoda Yeti
31	BMW 3 Series
32	Ford Mondeo
33	Mazda2
34	Renault Kadjar
35	BMW 5 Series
36	Mazda CX-3
37	Audi A3
38	Volkswagen Passat
39	Mazda6
40	MINI Hatch
41	Mazda3
42	Toyota Prius	Best EcoCar Hybrid
43	DS 3
44	Audi Q7
45	Nissan NP300 Navara	Best Pick-Up
46	BMW X1
47	Volkswagen Polo
48	Peugeot 308
49	Ford C-MAX/Grand C-MAX
50	Kia Sorento

Fleet World names Alfa Romeo Giulia “One To Watch in 2016”

• Fleet World names Alfa Romeo Giulia “One To Watch in 2016” describing the new sports saloon as “an exciting addition to the sector”
• Judged by the Fleet World Team of experts the awards are a significant endorsement before the car even goes on sale in the UK
• Built on an-all new rear-wheel-drive platform, the new Alfa Romeo Giulia also has efficient all-new powertrains and advanced safety features
• Not only beautiful to behold, the Alfa Romeo Giulia will also be fun to drive thanks to its low weight, perfect weight distribution and handling agility

The all-new Alfa Romeo Giulia has scooped the inaugural “One to Watch” award at the Fleet World Honours 2016, which were held today, April 19, at The Royal Automobile Club, Pall Mall, London. 

Divided into a series of categories representing cars, vans and fleet management, the Fleet World Honours recognise innovation, quality and sustainability in the fleet industry and picking up an award, as voted for by the expert Fleet World Team, is a significant endorsement which resonates with fleet managers and business users across the UK.

“One to Watch” is a new category for 2016 and is awarded to the car that the Fleet World team thinks will be an exciting and significant addition to the fleet sector over the coming year.

Built on an all-new, rear-wheel drive platform with an emphasis on light weight, perfect weight distribution and handling agility, the new Alfa Romeo Giulia will be powered by a range of advanced engines - including an all-aluminium 2.2-litre turbo-diesel with 150hp or 180hp, as well as a 200hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol and a 2.9-litre turbo-charged V6 producing 510hp in the top Quadrifoglio version. 

An advanced eight-speed automatic debuts on the Giulia, as do numerous innovating safety systems including  the new, electromechanical Integrated Brake System (IBS) which combines the stability control system and traditional servo to improve brake responsiveness, lower weight and reduce pedal vibrations of the ABS system while also making record-breaking stopping distances possible.

Commenting on the win, the Fleet World Honours judging panel noted, “The Giulia looks set to transform Alfa Romeo’s fleet presence. 

A stylish return to the compact executive class after a five-year hiatus, it’s underpinned by a new chassis with a focus on driver enjoyment and will be offered with a pair of diesel engines for fleets. With work underway to ensure competitive whole-life costs, it’s an exciting addition to the sector.”

Francis Bleasdale, Fleet & Remarketing Director commented, “We are very encouraged by the level of interest in the fleet sector in the all-new Alfa Romeo Giulia. 

There’s clearly an appetite amongst fleet users to have something new and exciting to choose from, and what makes the Giulia special isn’t just its looks, character and driving dynamics, it will also be right there with the best in class in terms of safety, efficiency, equipment and performance. 

We are grateful to the Fleet World Honours team for singling out the Alfa Romeo Giulia as the “One to Watch in 2016” and I’m positive that when they experience the car for themselves their enthusiasm for the Alfa Romeo Giulia will be justified.”