SCOTTISH COTY - Renault takes two awards with the Megane and Kadjar both taking home awards.

• Scottish Car of the Year awards success for Renault’s new family car models
• All-New Renault Mégane wins Best Family Car
• Renault Kadjar wins Best Crossover

The All-New Renault Mégane and Kadjar have won Best Family Car and Best Crossover respectively at the Scottish Car of the Year awards, meaning consumers now have an even greater choice when it comes to award winners in the Renault range.

The All-New Renault Mégane, launched in the UK this summer, won Best Family Car and was praised in particular for its style, safety and high quality.

The stylish Kadjar crossover scooped Best Crossover having caught the eye of the judges thanks to its space, style and value for money.

Stephen Park, President of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers, said: “An array of impressive new models has returned Renault to a position of strength in Scotland. The striking new Mégane follows on from the Clio, Captur and Kadjar to give Renault a desirable and relevant model line-up that’s appealing to buyers north of the border.”

Commenting on the Kadjar, Park added: “Competition in the crossover segment was fierce but Renault’s Kadjar performs strongly across so many areas. It’s visually distinctive, well equipped across the range and the perfect size to cope with the demands typically placed on a car in this category. Of course, Scottish new car buyers always keen a keen eye on pricing and the Kadjar offers more for your money than many of the alternatives.”

Paul Flanagan, Managing Director, Groupe Renault UK said: “2016 has been an extremely busy year for Renault’s family car offering: we’ve seen the first full year of sales for Kadjar, the UK launch of All-New Mégane and the unveil of All-New Scénic and Grand Scénic. Renault now offers the youngest model range in Europe and I’m delighted to see our latest family cars being recognised by the Scottish Group of Motoring Writers twice in one night.”

The distinctively styled All-New Mégane – more dynamic, more comfortable and more refined than its predecessor – offers unique technology with an 8.7-inch portrait central touchscreen, configurable 7-inch TFT instrument display, Active Emergency Braking and convenience driver systems such as Handsfree Parking and Adaptive Cruise Control. CO₂ emissions are as low as 96g/km with economy as high as 76.4mpg, and from Spring 2017 a Hybrid Assist version will be available with emissions of just 92g/km of CO₂. The All-New Renault Mégane range is available from £16,600 on-the-road.

The Renault Kadjar is proving popular with British drivers, having topped the tables in the Auto Express Driver Power Survey as Best SUV earlier this year, coming third overall out of 183 models. The Kadjar has also strengthened Renault’s presence in the crossover market – building on the success of its compact crossover sibling, Captur. Its combination of striking design, efficient powertrains, spacious interior, high levels of standard specification, best-in-class residual values and a five-star Euro NCAP rating have proved a hit with British car buyers. The Renault Kadjar is available from £18,495 on-the-road.

AUTO EXPRESS AWARDS - And the overall winner of Car of the Year, this year goes to........

• The Jaguar F-PACE has been named Car of the Year by the UK’s best-selling weekly car magazine, Auto Express, as it also picked up the Compact SUV of the Year title
• Anthony Joshua, recently crowned World IBF Heavyweight Champion, congratulated Jaguar on its latest title, as he took a closer look at the F-PACE
• The F-PACE is already the fastest-selling Jaguar ever
• Completing a hat-trick of wins, the Jaguar XE also picked up the Compact Executive Car of the Year title for the second year running at the Auto Express Awards
• The Jaguar F-PACE is the most practical sports car on the road, combining maximum driving exhilaration with efficiency and space, starting from £35,020

Boxing world champion, Anthony Joshua, has been spending time with another newly-crowned British champ, the Jaguar F-PACE, after it was named Car of the Year 2016 by Auto Express. The F-PACE was also awarded Compact SUV of the Year by the team at Auto Express, the UK’s biggest-selling motoring weekly magazine.

Anthony Joshua, IBF heavyweight champion, said: “I have a Jaguar XJR at the moment but after the team showed me around the F-PACE I might make a change! I love the way it looks but for me the additional space is the key element, especially with all the kit I have to transport. The Activity Key wristband is a great idea, too; I’m always switching bags and changing gear for training so being able to not worry about where my car keys are would be so helpful. Congratulations to the team on the Car of the Year title; I love seeing Brits taking on the world and coming out on top.”

The Auto Express Car of the Year award is the latest major success in an incredible launch for Jaguar’s first ever SUV, which immediately became the brand’s fastest ever selling model.

Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover UK MD, said: “The response to F-PACE around the world has been absolutely sensational, both in terms of critical acclaim and sales, and for it to be named Car of the Year by the UK’s biggest-selling weekly motoring magazine is a real honour. The team behind F-PACE was set on creating a car that was more desirable, great to drive, and better value than anything else in its class – we didn’t want to just be a part of the performance SUV market, we wanted to own it. This award is the proof that we’ve succeeded, and we intend to carry this momentum into all our future products.”

The F-PACE uses Jaguar’s Aluminium Lightweight Architecture to create a light, stiff body structure, allowing for great performance and emissions across the range. A rear-wheel-drive 180PS diesel F-PACE emits just 129g/km, while the 380PS supercharged V6 model is capable of 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds. With chassis technology developed for the F-TYPE, the F-PACE is the sports car that all others look up to, starting from £35,020.

The F-PACE comes with a selection of high-tech equipment, too, including the Activity Key; a wristband that allows owners to leave their traditional key inside the car if they’ll be taking part in activities like swimming or running. There’s also a wi-fi hotspot in the car, allowing eight separate devices to connect, and an InControl app, which lets owners remotely access functions on the F-PACE, like pre-heating, checking the fuel status or even location.

Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief of Auto Express, said: “Jaguar last won our overall Car of the Year award in 2008, with the XF – a car that heralded a forthcoming range of excellent Jaguar models. With the F-PACE you get the sense that Jaguar is on a roll again; the XE, XJ, all-new XF and F-TYPE are all world-class models. But it’s the F-PACE that really stands out for us – it’s a worthy winner of our 2016 Car of the Year title.

As well as winning the overall Car of the Year award, Jaguar also took home the Compact Executive Car of the Year title for the second year running. Before the XE first won the award, it had been more than a decade since a non-German manufacturer had been named Compact Executive Car of the Year.

Ian Callum, Jaguar Design Director, and the man who styled both the F-PACE and XE, said: “What an incredible evening for us; we’ve got two cars competing in the most highly sought-after categories and not only have we won them both, but F-PACE is Car of the Year, too. As ever, I’m amazed and proud by what the Jaguar team is capable of.”

• The Jaguar F-PACE is built at Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull Advanced Manufacturing Plant, alongside the Land Rover Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Jaguar XE
• The Solihull Advanced Manufacturing Plant was recently transformed into one of the most advanced car manufacturing facilities in the world, thanks to a £1.5bn investment – it now covers an area equivalent to 22 football pitches
• The Jaguar F-PACE is the most practical sports car on sale, priced from £35,020 – for further details go towww.jaguar.co.uk
• The F-PACE First Edition, strictly limited to 2,000 units globally, sold out in record time as buyers raced to own one of the very first F-PACE models. With a design inspired by the C-X17 concept and packed full of high-tech features as standard, the First Edition is the ultimate F-PACE.
• F-PACE’s range of efficient and powerful engines include the 3.0-litre V6 380 PS Supercharged Petrol and the new 2.0-litre 4 cylinder 180PS Diesel Ingenium engine, which can achieve 57.7mpg and CO₂ emissions as low as 129g/km - the lightest, most efficient vehicle in the segment.
• F-PACE gives you state-of-the-art technology, such as the optional Head-up Display and Activity Key, as well as advanced driving aids to make every journey easier and more relaxing. 

AUTO EXPRESS AWARDS - Mercedes takes two awards and one highly commended at this years ceremony.

Mercedes-Benz has scooped two awards at this year’s Auto Express New Car Awards in London. The S-Class has once again been named ‘Best Luxury Car’, while the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class has won the ‘Best Executive Car’ title. The GLC was also highly commended in the Compact SUV segment.

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The S-Class, which has held the ‘Best Luxury Car’ title for three consecutive years, was recognised for its ‘cutting-edge tech’, ‘effortless comfort’ and ‘beautifully crafted cabin’.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which has been on sale in the UK since February, beat the competition thanks to its stylish looks, advanced technology and driving characteristics. The E-Class was also awarded five out of five in Auto Express’s full review.

Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief, Auto Express, commented: “Mercedes-Benz has moved the goalposts in the executive market with the new E-Class. It offers imperious quality and refinement, stylish looks, advanced tech and is great to drive, too, marking itself out as an unbeatable package for executive car buyers.”

On the S-Class’s reign as ‘Best Luxury Car’, Steve added: “The S-Class remains the benchmark for all other luxury cars to aspire to. The combination of cutting-edge tech, effortless comfort and a beautifully crafted cabin makes it a deserving winner of our award for the third year in a row.”

Collecting the awards on behalf of Mercedes-Benz, Gary Lee, Head of Product Management, said: “The E-Class is at the heart of the Mercedes-Benz model range, and it’s fantastic to see this car getting the recognition it deserves. The new E-Class is the most technologically advanced executive car on the market. The S-Class sets the benchmark for luxury saloons, and we’re delighted that Auto Express agrees.”

AUTO EXPRESS AWARDS - VW's Transporter takes Van of the Year and the Caddy gets a commended nod too.

• Transporter named ‘Van of The Year’ at this year’s Auto Express New Car Awards
• New Caddy panel van also commended in the category
• High standards of comfort, refinement and quality key to securing accolade

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ sixth-generation Transporter has claimed another overall ‘Van of the Year’ award, this time thanks to Auto Express, with the Transporter’s car-like level of quality, high level of comfort and class-leading residual values giving it the edge over rivals.

The leading consumer motoring title also commended the Transporter’s smaller sibling, the fourth-generation Caddy panel van. With class-leading reliability plus a smooth and responsive drive, the Caddy impressed the judges with its impressive fuel economy, load carrying capability and strong residual values.

Offered with an extensive range of wheelbases, roof heights, load volumes and payload options, the new Transporter, which went on sale in the UK in September, caters for all business needs within the medium van sector. Available as a passenger carrier, panel van or more recently chassis cab and dropside variants, the Transporter comes equipped with a range of economical EU6 2.0-litre engines, manual and DSG transmissions, and two- and four-wheel drive. The new Transporter boasts a comprehensive list of safety equipment, including standard Driver Alert and Automatic Post Collision Braking System, plus optional Adaptive Cruise Control, City Emergency Braking and High Beam Assist.

Auto Express editor-in-chief, Steve Fowler, said: “The Volkswagen Transporter sets a very high standard in terms of comfort and refinement while the cab environment delivers genuinely car-like levels of quality. The level of safety technology built into the van is excellent, while class-leading residual values contribute to a powerful value proposition. It all goes towards making the Transporter an excellent tool for businesses of all sizes.”

Commenting on the awards success, Carl zu Dohna, Director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “The Transporter continues to gain recognition from across the industry and this latest award demonstrates its high quality. To have the latest generation Caddy commended by the judges is also extremely pleasing and further recognition of the strength of our brand.”

This latest award builds on a number of impressive results for the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand. The Transporter has won the prestigious ‘International Van of the Year’ award as well as Van Fleet World’s ‘Best New Van’ award, overall Van of the Year titles from VansA2Z and Trade Van Driver, and Honest John’s ‘Most Popular Van’ accolade.

AUTO EXPRESS AWARDS - Volkswagen takes the best Supermini with the Polo, the second year running for the model.

The all-conquering Volkswagen Polo is once again Britain’s best supermini buy according to the experts at respected automotive consumer title Auto Express.

Britain’s biggest-selling weekly car magazine puts the Polo, Volkswagen’s second-best seller in the UK behind the Golf, top of the supermini stack for the second year running.  

Announcing the Volkswagen’s victory in the 2016 Awards’ hotly contested supermini class Auto Express Editor-in-chief Steve Fowler said: “A 2015 facelift kept the Volkswagen Polo looking fresh and boosted its charm, and this year the German brand has added even more efficient engine options that see the supermini once again edge ahead of its rivals.

“The Polo now shares Volkswagen’s 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with the smaller up! city car, but there’s also a more potent turbo version available. Even the lower-powered model is sufficient, thrumming along at motorway speeds with plenty of refinement.  However, if you need a bit more oomph, the punchy and efficient 1.2 TSI engine is the one to go for.

“Volkswagen released a sporty new R-Line model this year to address one of the Polo’s biggest downfalls, which ensured the supermini can no longer be accused of looking a little safe or lacking style.  The R-Line bodykit and bigger wheels add some extra interest to the car’s solid surfaces and sharp creases.  It looks like a smaller Golf – which is no bad thing – and that’s reinforced from the moment you shut the door with a solid thunk.  The cabin is very well built and feels genuinely upmarket.”

He added: “There’s a wider range of petrol and diesel engines with a larger, more powerful 1.4 TSI available. Not only is this hotter, but it also features clever tech like cylinder deactivation to improve efficiency when cruising.  It shows how big-car innovations have filtered down to make superminis even easier to live with, and VW is at the head of the class.  There’s a 1.4 TDI with two different outputs for those covering big miles, too.

“If you’re after an eco champion, VW’s high-efficiency BlueMotion technology has been applied to the already frugal 1.0 TSI, with impressive claimed fuel economy of 68.9mpg and 94g/km CO₂ emissions.

“With plenty of trim levels to match the line-up under the bonnet, there’s an equipment spec to suit all budgets.”

Welcoming the award win newly appointed Director of Volkswagen UK, Alison Jones, said: “The Polo neatly typifies all the positives of the Volkswagen offering in the UK.  It has a huge breadth of appeal thanks to a broad choice of models and engines, great styling and that class-leading quality for which Volkswagen is rightly renowned.”

AUTO EXPRESS AWARDS - Ford takes one outright title, Best Hot Hatch, and commended in five others.

Ford’s five-star Focus RS has added “Hot Hatch of the Year” from Auto Express to its increasing awards collection. The latest acclaimed fast Ford has already been honoured by Top Gear, Autocar and Vehicle Dynamics International this year.

Now the all-wheel drive performance sensation has also been sent to the top of the class by top-selling weekly motoring magazine and website Auto Express.

“The flames of the hot hatch fire were well and truly fanned when the Ford Focus RS hit the market,” said Auto Express editor-in-chief Steve Fowler.  

“Despite the muscular styling, the RS is still practical – just as a hot hatch should be.  Ford has put distance between the hottest Focus out there and its similarly priced competition – in fact graduating into the mega hatch league of Mercedes-AMG and Audi RS3, only a lot cheaper.”

The £31,000 hatch can now be specified for all seasons, with the addition of heated steering wheel and seats available as a Winter Pack.  While summer is supposedly here, demand for Focus RS means an order today will be delivered in mid-winter.

Consequently Winter Packs comprise 10 per cent of latest specifications, with an additional five per cent opting for the heated wheel only.  Luxury Pack (powerfold mirrors, rear parking sensors, KeyFree, cruise control and privacy glass) continue to be on 90 per cent of orders.

Ford of Britain chairman and managing director Andy Barratt, said: “For new Focus RS to add Auto Express Hot Hatch of the Year to its trophy cabinet is yet another highlight in its still short life.

“Since specs and prices were announced 10 months ago, we have already taken 4,500 orders – around the UK’s first allocation.  While we have secured additional cars, prospective Focus RS owners need to move quick to be part of this thrilling chapter of RS history.”

The 350PS Focus RS achieves 0-62mph in 4.7sec and its 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine can power the car on to 165mph.  Its development was filmed for an eight-part online documentary called “Rebirth of an Icon”, capturing the highs – and lows – of engineering the third-generation Focus RS: 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JVhgCqHr2g.

Further Fords commended

Five other Ford models were commended in other Auto Express award categories:

Best Coupé:	Mustang
Best Convertible:	Mustang
Best MPV:	S-MAX
Pick-up:	Ranger
Van:	Transit

AUTO EXPRESS AWARDS - MINI takes two titles this year, the convertible award and Best premium Small Car title.

• MINI Hatch is ‘Best Premium Small Car’ for third consecutive year
• Newly introduced MINI Convertible is ‘Best Convertible’ 2016
• MINI Hatch and MINI Convertible provide “benchmark in terms of style, quality, desirability and driving thrills, while being great value for money” – Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief at Auto Express

Auto Express magazine has awarded MINI two sought-after honours at the publication’s annual New Car Awards. MINI Hatch was awarded ‘Best Premium Small Car’ for the third consecutive year, retaining its position at the front of the competitive pack. Also enjoying its moment in the spotlight, the new MINI Convertible was awarded with the publication’s ‘Best Convertible’ title.

Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief, Auto Express said: “MINI Hatch remains our favourite premium small car two years after it claimed our overall Car of the Year trophy. 

It provides the benchmark in terms of style, quality, desirability and driving thrills, while being great value for money. And now it's been joined by the MINI Convertible as a winner, too, a car that shares all of the MINI's winning attributes with an added dose of fun.”

Starting at £14,075, the MINI 3-door Hatch is packed with style and technology and has been a runaway success since its introduction in 2014 – the same year that Auto Express named MINI Hatch ‘Car of the Year’. MINI 5-door Hatch, introduced later in 2014, offers the same great style and driving dynamics at its 3-door sibling, but with an extra dose of everyday usability – a 72mm longer wheelbase creates more cabin space and a larger boot.

Introduced in March 2016, the new MINI Convertible is more dynamic, stylish, practical and refined than ever before. Priced from £18,475, it features a fully electric roof that’s quieter and more refined, boot volume has been increased by 25 per cent and there is now more space for rear seat passengers. Exceptionally high levels of standard equipment differentiate MINI Convertible from its competitors - MINI Visual Boost Radio, MINI Connected, Bluetooth, Rear Parking Distance Control and Rear Reversing Camera are standard across the range.

With 29,415 examples of the previous MINI Convertible models sold from 2011-2015, it is the best-selling convertible vehicle in the UK

AUTO EXPRESS AWARDS - Peugeot takes the honours for Best Advertising Campaign Award, Confidence. Built In.

• The Auto Express Awards salute the best in the motor industry
• The winning PEUGEOT UK advertising campaign drew attention to the real benefits of buying a car
• Novel approach questioned customer perceptions, asking them to scrutinise the detail
• The ‘Confidence. Built In’ strapline is justified for customers of the award-winning PEUGEOT 308

PEUGEOT UK is in a confident mood following the Auto Express New Car Awards 2016, where it won the ‘Best Advertising Campaign Award’ with its ‘Confidence. Built In’ initiative.

The combined TV / Radio / Press / Outdoor / Social Media / Digital campaign was created by PEUGEOT UK to promote the confidence experienced by its customers. Promoted under a core ‘Built In’ message, the campaign encouraged potential customers to take a ‘closer look’, as PEUGEOT has confidence in its products that make them more than worthy of scrutiny.

The centre-piece of this campaign was a new TV commercial, produced specifically for the UK market, which challenges buyers to consider the new 308 and PEUGEOT as a brand. Filmed in Glencoe and Glasgow, the advert was produced by the UK team, to specifically address local requirements for customers buying a 308 and has been on-air since May.

Mark Pickles, Marketing director at PEUGEOT UK, commented: “This is fantastic news. Everyone at PEUGEOT knew that the 308 is a product absolutely worthy of serious consideration – due to its many attributes; high build quality, competitive specification and superb driving credentials. The advert was designed to challenge the view for customers to want to find out for themselves. We took pleasure formulating this UK campaign, confident in the excellence of our products and the detail contained within, so to receive this accolade at the Auto Express New Car Awards vindicates all our hard work and for the 308 that continues to reap success, having won the prestigious European Car of the Year award in 2014.” 

Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief at Auto Express, said: “The PEUGEOT 308: ‘Confidence. Built In’ campaign has impressed us all - our readers like it enough to name it one of the best three car adverts of the past year and our panel of experts agreed, naming it the very best of those put into the final by our readers. Not only is it a stylish, watchable ad, it cleverly works across different media and gets the message across superbly.”

In order to lend gravitas to the film, which took a very direct approach to questioning how people choose their next car, PEUGEOT used the recognisable and highly acclaimed actor – Peter Mullan.

The campaign also saw the launch of PEUGEOT UK’s new creative format, where a new visual layout and tone of voice were employed, together with the line “Confidence. Built In”. Future campaigns will also feature the “Built In” tagline, in order to provide a consistent means of putting across the strengths of each vehicle, in a consistent and coherent manner.

Accompanying Outdoor, Digital, Radio and Press campaigns PEUGEOT challenged prospective buyers to share the confidence it has for the 308 by taking a closer look with a 48 Hour Test Drive, giving customers the opportunity to drive and become more acquainted with the 308s numerous attributes, and to see for themselves why it is a compelling car to drive.

The UK campaign promoted the award-winning PEUGEOT 308 in GT Line specification – launched in 2015, which currently accounts for a fifth of the range take-up. The 308 is a car with many attributes; being the lowest CO₂ car in its sector, thus with the latest and best-in-class, award-winning engines it is also the most economical, while other performance models feature the most-powerful engine of its size too, in a body design that is lightest and class-leading in capability and size. The brand uniquely features the innovative PEUGEOT i-Cockpit, well-liked by its 2.2-million customers, for it combines agile handling response with a compact steering wheel, high-positioned instrumentation and a colour touchscreen – all within the view looking forward. Its standard specification is comprehensive and provides allure for its many advanced features and rewarding driving experience. 

The overall vision for the ‘Confidence. Built In.’ campaign, which spanned all major communication channels, was to challenge prospective buyers on how they choose their next car. By highlighting the key product attributes of 308, PEUGEOT demonstrated that the beauty of the 308 was also in the detail. With stunning driving footage and new photography it demonstrated that the PEUGEOT 308 is a car which marries image with detail. The campaign first ran from May until the end of June, and will now be reprised later in the autumn to maximise awareness following the success with this ‘Best Advertising Campaign Award’.