The Golden Steering Wheel awards 2019: two wins for BMW.

Munich. The winners of the Golden Steering Wheel awards have traditionally been decided on the basis of a readers’ poll and expert opinion – and German motoring magazine Auto Bild and Sunday newspaper Bild am Sonntag stuck to this proven formula to select this year’s outstanding new automotive arrivals. Two of the sought-after trophies were claimed by BMW, with the new BMW 1 Series picking up the Golden Steering Wheel 2019 in the Compact Cars category and the new BMW 8 Series crowned the year’s most beautiful car. The awards were presented yesterday at a gala event in Berlin, where Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, accepted the two Golden Steering Wheels for the BMW 1 Series and 8 Series.

The Golden Steering Wheel awards have been running since 1976 and are considered among Europe’s most prestigious car industry accolades. A total of 58 new models were nominated across seven categories this year. First, the three most popular models in each category were chosen in a readers’ poll. And these then came under the critical eye of a panel of 15 highly qualified judges, including legendary racing drivers Walter Röhrl and Hans-Joachim Stuck. All of the finalists were closely scrutinised by the experts at the Lausitzring proving grounds near Dresden. The readers of Auto Bild and Bild am Sonntag were also asked to choose the most beautiful new car of the year from the 58 candidates.

Test drives in the new BMW 1 Series gave the judges the chance to explore its fresh take on the brand’s renowned driving pleasure. The third generation of the premium compact model is the first to employ BMW’s advanced front-wheel-drive architecture – and it delivers an exhilarating blend of class-leading agility and dynamism. Credit here goes to the flawless interplay of cutting-edge chassis systems and innovative technologies, plus the integration of all key driving dynamics components and control systems. An important factor is the ARB (near-actuator wheel slip limitation) technology familiar from the BMW i models, which is now making its debut in a combustion-engined vehicle. This system significantly improves traction when pulling away, cornering or driving in the wet by allowing wheel slip to be controlled much more sensitively and swiftly.

The new BMW 1 Series also scored highly for its significantly increased interior space, its sophisticated driver assistance systems and the latest control/operation and connectivity innovations. Key new features include the standard Active Guard Plus system featuring Speed Limit Info, lane departure warning, collision and pedestrian warning with city braking function, the BMW Head-Up Display (available as an option for the first time) and the likewise optional voice-controlled BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant.

Irresistible visual appeal and a new design language earned BMW its second Golden Steering Wheel in this year’s contest. Auto Bild and Bild am Sonntag readers voted the new BMW 8 Series the year’s most beautiful car from the field of new models nominated for the award. The new luxury sports car’s exterior design is dominated by boldly sculpted surfaces and crisp lines that provide an authentic showcase for the car’s rich dynamic character. These styling cues are among the fruits of an extensively updated design language, which focuses on clarity, modernity and emotional engagement and gives each of the three body variants in the new BMW 8 Series range its own unique aura.

With its stretched silhouette, slim window graphic and roofline – with distinctive “double-bubble” contouring – flowing elegantly into the rear, the BMW 8 Series Coupe combines sportiness and luxury in its most alluring form. Meanwhile, the new BMW 8 Series Convertible with classical soft-top roof captures the imagination with its elegance and exclusiveness. Finally, there is the distinctive, dashing presence of the new BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe, whose two extra doors and increased rear space bring the experience of sports performance to four full-size seats.