BMW receives awards and five-star safety rating

BMW has scooped seven awards from one of the country’s leading fleet publications. BusinessCar magazine has bestowed BMW with the headline honours of ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ and ‘Environmental Award of the Year’ in addition to five further product specific awards.

While the BMW Group was honoured in two main awards, MINI was awarded ‘Supermini of the Year’, the three and five door BMW 1 Series models ‘Lower Medium Car of the Year’ and the BMW 3 Series Saloon and Touring ranges took the title of ‘Medium Car of the Year’. BMW’s class-leading 5 Series Saloon and Touring was again jointly honoured with ‘Executive Car of the Year’, while the BMW X5 was named ‘Large 4x4 of the Year’.

The BusinessCar Awards are solely voted for by its readership, giving them a particular credibility. The commendations recognise EfficientDynamics technologies that have been instrumental in making BMW and MINI leaders in cutting CO₂ emissions and improving fuel consumption and performance.

The new BMW X1 has been awarded the maximum 5-star safety rating in the latest Euro NCAP crash test results. The X1 received safety scores of 87% for adult occupant protection, 86% for child protection, 71% for safety assist equipment and 63% for pedestrian protection. This places it as one of the safest cars in its class. It obtained by far the highest pedestrian safety rating, of the 12 cars recently tested.

All BMW X1s come as standard with a comprehensive safety package developed specifically for X models. It comprises many different elements including front, side and curtain airbags, front and rear anti-roll bars, deformation zones with door reinforcements and Dynamic Stability Control as well ISOFIX points for installing children’s seats at the rear. The restraints are controlled centrally and are triggered electronically to provide the most effective protection, taking into account the type and intensity of the impact. The entire safety package impressed the Euro NCAP testers and led them to conclude that the X1 has an extremely stable passenger cell, offering excellent protection for adults and children alike. The exterior design and material quality significantly reduce the risk of head injury to passengers and cyclists, leading to the appointment of the five-star Euro NCAP rating.

The BMW Group has been named Greenest Manufacturer of the Year 2009 by one of the UK’s leading eco-motoring websites. The highly respected Green-Car-Guide.com recognises the manufacturer who has made the biggest impact in bringing lower emission cars to British car buyers each year. For 2009 BMW Group was awarded the coveted title for the second time in three years.

The judges were impressed by BMW Group’s fuel-saving and emissions-reducing EfficientDynamics technologies which have been applied to its entire range as standard compared to rivals who only offer ad hoc ‘green’ models. BMW and MINI products were also praised for not compromising styling or driving enjoyment to achieve their outstanding fuel efficiency and emissions figures.

The BMW Group has a strong company-wide ethos of sustainability. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index has named BMW Group the ‘most sustainable car company in the world’ in 2009 for the fifth year in a row. BMW and MINI have also been involved in other initiatives such as partnering with the Energy Saving Trust to provide a fleet of cars to support its Smarter Driving programme.

Posted 26/01/2010