If BMW went through a whole year without winning a boatload of automotive and design awards, it would be very disappointing. Fortunately for BMW and its fans around the world, the year 2016 did not disappoint us. Let's look at the recognition BMW vehicles attracted last year.
Right out of the box, the all-new G11/G12 BMW 7 Series sedan started raking in the trophies. First up was the World Luxury Car award given to the new 7 Series by the World Car Awards. CarIT, an information magazine in the area of connected mobility along with the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) said the new 7's Remote Control Parking was the top new technology in its Connected Car category. CAM and PriceWaterhouseCoopers named the 7 Series the Most Innovative Model of 2016.
The Austria automobile club ÖAMTC awarded the new 7 its “Marcus” award as the safest car in the luxury performance segment. In Germany it was voted company car of the year by Company Car/Dekra, company vehicle of the year by Handelsblatt, Top Performer by Autoflotte, and Best Car in the auto motor und sport luxury performance segment. Motorpresse Stuttgart and CHIP magazine readers voted the 7 Series to be the best connected car.
The BMW i8's innovative powertrain won the International Engine of the Year overall award plus two category trophies in 2015. A year later, in 2016, it repeated as the International Engine of the Year. The Times of India named the i8's hybrid drivetrain its Technology of the Year. Back in its home country, the i8 was again voted to the top of the All-Wheel Drive Hybrid Car category by readers of Germany's Auto Bild Allrad.
We knew the BMW M2 would hit the road with speed and style. Right away it took Auto Bild Sportscars' Sports Car of the Year award. Readers of Germany's Sport Auto magazine voted it the same recognition, while the BMW M3, the BMW M235i Coupé, the BMW M235i Convertible, and the BMW 340i Sedan all finished first in four other categories. With this kind of acceptance, it's no surprise that BMW won the most titles at this year’s “Sport Auto Awards.” Around the world, the M2 was equally impressive. It was Japan's Car of the Year and it also picked up three design accolades: the “iF Design Award,” the “Good Design Award,” and the “Autonis.”
Germany's auto motor und sport readers’ selected the BMW 7 Series Best Car 2016 in the Luxury Performance Segment, the BMW 5 Series Best Upper Mid-Range Car 2016, and the BMW X1 Best Compact SUV 2016.
Even though the new G30 5 Series Sedan had not officially been launched at the time of the poll, readers of Auto Bild and Computer Bild voted the new 5 Series as Connected Car 2016. That could be a first.
Handlesblatt readers made the BMW X5 their Company Car of the Year in the Off-Road category.
While we're still looking at German car magazines, we should note that Auto Bild and the market investigation institute Schwacke conferred Value Master 2016 awards on the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer in the Compact Vans category and the BMW X1 in the Small SUVs class. The BMW i3 won the award for electric vehicles for the second year in a row. The BMW i3 electric vehicle took the prestigious Golden Steering Wheel in the Alternative Drives category. BMW i also won the Auto Zeitung international editors' prize for Premium Pioneer Electromobility.
Back to this side of the pond, the BMW M235i was one of Car & Driver's 10Best for 2016. The BMW 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six was a Wards Auto 10 Best engine for 2016 while the BMW 7 Series scored a Wards 10 Best for its interior.
To wrap things up, here is the recap of significant awards bestowed upon BMW in 2016:
Distinctions conferred by “World Car Awards”:
“World Luxury Car”:
BMW 7 Series
Distinctions conferred by auto motor und sport:
"Best Cars":
BMW X1 (category: Compact SUVs)
BMW 5er (category: Upper Mid-Range)
BMW 7er (category: Luxury Performance Segment)
"Autonis“:
BMW M2 Coupé (category: Best New Design in the compact class)
Distinctions conferred by Auto Bild and Bild am Sonntag:
"Golden Steering Wheel":
BMW i3 (category: Alternative Drives)
Distinction conferred by Engine Technology International:
“International Engine of the Year”:
BMW i8 (category: 1.4–1.8 liter capacity)
Distinction conferred by auto motor und sport and CHIP:
“Car Connectivity Award”
BMW 7 Series (category: Connected Car)
Distinction conferred by Auto Bild and Computer Bild:
"Connected Car Award“:
BMW 5 Series (Connected Car 2016)
BMW Connected (category: Automotive App)
BMW Over the Air Updates (category: Connected Services)
BMW Active Lane Keeping Assistant (category: Drivers’ Assistance)
Distinctions conferred by Auto Bild and Schwa:
BMW i3 (category: Electric Vehicles)
BMW X1 (category: Small SUVs)
BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer (category: Compact Vans)
Distinctions conferred by Auto Bild Sportscars:
"Sports Cars of the Year":
BMW M2 Coupé (category: Small/Compact Cars)
Distinctions conferred by Auto Bild Allrad:
"All-Wheel Drive Car of the Year":
BMW i8 (category: All-Wheel Drive Hybrid)
Distinction conferred by Auto Zeitung:
"Auto Trophy":
The International Editors’ Prize “Premium Pioneer Electromobility” went to BMW i
Distinctions conferred by Sport Auto:
“Sport Auto Awards”:
BMW M235i Coupé (category: Coupés up to € 50,000)
BMW M235i Convertible (category: Convertibles/Roadsters up to € 50,000)
BMW M2 Coupé (category: Coupés up to €100,000)
BMW M3 (category: Sedans/Estate Cars up to € 100,000)
BMW 340i (category: Sedans/Estate Cars up to € 50,000
Distinction conferred by Motor Klassik:
“Motor Klassik Award”:
BMW 507 (category: Year of Construction 1947–1961)
BMW M1 (category: Year of Construction 1970–1979)
Distinctions conferred by Auto Bild Klassik:
"Golden Classic Steering Wheel":
BMW 02 (category: Sedan)
BMW 6 Series Coupé (category: Sports Cars and Coupés)
Distinction conferred by J-COTY:
"Emotional Car of the Year 2016-2017":
BMW M2 Coupé
Distinction conferred by the Center of Automotive Management:
“CarIT Award”:
BMW 7 Series with Remote Control Parking (category: Leading Edge Technology)
Distinction conferred by the PwC /Center of Automotive Management:
“Automotive Innovations Award”:
BMW 7 Series as the most innovative model
BMW engines as the most innovative conventional engines
Distinction conferred by Auto Test:
“Auto Test Winner”:
BMW i Vision Future Interaction (category: Connectivity)
Distinction conferred by Handelsblatt:
“Company Vehicle of the Year”:
BMW X5 (readers’ choice, category: Off-Road Cars)
BMW 730d (practical test by fleet managers, category: Top Range)
Distinctions conferred by Firmenautu / DEKRA:
"Company Car of the Year":
BMW 7 Series (category: Top Range)
Distinction conferred by Autoflotte:
“Top Performer”:
BMW 7 Series (category: Luxury Performance Segment)
Distinction conferred by the Bavarian State Government:
“eCar-Tec Award”:
BMW 225xe iPerformance Active Tourer (electric motor)
Distinctions conferred by International Forum Design:
“iF Design Award”:
BMW 3.0 CSL Homage
BMW X1
BMW M2 Coupé
BMW M6 GT3
BMW 7 Series
Distinctions conferred by the German Design Council:
“Automotive Brand Contest”:
BMW (Brand of the Year)
BMW 7 Series (Exterior Premium Design)
BMW X1 (Exterior Premium Design and Interior Premium Design)
BMW M2 Coupé (Exterior Premium Design and Interior Premium Design)
Distinction conferred by Spark Design:
“Spark Design Award”:
BMW VISION NEXT 100 (category: Transport)
Distinctions conferred by Chicago Museum of Design:
“Good Design Award”:
BMW 3.0 CSL Homage (category: Transportation)
BMW X4 (category: Transportation)
BMW X6 (category: Transportation)
Distinction conferred by AutoVolt Magazine (GB):
“AutoVolt Awards”:
BMW 330e (Overall Winner 2016)
Distinction conferred by Global Auto Media (China):
"Car of the Year":
BMW 7 Series
Distinction conferred by The Times of India:
“Times Auto Awards”:
BMW i8 (Technology of the Year)
Distinction conferred by Royal National Auto (AUS):
“Australia’s Best Car”:
BMW 1 Series (category: Small Cars over AU$ 35,000 )
Distinction conferred by ÖAMTC (A):
“Marcus”:
BMW 7 Series (safest car in the luxury performance segment)
Wards Auto 10 Best Engines 2016:
BMW 3.0-liter DOHC Turbocharged Inline Six-cylinder.
Wards Auto 10 Best Interiors 2016:
BMW 7 Series Sedan.
Car & Driver 10 Best Cars 2016
BMW M235i
We realize this may be only a partial list of awards taken by BMW in 2016, and doesn't even count Rolls-Royce or Mini. With the introduction of the 2017 BMW 5 Series this month at the North American International Auto Show, we expect the 2017 list to be just as long. Maybe even longer.—Scott Blazey
[Photos courtesy of BMW AG.]
