PressClub South Africa · Article.
The all-new seventh generation BMW 5 Series announced as a finalist for the 2018 Wesbank South African Car of the Year competition.¶
Wed Sep 20 13:59:00 CEST 2017 Press Kit
The South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) has selected the all-new seventh generation BMW 5 Series as a finalist for the 2018 WesBank South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition. Announced at a breakfast event hosted by WesBank at the Bryanston Country Club on Tuesday, 19 September, the reveal of the BMW 5 Series and other nine finalists follows a vote cast by a 26-member Jury from an original list of 35 eligible vehicle ranges.¶
Press Contact.
Edward Makwana
BMW Group
Tel: +27-12-522-2227
send an e-mail
- The seventh generation BMW 5 Series the fourth BMW 5 Series to compete for the coveted title.
- BMW South Africa the only manufacturer to have won the most awards in the competition (six times).
Midrand. The South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) has selected the all-new seventh generation BMW 5 Series as a finalist for the 2018 WesBank South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition. Announced at a breakfast event hosted by WesBank at the Bryanston Country Club on Tuesday, 19 September, the reveal of the BMW 5 Series and other nine finalists follows a vote cast by a 26-member Jury from an original list of 35 eligible vehicle ranges.
After the success of the BMW 525i in 1990, BMW 528i in 1997 and BMW 530d in 2011, the seventh generation BMW 5 Series is the fourth BMW 5 Series to compete for this coveted title. Since the competition's 26 years history, BMW has increased its dominance of the competition taking its winning tally to six Wesbank / SAGMJ COTY titles.
Since 1972, the BMW 5 Series has delivered a unique combination of engine performance, handling and everyday drivability as well as practicality. Through six previous generations – each of which was named as arguably “The Best Car in the World” at some stage in its lifespan – the BMW 5 Series has been the epitome of the executive express. Now in its seventh generation, the BMW 5 Series Sedan has cut a sporty, elegant and stylish figure since its local introduction in February 2017. Further enhanced dynamics, an unbeatable line-up of assistance systems, an unmatched degree of connectivity as well as new and innovative operating system are the most important new features. The new BMW 5 Series Sedan therefore has all the tools it needs to continue the remarkable success recorded by its predecessors; around 7.9 million BMW 5 Series cars were sold across its first six generations.
The BMW 5 Series will compete against the following nine finalists for the 2018 Wesbank SA COTY award:
- Alfa Romeo Giulia
- Audi Q5
- KIA Picanto
- Land Rover Discovery
- Peugeot 3008
- Porsche Panamera
- Suzuki Ignis
- Toyota C-HR
- Volvo S90
According to the SAGMJ, preparations now continue for the COTY evaluation days that will be held in January 2018. At these evaluation days – the most critical of which will be the scheduled procedures to be held at a dedicated testing facility – the COTY Jury will assess the cars independently, with routes and modules designed to test the vehicles in a similar way in which the average consumer would use them. The evaluation days will offer the Jury the opportunity to reacquaint themselves with the vehicles on specific criteria including aesthetics, build quality, ergonomics, fuel consumption, environmental friendliness, safety features and value for money. These aspects are not only important with regards to the actual testing, but how the public perceives the COTY process, finalists and ultimately the winning car.
The winner will be revealed at a function on 13 March 2018.
For more information about the seventh generation BMW 5 Series, visit www.bmw.co.za/5 and www.bmwselect.co.za for tailored BMW finance packages.
Record of BMW titles in the competition’s 26 years history is as follows;
- 1988 BMW 735i (Winner)
- 1990 BMW 525i (Winner)
- 1993 BMW 316i (Winner)
- 1997 BMW 528i (Winner)
- 2001 BMW 320d (Winner)
- 2011 BMW 530d (Joint winner with the Volkswagen Polo 1.6 TDI)
For media queries on this press release, please contact BMW Group South Africa’s Group Communications Division as follows:
Edward Makwana
Manager: Group Product Communications
BMW Group South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Email: edward.makwana@bmw.co.za
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million cars and 145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax was approximately € 9.67 billion on revenues amounting to € 94.16 billion. As of 31 December 2016, the BMW Group had a workforce of 124,729 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup (BMW South Africa)
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup (@BMW_SA)
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupview (BMW South Africa)
Google+: http://googleplus.bmwgroup.com