The BMW i3 may not be breaking sales records but the car did prove its worth time and time again, winning a plethora of awards over time. The last to be added to the list is the Golden Steering Wheel award handed by German publication Auto Bild together with Bild am Sonntag. This comes after the BMW i3 also won the Green Steering Wheel award in 2013 for being the “best new environment-friendly car” even before its launch.
By winning the 2016 “Golden Steering Wheel” award, the BMW i3 became the first model taking part in the competition organized jointly by “Auto Bild” and “Bild am Sonntag” to have received the award for the second time in recognition of its groundbreaking life cycle assessment. The car impressed the jury of experts in a series of intensive practical tests and they selected the BMW i3 as the winner of the coveted award in the “Alternative Drives” category.
First awarded in 1976, the “Golden Steering Wheel” is one of the most prestigious awards in the European automotive sector. Now in its 41st year, the competition initially involved 36 current models being voted on by magazine readers in Germany and 20 other European countries. The BMW i3 finished first in its category in all 21 countries. The 21 reader favorites were then put to the acid test by a jury of specialists that included racing drivers, designers, technicians, digital experts, editors-in-chief and readers.
Based on extensive test drives and detailed comparisons, the 57-strong international panel then went on to select award winners in each of the six categories, with “Alternative Drives” being introduced as a category for the first time this year. Here again, the BMW i3 was the clear winner, receiving the highest score from five out of the seven groups of experts.
