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News - Tuesday 17th November
Scottish Car of the Year Awards
Friday 13th November, St Andrews
We all love lists don’t we? It’s a bloke thing. Women will never get the hang of it. That’s why they don’t hang around bars with one foot hooked on the rail and an elbow hooked on the bar holding up a pint, while holding forth to anyone who will listen.
Well, here’s another list. Each year the top motoring writers in Scotland select their car of the year from amongst the many new vehicle launches that there have been in the past 12 months - despite the recession!
This year Land Rover's Discovery 4 came out on top – and Jaggy was there amongst the glitterati. OK I got a part time job as a waiter, but it felt as though I was a guest as I dribbled my way round the tables with soup bowls and drinks trays.
And what a night it was. With awards ceremonies and shows being cancelled wholesale down south, the Scots went for it at The Fairmont, St Andrews last weekend. The same place indeed that the world’s richest nations gathered just the other week to discuss how best to solve the world wide recession into which they got us in the first place.
( Pic: Murray Dietsch, director of Land Rover product development, with ASMW president Bill Caven at the R.R.S Discovery in Dundee.)
Posh? My pinkie was sore at the end of the night holding up the tea cups.
Anyway, this latest incarnation of the Discovery won the outright ‘Scottish Car of the Year’ title for the first time, which perhaps surprisingly, is one of the most coveted awards within the British automotive industry. Previously a winner in the 4x4 section in past years, this time it gubbed everything. The iconic off-roader won its SUV category by a large margin, but it was a closer run thing in the overall awards, because it was up against some fierce opposition.
And don’t go thinking the cars are just lined up and the judges pick a winner. They all have to be driven at some point during the year, compared against their peers and opposition, and then marked accordingly. Blood was spilt this year!
In other categories the all-new Volkswagen Polo was the Association of Scottish Motoring Writer's top small car (although the VW Polo, Honda Jazz, Toyota iQ and Alfa Romeo Mito were all highly commended) while Jaggy’s favourite, the Ford Focus RS was judged to be the best sporting choice (with Audi’s R8 and Jaguar ‘s XFR giving it a run for its money).
BMW took top honours in the drop-top sector with their Z4 (against Audi’s A5 cabriolet and the Peugeot 308 CC), while Audi, triumphed in the executive segment with the new A4 Allroad (against the A5 Sportback and BMW 7 series amongst others).
The remarkable Jaguar XF took the plaudits in the diesel category with its gutsy new 3.0-litre twin turbo powertain (although Ford’s Fiesta Econetic was praised highly as was Volvo’s XC60 DRIVe).
Mazda3 won the best family car sector (with VW Golf and Skoda Yeti in the running), while the Citroen C3 Picasso was also named as the AoSMW'S best MPV (ahead of the Kia Soul and Renault Scenic).
( And guess who presented the MPV award? None other than our big pal, MN's John Fife who is also a member of the AoSMW and writes for a lot of other titles as well! )
For the first time there was a new sector to recognise the growing demand for eco-friendly vehicles. The award was shared by Honda for the affordable Insight hybrid and BMW for its EfficientDynamics technologies.
Ultimately though it was the Discovery 4's all-round ability which pushed it ahead of the rest to take the overall honours. Bill Caven, President of the Association of Scottish Motoring Writers, said: “I think it reflects greatly on the motor industry that it has risen to the challenges being currently placed on them. The standard and build quality of the new breed of vehicles has never been better and the various motor manufacturers deserve enormous praise in achieving this despite difficult financial times.”
Bill added: “The Land Rover Discovery has always been a huge winner north of the border especially as our driving demands are different from anywhere else in the UK and the latest model has evolved into one of the best vehicles on the road today.” “The new diesel power-plant is not only cleaner and more fuel efficient but also beautifully flexible that you can’t fail to be impressed by it. In addition, the quality of the hugely versatile seven seat cabin greatly impressed the judges and helped tip the balance in favour of Land Rover.”
John Edwards, managing director for Land Rover UK added: "To win the overall accolade of Scottish Car of the Year is a real privilege, especially when you consider the strength of the competition and the importance of the Scottish car market to our UK business. And the timing couldn't have been better - Discovery is 20 years old on November 16.”
Nearly 200 guests attended this year’s ceremony and were treated to a five course meal with a confusing array of cutlery. No fingers here then. The haggis was piped in by the St Andrews Pipe Band and they also piped in the star car itself, the winning Land Rover Discovery. And then to top it all off, entertainment was provided by Big Vern‘n’the Shootahs. An’ by goad, they were guid. Although not a tribute band as such, they did The Blues Brothers proud.
And if you detected a slight earth tremor anywhere on the east coast late last Friday night, the epicentre was a foot stomping Fairmont at St Andrews.
2009 WINNERS
SMALL: Volkswagen Polo
FAMILY: Mazda3
EXECUTIVE: Audi A4 Allroad
SUV: Land Rover Discovery 4
MPV: Citroen C3 Picasso
DROP TOP: BMW Z4
SPORTING: Ford Focus RS
DIESEL: Jaguar XF 3.0 diesel S
ECO: BMW & Honda (joint winners)
OVERALL: LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 4
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