NBR Car of the year 2015

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Although 2014 proved an incredibly buoyant year for vehicle manufacturers, 2015 has likewise been remarkably active, with car makers continuing to explore new segments, extend model lines, redefine iconic brands and introduce new nameplates.

This year’s National Business Review Car of the Year Awards were as hotly contested as ever, featuring a long list of potential star cars that ran over several A4 sheets of paper.

With furrowed brows and heavily pored-over comparison spreadsheets, we have winnowed the contenders down though; finally settling on a selection of the finest automotive achievements of the past 12 months.

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Supreme Car of the Year: Volvo XC90

The Volvo XC90 is the National Business Review Supreme Car of the Year.

When the previous XC90 was finally retired, it was 13 years old. Volvo knew that it needed a truly impressive vehicle with which to replace it. And it has delivered.

Intelligently designed and expertly engineered, every single detail of both the Volvo XC90’s exterior and interior seems meticulously thought-out.

The end result is a premium SUV quite apart from anything else on sale in New Zealand right now.

Volvo’s commitment to fuel-efficient four-cylinder powertrains across the XC90 range is impressive and doesn’t leave the driver wanting for more power. The supercharged and turbocharged T6 AWD records 235kW peak power and 400Nm of torque, while the turbo diesel D5 AWD pushes out 165kW peak power and 470Nm of torque.

With the arrival of the T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid model next year –which matches a turbo-charged high performance petrol engine with a torque-rich electric motor – the XC90 SUV will boast combined fuel economy figures a compact hatchback owner would be happy with.

Inside, the XC90’s cabin is groundbreaking; featuring only a handful of physical buttons, the main driver and passenger interface comes courtesy of a huge tablet screen that provides intuitive navigation through beautifully presented menus for all entertainment, comfort and vehicle data settings.

The interior space and comfort features are as impressive as the next-level Scandinavian design attributes that are visible everywhere.

Why Did It Win?
The Volvo XC90 is a first class motor vehicle; a range of large, premium SUVs featuring the engineering prowess, future-proofed safety technologies and classic design elements that ensure they will remain remarkable for years to come.

Powertrains
2.0-litre, four cylinder supercharged and turbocharged petrol and 2.0-litre four cylinder twin-turbo diesel. Eight-speed Geartronic automatic transmission.

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Luxury Car of the Year: BMW 7-Series

Where to begin with the new BMW 7-Series? There is advanced technological thinking engineered into almost every panel, every surface and every function.

The new 7-Series features weight-saving, structurally enhancing Carbon Core body components and moveable chrome air vents that actively regulate air flow in the signature kidney-shaped grille. There is impressive self-parking technology accessed through the world-first display key fob, along with adaptive laser light headlights that boast a 600m high beam range. 

Inside, the remarkable Gesture Control system allows the driver and front seat passenger to use hand gestures such as a wave or a pinch of a finger to perform a raft of programmable functions, such as accept or reject incoming phone calls, or adjust the audio volume. Meanwhile BMW’s ConnectedDrive concierge service ensures you’re never too far from assistance, whether in the city or out on the open road.

Why Did It Win?
The BMW 7-Series is a truly remarkable achievement; a luxury motor vehicle that feels like the future of the automobile brought forward to the present day.

Powertrains
3.0-litre turbo-petrol or turbo-diesel sixes, 4.4-litre turbo-petrol V8. Eight-speed automatic transmission.

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Sports Car of the Year: Mazda MX-5

Mazda has sold over a million MX-5s globally since it first flipped the sports car segment on its head back in 1989.

That’s a million examples of – let’s face it – a specialist sports car with enthusiast appeal.

Every generation of MX-5 has stunned with its sheer simplicity. The latest (fourth) update is no different. In fact, it feels more back-to-basics than its predecessor. It’s shorter and lower for a start, and the manual version (the only version worth sampling in my opinion) tips the scales at close to what the original MX-5 weighed, which is impressive given the level of specification Mazda has still managed to cram in.

The latest MX-5 has been built upon Mazda’s SKYACTIV platform and incorporates SKYACTIV-G petrol engine technology as well; there is hardly anything that has been carried over from the previous generation car. 

Yet it still represents pure driving fun, with an intimate cockpit, a snick-snick short throw manual transmission (seriously, the manual is the only way to go) and a fabric fold-down roof. 

Why Did It Win?
These days the word ‘iconic’ gets slung around rather freely, yet the MX-5 really is an iconic model, beloved by thousands. It continues to be a fantastic driver’s car and the latest generation model has just upped the ante once again.

Powertrains
1.5-litre and 2.0-litre four cylinder SKYACTIV petrols. Six speed manual and automatic transmissions.

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Green Car of the Year: BMW i3

The BMW i3 might not capture as many heart-in-mouth headlines as its sleeker i8 supercar sibling but it represents everything that is right – that is, dare we say it, theoretically normal – about electric vehicles.

BMW eDrive is an innovative new development in the scope of the BMW’s long-running EfficientDynamics programme.

The i3 also helps open up a new chapter in BMW’s design language, with LifeDrive architecture that the company has developed specifically for its electric vehicles. 

As a result the i3 features a strong and relatively spacious carbon passenger compartment, with plenty of high-quality, robust and sustainable materials on display.

The BMW i3 incorporates the practicality that electric vehicles need to exhibit to realise their full potential from a consumer-adoption point-of-view, and to make law makers and governing bodies invest in the infrastructure required to ensure their longevity and ease-of-use in everyday life.

Why Did It Win? 
The BMW i3 is a thoroughly thought-out electric vehicle, designed to appeal to a mass audience. It combines first world environmentally-savvy thinking with practicality of a city car.

Powertrains 
125kW/250Nm eDrive Electro-synchronous electric motor paired with a 647cc 2-cylinder petrol range extender engine. Single-speed Integrated Differential Transmission

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Crossover of the Year: Mazda CX-3

The crossover segment is still being defined and many models appear perfectly suited to its broad parameters. Yet its impact on the local market is such that every manufacturer that is serious about proverbial posteriors on seats needs a cohesive crossover contender.

Mazda’s brilliantly presented CX-3 is the perfect platform for a successful crossover. It’s practical, city-sized with a small footprint and – most importantly perhaps – remains fun to drive with eager SKYACTIV diesel and petrol engines. 

It looks fantastic and features so much specification too; a Mazda small car trait that is pleasing to see continued here. There’s the MZD Connect infotainment system paired with the multi-function commander control in the centre console, 18-inch machined alloy wheels, the option of petrol or diesel, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and the combined i-ACTIVSENSE safety technology suite. 

Why Did It Win?
The Mazda CX-3 is a fully-formed crossover; as comprehensive and confident a model as Mazda has ever made, with an impressive level of specification and attention to detail. 

Powertrains
2.0-litre, four cylinder SKYACTIV-D turbo diesel and 2.0-litre, four cylinder SKYACTIV-G petrol engines. Six speed automatic transmission.

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Performance Car of the Year: Mercedes-AMG GT S

The Mercedes-AMG GT S doesn’t do ‘subtle’ all that well. The numbers alone are impressively shouty: peak power of 375kW, 650Nm of torque, a maximum (electronically governed) speed of 310km/h and the 0-100km/h dash covered off in a shockingly quick 3.8 seconds.

And all this before we even discuss the broad, low-slung body style, the premium driver-orientated cabin or the unforgettable V8 bellow from the exhaust system.

Mercedes-Benz is on a roll with its passenger car line-up, and performance arm AMG is clearly delighting in providing extra horsepower and extra dynamism to such an accomplished template. The GT S is something else again however; a pure performance-bred race car, as remarkable for its old-school rear-drive V8 muscle car demeanour as it is for its leading-edge performance technology.

Why Did It Win?
There is nothing quite like it. As perfectly poised as it is wantonly brutal, the Mercedes-AMG GT S is a performance car that oral surgeons should take note of, because it’s utterly jaw-dropping.

Powertrain:
4.0-litre Bi-turbo V8. AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT seven-speed automatic.

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