Vauxhall Wins Top Award At Annual Motoring 'Oscars'

• First Vauxhall winner since 1980

• Toyota and Lexus win Green Award

• British success for Mini and Land Rover

MIDDLESEX, England - January 19, 2007: The all-new Vauxhall Corsa was last night named Car of the Year at the 30th annual motoring ‘Oscars’, the What Car? Car of the Year Awards sponsored by the RAC.

The Corsa beat 14 category winners to take the top trophy at a glittering ceremony held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane.

What Car?’s group editor, Steve Fowler, said: ‘The Corsa may be a small car, but its talents are huge. It’s spacious, refined, well built and good value. It’s also strong on safety, environmentally friendly and looks great! It had to beat some incredibly able cars to take our Best Supermini award, let alone the overall Car of the Year crown.’

Speaking at the event, Vauxhall’s managing director Bill Parfitt said: ‘We’re delighted that the new Corsa has won this prestigious award. We know we’ve got this car just right in every regard, and this is backed up by record order banks, as well as a fabulous performance in showrooms and in the press. New Corsa is the best example yet of Vauxhall's revitalisation.’

Toyota / Lexus - Green Award

Toyota and Lexus picked up the What Car? Green Award for the second year running. The award recognises the company’s achievements in leading the development of hybrid and clean diesel engines.

‘Climate change is of increasing concern to car buyers,’ said Steve Fowler, ‘and Toyota and Lexus are doing more than anyone else to offer consumers low-CO2 vehicles. Other manufacturers have been slow out of the blocks when it comes to environmental matters – we’d like to see more low-CO2 vehicles launched as a matter of priority.’

Land Rover Discovery TDV6 SE auto - Large 4x4

British car makers did well at the awards. Land Rover dominated the 4x4 categories – the new Freelander 2 was named Best Compact 4x4 and the Discovery won the Best Large 4x4 award for the third year running – while the Oxford-built Mini Cooper S won the Best Hot Hatch award.

VW Passat 2.0 TDI S - Family Car

The What Car? Safety award went to Mercedes-Benz, while VW came away with three awards for the Golf (Best Small Family Car), Passat (Best Family Car) and Eos (Best Open-Top). BMW’s 3 Series and 5 Series took the Best Compact Executive and Best Executive Car awards, Citroën’s newly launched C4 Picasso was named Best MPV and the stunning new Audi TT won the Best Coupé award.

What Car? Car of The Year Winners 2007

Mini Cooper S - Hot Hatch

Supermini - Vauxhall Corsa 1.4 Club air-con 5dr
Small Family Car - VW Golf 1.6 FSI Match 5dr
Family Car - VW Passat 2.0 TDI S
Estate Car - Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTI Exclusiv
Compact 4x4 - Land Rover Freelander 2.2 TD4 GS
Large 4x4 - Land Rover Discovery TDV6 SE auto
Hot Hatch - Mini Cooper S
Coupé - Audi TT 2.0 TFSI
Open-Top- VW Eos 2.0 T FSI


BMW 320d ES - Compact Executive

Performance Car - Porsche Cayman S
MPV - Citroën C4 Picasso 1.6 HDI SX EGS
Compact Executive - BMW 320d ES
Executive Car - BMW 525i SE auto
Luxury Car - Mercedes S320 CDI
Green Award - Toyota / Lexus
Safety Award - Mercedes
Overall Car of The Year - Vauxhall Corsa

PREVIOUS WHAT CAR? CAR OF THE YEAR WINNERS 2006 BMW 320d

2005 Land Rover Discovery
2004 Volkswagen Golf
2003 Seat Ibiza
2002 Toyota Corolla
2001 Ford Mondeo
2000 Skoda Fabia
1999 Rover 75v 1998 Land Rover Freelander
1997 Renault Mégane Scénic
1996 Peugeot 406
1995 VW Polo
1994 Peugeot 306
1993 Ford Mondeo
1992 Volkswagen Golf
1991 Rover Metro
1990 Rover 214 Si
1989 Ford Fiesta
1988 BMW 735i
1987 Renault 21 Savannah
1986 Saab 9000 Turbo 16
1985 Volkswagen Golf
1984 Peugeot 205
1983 MG Metro
1982 Mercedes 200T
1981 Volkswagen Golf
1980 Vauxhall Astra
1979 Peugeot 305
1978 Renault 20