New low-tax Mercedes Hybrid named Best Overall Company Car for SMEs; BMW wins SME Champion Manufacturer title

MERCEDES and BMW took the two key titles in the first SME Company Car of the Year Awards 2012 given by Business Car Manager in association with MAGMA Automotive Services.

• The complete list of Awards winners is on page 2 of this post

Mercedes took the Award for the Best Overall Car for SMEs for its all-new Mercedes E300 BlueTEC Hybrid G-Tronic Plus.

Meanwhile BMW was named Champion SME manufacturer for winning most categories in the Business Car Manager SME Company Car of the Year Awards 2012.

Editor Ralph Morton commented: “The new Mercedes hybrid was a clear winner in the judges’ voting. It was the only car that received a top rating from all our judges.

“It’s not hard to see why: there’s the prestige of driving the three-pointed star but without the company car tax burden. At 12%, the E 300’s company car tax banding is better than the newly launched compact A-Class.

“As for BMW, the company has been consistently at the forefront of the SME company car market, thanks to the excellence of its cars allied to low benefit in kind company car tax, and its Business Partnership Programme offering tailored support to small businesses and SMEs. As an all-round package for SMEs, there is no better.”

The SME Company Car of the Year Winners

The other key winners in the Business Car Manager SME Company Car of the Year Awards 2012 in association with MAGMA Automotive Services were:

• Most Cost-Efficient Car for an SME to buy: Peugeot 208 5 Door 1.4 e-HDi Access+ 70 EGC Stop and Start
• Most Cost-Efficient Car for an SME Company Car Driver: Audi A1 Sportback  1.6 TDI SE 105PS
• Best Company Car for SME Directors: Mercedes E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid G-Tronic Plus
• Best Company Car for SME Business Owners: Range Rover Evoque 2.2 SD4 Dynamic 190hp 4WD
• Best Company Car for SME drivers: BMW 320d EfficientDynamics BluePerformance
• Best Finance and Service Package for SMEs: Citroen
• Best SME Company Car Programme:  Vauxhall
• Best Company Car for SMEs – Readers’ Award: BMW 3 Series range

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Chairman of the judges, Phil Orford, the chief executive office of the Forum of Private Business, said:

The results should be a good starting point for any business car buyer

“The judges had some tough decisions to make this year, and there’s certainly an eclectic mix of winners.

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“The results should, however, be a good starting point for any business car buyer or fleet manager looking to make a purchase in 2013.

“It could be a bumper year for company car sales this year too, thanks to the Chancellor’s 10 fold increase to the Capital Allowance budget which came in to effect on January 01. So there’s never been a better time for businesses to buy, and there’s certainly some great cars to choose from as these awards show.”

Who were the judges?

The four judges, each with their own specialism, were:

• Cars: John Griffiths (former motoring correspondent Financial Times, now Industry correspondent, Business Car Manager)

• Tax: Professor Colin Tourick  (director Colin Tourick Associates, a fleet and tax expert, and author of the recent book Company Car and Van Tax 2012-13)

• Running costs: Roger Woodward (managing director, CD Auction Group, the leading online vehicle remarketing specialists and an SME business owner)

• SME programmes: Martin Brown (managing director of Fleet Alliance, a leading leasing and fleet management supplier to the SME market. Martin is also Chairman of the leasing broker committee at the BVRLA)

The winners will receive their trophies at a special awards luncheon later in January.

You can read more about the winners in our special SME Company Car of the Year Awards section.

© Business Motoring  ·