BMW picked up a significant haul of awards in Germany this week, taking home two “Golden Steering Wheel” trophies from Auto Bild and Bild am Sonntag, and earning a record nine class wins in Auto Zeitung’s Auto Trophy readers’ poll. The results span combustion, hybrid, and electric models, showing strong support for BMW’s current lineup across different segments.
BMW iX3 Wins “Best Innovation”
The new BMW iX3, the first production model of the Neue Klasse generation, won the Golden Steering Wheel for “Best Innovation.” The jury highlighted the iX3’s range of up to 805 km (WLTP), its 400 kW charging capability, and efficiency figures as low as 15.1 kWh/100 km. Test drives at the DEKRA-Lausitzring also brought attention to the electric SUV’s new architecture, including the Panoramic iDrive interface and the Heart of Joy central computer that controls the Neue Klasse electronics system. This is the seventh year in a row that at least one Golden Steering Wheel has gone to BMW.
M5 Touring Takes the Luxury Category
The BMW M5 Touring took home the Golden Steering Wheel in the Upper/Luxury Class category. Despite being one of the most controversial M5s ever made – due to its weight and drivetrain of choice – the new M5 Touring posted the highest total score of any car in this year’s competition. Jurors also acknowledged the wagon’s everyday usability thanks to its 500 to 1,630 liters of cargo space, noting that it outperformed all other finalists in driving evaluations, consumption tests, and value assessments.
9 Auto Trophy Wins Across the Lineup
BMW’s strong performance continued in Auto Zeitung’s long-running Auto Trophy readers’ poll. Nearly 10,000 participants cast votes across 18 categories, with BMW coming out on top in nine of them—a record for the brand.
The winning models covered a wide range of vehicle types:
- BMW 1 Series – Best Small Cars, City Cars & Compacts
- BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé – Best Medium Class
- BMW 5 Series – Best Upper/Luxury Class
- BMW X3 – Best SUV (€30,000–€60,000)
- BMW X5 – Best SUV (above €60,000)
- BMW i5 – Best Electric Sedan
- BMW iX1 – Best Electric SUV (under €50,000)
- BMW iX3 – Best Electric SUV (above €50,000)
- BMW – World’s Best Brand
This year’s nine wins surpass BMW’s eight victories in 2024, marking its strongest showing in the history of the award.
A Strong Signal As Neue Klasse Begins to Roll Out
Commenting on the results, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said the awards reflect the strength of BMW’s current product spread and the early momentum behind the Neue Klasse rollout. According to Zipse, pre-orders for the iX3 are already above internal projections—a rare situation for a model that has not yet reached dealerships.
