Professional Driver magazine in the UK (yes, there's a magazine for absolutely everything these days) has honoured the BMW 730Ld with its overall Car of the Year title as well as a victory in the Chauffeur Car category.
The 730Ld sounds like an enticing combination with its diesel motivation and long-wheelbase - although this model is not sold in South Africa, our 730d only being available in standard length guise, leaving only petrol options to those wanting a longer 7 Series.
The magazine says the 730Ld's victory was assured by its combination of passenger luxury, driveability and low running costs, as well as the availability of an excellent manufacturer-backed chauffer programme (in the UK).
The winners were selected by a panel of invited chauffeurs, private hire operators and motoring journalists, who thoroughly evaluated all of the shortlisted vehicles during a one-day judging event.
Professional Driver editor Mark Bursa, who chaired the judging for the awards, said: “The BMW 730Ld offers an exceptional mix of comfort, rear-seat luxury and driveability.
“It was a very close contest, with the new Audi A8L winning praise for its comfort and good looks, and Audi's chauffeur programme probably edges BMW's. But this wasn't enough to take the top prize from the 7 Series, which was simply the best car on the day.”