- Electric ID.7 named Best Saloon at 2024 Autocar Awards
- Judges describe the ID.7 as ‘subtle, restrained and classy’
- Design Hero award for Andreas Mindt recognises 31-year career and the German’s instant impact when he returned to Volkswagen
Milton Keynes – Volkswagen is celebrating two outstanding wins at the 2024 Autocar Awards: the ID.7 was named Best Saloon and the company’s Head of Design, Andreas Mindt, was honoured with the magazine’s prestigious Design Hero award.
The ID.7 was praised for possessing no obvious weaknesses and offering a quiet confidence that is so often synonymous with Volkswagen cars. “This big electric car begs to be underestimated; it is subtle, restrained and – dare we say it – classy,” said the judges. “This is an electric saloon that makes few, if any, demands of its driver, combining superb road manners with intuitive driveability that makes any journey a cinch. It really is excellent.”
The award for Andreas Mindt was a reflection of the German design maestro’s immediate impact since he re-joined the brand in 2023, and for a 31-year career that has spawned modern-day classics including the Volkswagen Golf Mk VII, the Audi e-tron GT – while spearheading a realignment of the brand’s exterior design – and the limited-run Bentley Batur, which helped chart the brand’s future electric models.
Mark Tisshaw, Autocar Editor, said: “Andreas Mindt is sparking fresh life into one of the world’s biggest car brands. Upon his return to Wolfsburg in February 2023 he had just weeks to pen the ID. 2all, a machine that neatly balanced modern design with retro flourishes and was incredibly well received. The concept was upbeat, friendly and infectiously enthusiastic – much like the man who led its design.
“Andreas has had an immediate impact upon his return and Volkswagen cars are embracing the brand’s traditions without getting stuck in the past – which is why we have named him our Design Hero for 2024.”
After collecting his award, Andreas said: “I am deeply honoured to receive the Design Hero award. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. Together, we found a way to design the true Volkswagen, which is characterised by our design values: Stable, Likeable, and Secret Sauce. Our commitment to excellence and our passion for creating vehicles that resonate with our customers have driven us to achieve this milestone.”
One of the biggest events on the automotive calendar, the Autocar Awards recognise the industry’s highest achievers, including heroes from the design, engineering and motorsport worlds, as well as the best cars people can buy in the UK in a wide variety of categories.
Commenting on the awards, Volkswagen UK Director Rod McLeod said: “We are very pleased that Autocar – the world’s oldest, and one of the most respected, motoring titles – has presented Volkswagen and Andreas Mindt with these awards.
“The ID.7 is our top-of-the-range electric car and encompasses everything that people love about Volkswagen. It offers luxury with engineering excellence and appealing everyday practicality, and it is leading the charge towards e-mobility. It is also fantastic news that Andreas has won the Design Hero award, which is so richly deserved.”
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About the Volkswagen brand:
A total of 162,087 new Volkswagen passenger vehicles were registered in the UK in 2023, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This equated to a market share of 8.52 per cent – an increase of 0.35 per cent compared with the previous year – and made Volkswagen the UK’s best-selling new-car brand for the third year running.
The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand has a global presence, producing vehicles at 29 locations in 12 countries, and employs approximately 170,000 people. In 2023, Volkswagen delivered around 4.87 million vehicles worldwide. These included bestsellers such as the Polo, T-Roc, T-Cross, Golf, Tiguan and Passat, as well as the successful all-electric ID. models. Volkswagen handed over about 394,000 all-electric vehicles to customers worldwide in 2023 and, with its ACCELERATE strategy, is consistently advancing its ambition to become the most desirable brand for sustainable mobility.
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