BILD am SONNTAG, Germany’s biggest Sunday newspaper, and the european AUTO-BILD group awarded 9. November 2021, resold at 45. THE GOLDEN STEERING WHEEL, europe’s most important award in the automotive industry, is presented for the 15th time. the gala, which was held in compliance with the current hygiene rules on corona, was hosted by barbara schoneberger in berlin’s axel springer high-rise with around 120 ceos, managing directors and celebrities from the worlds of business, media and politics.
Among the guests at the award ceremony were oliver blume (chairman of the board of porsche AG), markus duesmann, (chairman of the board of audi AG), wayne griffiths (chairman of the board of SEAT S.A./cupra), ola kallenius (ceo daimler AG), opel ceo uwe hochgeschurtz, VDA president hildegard muller, klaus rosenfeld (ceo schaeffler AG), skoda ceo thomas schafer, andreas scheuer (executive federal minister of transport and digital infrastructure), andre schmidt (managing director toyota germany), markus siebrecht (CEO renault germany), haico van der luyt (managing director peugeot germany) as well as DTM champion maximilian gotz, rally driver isolde holderied and racing driver daniel abt.
A total of twelve GOLDEN STEERING WHEELS were awarded in the categories small and compact car, small and compact car electric, SUV, SUV electric, medium and luxury class, medium and luxury class electric, sports car, vans/family steering wheel, most beautiful car, innovation of the year as well as best car under 25.000 euro and best car under 35.000 euro awarded.
To achieve this, readers of BILD am SONNTAG and AUTO BILD voted three cars each into the final from the most important new publications. editors and jury then put the vehicles under the microscope in test drives at the DEKRA lausitzring in brandenburg. The 14-member jury included racing driver and youtuber daniel abt, DTM champion maximilian gotz, "PS pro" sidney hoffmann, presenter and motor sportswoman lina van de mars, DTM legend joachim winkelhock, racing driver sophia florsch, and star chef steffen henssler.
More than half of the winners of the GOLDEN STEERING WHEEL 2021 are electric vehicles
big winner at the GOLDEN WHEEL was cupra. Vehicles from the spanish brand of the VW group were voted the winner in three categories at the same time: the cupra leon became best small and compact car, the cupra born awarded in the same vehicle class for electro, while the cupra formentor VZ5 was awarded as best SUV. The skoda enyaq iv won the GOLDEN STEERING WHEEL in the SUV category for electric cars. The prizes for the best cars in the middle and upper class went to the porsche panamera as well as mercedes EQS (electric). Best sports car was the BMW M4 competition. The audi e-tron GT electrified the readers visually as well and was voted the most beautiful car. Best car under 25.000 euro was the opel mokka-e, best car under 35.000 euro the toyota GR yaris. For a jury of experts including parents and children, environmental awareness combined with space is also a top priority, as demonstrated by the award of the mercedes EQV with the "family steering wheel" proved. In total, with six GOLDEN STEERING WHEELS, more than 50 percent of the winners were electric vehicles.
For in addition, another jury of experts awarded a GOLDEN STEERING WHEEL for the "best innovation" of the year to the electric axle of the technology supplier schaeffler. thanks to its modular design and compact construction, the unit consisting of electric motor and transmission axle makes it easy to electrify different vehicle platforms.
The winners of the GOLDEN STEERING WHEEL 2021 with barbara schoneberger, who hosted the gala for BILD am SONNTAG and AUTO BILD. © photo: sascha radke/BILD am SONNTAG
AUTO BILD wants to be the first German auto magazine to become climate-neutral as early as 2022
Tom drechsler, editor-in-chief AUTO BILD, announced at the GOLDEN STEERING WHEEL that AUTO BILD will become the first climate-neutral car magazine by 2022: "this year, over 50 percent of all winners are electrified. The automotive industry and all its suppliers are undergoing the biggest transformation in their history. But we are like our buyers and readers: the majority of us do not yet drive emission-free. But unlike many others, we can already do something today. That’s why, starting with our biggest magazine AUTO BILD, we will successively make every kilometer we drive, every paper we print, every page we publish online climate neutral. AUTO BILD wants to preserve mobility for all. This is our contribution."
In order to achieve the goal of climate neutrality for all direct and indirect emissions, AUTO BILD is implementing reduction measures. the publishing house develops these in cooperation with relevant partners in the value chain. Emissions that cannot be reduced in the short term will be offset by certified climate protection projects starting in fiscal year 2022.
All winners of THE GOLDEN STEERING WHEEL 2021
- small and compact cars: cupra leon
- Small and compact cars electric: cupra born
- Medium and luxury class: porsche panamera
- Mid- and luxury-class electric: mercedes EQS
- SUV: cupra formentor VZ5
- SUV electric: skoda enyaq iv
- sports cars: BMW M4 competition
- Van/family steering wheel: mercedes EQV
- Most beautiful car: audi e-tron GT
- Best car under 25.000 euro: opel mokka-e
- Best car under 35.000 euro: toyota GR yaris
- Best innovation: schaeffler electric axle
About THE GOLDEN STEERING WHEEL
BILD am SONNTAG and the european AUTO BILD group award the GOLDEN STEERING WHEEL to the best new cars of the year. the internationally coveted car prize was established in 1976 by publisher axel springer. Axel springer himself presented the honorary steering wheel to Henry ford II, the grandson of the founder and former president of the ford motor company, in 1983.