Autocar Awards 2024 Celebrates Luca De Meo And Leading Cars

Published: Wednesday, June 26, 2024, 5:03 [IST]

The 2024 Autocar Awards have recognised the best in the automotive industry, celebrating top models, brands, and individuals. Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group, received the prestigious Issigonis Trophy for his leadership and vision in transforming Renault's future.

De Meo's career began at Renault before he moved to Toyota, Fiat, Volkswagen, and Seat. Returning to Renault in 2020, he has focused on decarbonisation and financial competitiveness. He led the revival of the 5 supermini as an electric vehicle and achieved a record profit margin of 7.6% on €2.12bn profits last year.

Aston Martin's Marek Reichman was honoured with the Sturmey Award for his innovative work over ten years on models like the DB11, Vulcan, and DBX. The Mundy Award for Engineering went to Nissan's David Moss for his contributions to research and development.

Volkswagen's Andreas Mindt was named Design Hero for reinventing Volkswagen’s styling as it moves towards electrification. Martin Brundle received the Editor’s Award for his engaging F1 coverage. Mini's Stefanie Wurst won the Outstanding Leader award.

The awards also highlighted top car models available in the UK. The Renault Clio was named Britain's Best Small Car, while the Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato took Best Driver’s Car. The Cupra Born won Best Electric Car.

Other notable winners included the Kia EV9 (Best Large Car), Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (Best Performance Car), BMW 5 Series (Best Hybrid), Volkswagen ID 7 (Best Saloon), and Ford Mustang (Best Dream Car).

Manufacturer Excellence

Toyota was recognised as Britain’s Best Manufacturer for its consistent quality and innovation in car production. The Catesby Tunnel won the Innovation award for its underground automotive testing facility.

Mark Tisshaw, editor of Autocar, praised de Meo: "The effect that Luca de Meo has had on Renault Group and on the wider industry makes him a worthy recipient of our top award. His foresight and business acumen have allowed Renault to flourish, and we are excited to see where he takes the company next."

The Autocar Awards continue to celebrate excellence in automotive design, engineering, and leadership amidst a rapidly changing industry landscape.