15.12.2015

Koç Group Scoops Double Awards At Autobest

7 min

Autobest 2016: Fiat Egea, Companybest 2015: Koç Holding Automotive Group

AUTOBEST winners are announced with Europe's best receiving their awards. Exported to the world from the Bursa plant of Tofaş, a Koç Holding company, Fiat Egea clinched the AUTOBEST 2016, which names the best car of the year. Koç Holding Automotive Group was awarded the COMPANYBEST 2015, or the best company. Koç Holding and Tofaş Chairman Mustafa V. Koç expressed his pride for winning double awards and said, “We are proud to have been recognized by these awards at such a momentous time as we are making the biggest investments of our company history both at home and abroad. The Egea Project proved to be a milestone for Tofaş, and it stands as one of the most successful outcomes of our long and strong collaboration with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). Fiat Egea Sedan has proved to be very popular from the very first day in the Turkey and Italy, its primary markets. This is the first model of the Egea Project, which will be exported to over 40 countries.
The AUTOBEST results are announced. The much anticipated event is considered among Europe’s biggest international automotive awards. Exported to the world from the Bursa plant of Tofaş, Fiat Egea demonstrated the accomplishment of Tofaş engineering and workmanship globally and took the AUTOBEST 2016, the award that “supports marketing the best car at the best price.” Fiat Egea received a total of 1,492 points from the jury, which represented 91 percent of the population of Europe. Egea left behind competitors at the AUTOBEST in 13 separate criteria including design, handling, technology, interior space, fuel consumption, distribution, parts and price. Meanwhile, Koç Holding Automotive Group was awarded the COMPANYBEST 2015, which recognizes the best company. For the first time this year, the COMPANYBEST was awarded to an automotive group, rather than an automotive brand. AUTOBEST's Founder and Chairman Dan Vardie had this to say about the award: “The group's remarkable industrial processes and achievements of its companies came into play in the jury’s decision.
Mustafa V. Koç: “Fiat Egea has proved to be very popular from the very first day.”
Koç Holding and Tofaş Chairman Mustafa V. Koç expressed his happiness for getting recognized for their contribution to the automotive industry and for winning double awards from a highly-respected organization like AUTOBEST. “We are proud to have been recognized by these awards at a momentous time as we are making the biggest investments 2 2 of our history both at home and abroad. In the first nine months of 2015, our Group companies have accounted for 45 percent of the total production and 43 percent of the total exports in the automotive industry. This is a significant demonstration of the trust we enjoy in the automotive industry and the aspiration we have to create value for our country.” Mustafa V. Koç pointed out that Fiat Egea, “AUTOBEST 2016” award winner at the AUTOBEST, has proved to be very popular from the very first day in the countries it has been introduced to. “Not very long ago, while attending a Tofaş Board Meeting, my friend Sergio Marchionne and I decided to take action to develop a new model sedan. Today, the successes we have had so far make me believe once again what a great decision that was. The Egea Project proved to be a milestone for Tofaş, and it stands as one of the most successful outcomes of our long and strong collaboration with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). Fiat Egea Sedan has proved to be very popular from the very first day in the Turkey and Italy, its primary markets. This is the first model of the Egea Project, which will be exported to over 40 countries. It stands out by both its affordability and its spacious interior, strong design, comfort, safety and performance. We take pride in the fact that our contributions to the automotive industry has been crowned with the AUTOBEST 2016 award for Fiat Egea and the COMPANYBEST award for our Automotive Group. I thank all of my colleagues for bringing these awards to our Group,” he said.
Annotation
At AUTOBEST, which was launched in 2001, candidates are evaluated on 13 criteria. Price, service and spare parts network stand out at the AUTOBEST voting. Technology and design are also considered as important aspects. The winner is evaluated based on all of the criteria, and is expected to offer the best deal to the majority of customers in Europe. The Fiat brand previously took the AUTOBEST award with its Panda and Linea models. Fiat Egea brought the third AUTOBEST award to the company. It collected 1,492 points in the 2016 voting, beating the other competing brands – Opel Astra, Hyundai Tucson, Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-3 – in the finals. Following its November debut in Turkey, Fiat Egea became a hit with the customers, selling 2,000 units and receiving orders in the same amount in the first month of its launch.