The SGMW annual awards, the first of the year, recognise the outstanding efforts of manufacturers, PR teams and individuals who excelled bringing new models to the market and helping SGMW members over the past year.

Southern Group Happenings: November 2024

The awards are voted for by SGMW members, many of whom have experienced the new cars at manufacturer launches and driving days, and attended the Society of Motoring Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) north and south test days.

SGMW chairman Ian Robertson said: “It’s been another packed 12 months, with an unprecedented number of new electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, diesel and petrol cars launched on to the market for our membership to sample.”

He added “The Southern Group of Motoring Writers is not only the largest regional group in the country, it’s also the most active and hard-working.”

The full results for the SGMW New Year Honours 2025, with some opinions from the voting members, are:

BEST PR NEWCOMER – someone who made a special impact in liaising with the media during the past year and is either new to the industry PR scene or has taken on a new role/position.

Winner – Melissa Lodge (Genesis Motor UK)

“Melissa is the kind of PR wizard who could organise a car launch on the moon and still have time to make sure the canapés are out of this world. She’s an absolute star — brilliantly efficient, a joy to work with and effortlessly professional, all while keeping things fun. Genesis is lucky to have her, and so are we!”

Runner-up – Thomas Davis (Isuzu UK)

BEST PR OFFICE – awarded to the operation consistently delivering the best all-round or forward-thinking service to SGMW throughout the year.

Winner – Kia UK

“Kia, unquestionably. The Kia team just delivers, every time.”

“Kia UK once again. Kia has held bespoke driving days and events for SGMW members to try out the company’s latest cars and has one of the friendliest bunch of people in the business!”

Runner-up – Genesis Motor UK

THE SGMW OBE (OPERATING BEYOND EXPECTATION) – for acting above and beyond the call of PR duty during the past year. It can be for consistent high performance, a memorable one-off effort or a thoughtful gesture towards one of our members caught in a bind.

Winner – Vince Clisham (Fiat and Abarth)

“Vince Clisham at Abarth for giving up his seat on the plane and ensuring every journalist made it home when British Airways overbooked a flight.”

Runner-up – Simon Branney (Genesis Motor UK)

‘DARK HORSE’ OF THE YEAR – a car that surprised SGMW members, either by its arrival or just how good it was.

Winner – BYD Seal U

“The BYD Seal U is quite a refreshing change from the plethora of all-electrified cars now coming in from China. It drives really well, it’s exceptionally well put together, with smooth interior finishes, it’s comfortable and, thankfully, no traditional whine from the battery either. Looking at value for money, the BYD is worth the cash outlay.”

ONE TO WATCH – the car that SGMW members most look forward to driving in the coming year.

Winner – Renault 5 E-Tech

“Retro design done right. And a truly desirable hatchback when others offer only crossovers and SUVs.”

“What’s not to like? Brilliantly retro, stylish and hi-tech cabin, impressive range and competitively priced. A winner!”

SGMW CAR OF THE YEAR

Winner – Alfa Romeo Junior

“Alfa Romeo’s new Junior is truly brilliant to drive. In Veloce form, it’s the best-performing Alfa this side of a Giulia Quadrifoglio. More than that, it’s the best-handling hatchback that Alfa has ever made, including the Alfasud. With the Junior, Alfa Romeo shows that it’s still possible to buy a compact car that’s fun to drive – a car you can get truly passionate about.”

CHAIRMAN’S AWARD – to honour someone who has given extraordinary service to the automotive industry, a particular manufacturer or been a very special friend to SGMW.

Winner – Dale Wyatt, Suzuki GB director of automobile for the UK and Ireland

SGMW chairman Ian Robertson said: “Dale Wyatt has been an exceptional pillar of the motor industry, leading Suzuki for 18 years when he retires in March. He has been a huge supporter of the Southern Group of Motoring Writers, and we will be sad to see him pass the baton on.

“Dale’s wellbeing and health are of the utmost importance and this will give him time to himself away from the corporate world. When I decided to award Dale the Chairman’s Award, I couldn’t think of a better, or more deserving, candidate.”

SGMW Southern Star

Winner – Ben Hodges

“Always on top of publicising the group, keeping track of everyone’s work and getting the SGMW word out there on social media.”

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The SGMW annual awards, the first of the year, recognise the outstanding efforts of manufacturers, PR teams and individuals who excelled with magnificent models, memorable motoring and help SGMW members over the past 12 months.

The awards are voted for by SGMW members, many of whom have experienced the news cars at manufacturer launches and driving days, and attended the Society of Motoring Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) north and south test days.

SGMW chairman Ian Robertson said: “Our New Year Honours are held in high esteem by the manufacturers and their PR teams. Winning one is a great way to kick off the new year.

“This year there were some really tight results so it was a good job that most of our members voted in as many categories as possible.

“Electric vehicles are gaining a big foothold in the new car market so it is no surprise that they were popular choices in the three categories for vehicles.

“But don’t write off petrol and diesel cars just yet as traditional internal combustion engine models also found favour with our electorate,” he added.

And it’s also new year, new award.

The SGMW is launching a new accolade, the Chairman’s Award, to honour someone who has given extraordinary service to the automotive industry, a particular manufacturer, or been a very special friend to our group.

To recognise his sterling service to the industry, the first Chairman’s Award goes to John Handcock, Head of PR at Citroën, who retired in November 2023 after more than 30 years with the French brand. Having previously worked within the sales, product, and fleet departments, he joined the press office in the summer of 2009 and has been a good friend and supporter of the Southern Group of Motoring Writers over the years. SGMW Chairman Ian Robertson commented: “John Handcock will be an extremely hard act to follow and has been a brilliant public relations leader and friend. On a personal note, I will miss him enormously, with it feeling like the end of an era. On behalf of the Southern Group of Motoring Writers, we send our sincere best wishes to him for his retirement from Stellantis.”

The full results for the SGMW New Year Honours 2024, with opinions from voting members, are:

BEST PR NEWCOMER – someone who made a special impact in liaising with the media during the past year and is either new to the industry PR scene or has taken on a new role/position.

Winner – Lucinda Inggs (Stellantis)

“She was an absolute star during a very long day travelling to Paris to see the Citroen eC3, coping with all sorts of delays, traffic and other problems.”

Runner-up – Brad Beningfield (Honda UK)

BEST PR OFFICE – awarded to the operation consistently delivering the best all-round or forward-thinking service to SGMW throughout the year.

Winner – Kia UK

“Always helpful, you are always assured a high standard of service from the Kia UK press office and, with specially-organised driving days for the Southern Group of Motoring Writers, we get to sample the latest vehicles in a relaxed environment.”

Runner-up – Toyota

THE SGMW OBE (OPERATING BEYOND EXPECTATION) – for acting above and beyond the call of PR duty during the past year. It can be for consistent high performance, a memorable one-off effort or a thoughtful gesture towards one of our members caught in a bind.

Winner – Graeme Fudge, PR director, and the Mazda UK team

When a deadly earthquake forced Mazda’s Epic Drive through the Atlas Mountains to be cancelled, Graeme, his team and their paramedic headed to stricken remote villages in their vehicles to deliver their supplies of bottled water and help emergency aid workers in the early stages of the response to the disaster.

‘DARK HORSE’ OF THE YEAR – a car that surprised SGMW members, either by its arrival or just how good it was.

Winner – BYD Dolphin

“A surprisingly complete electric car from a newcomer to the European market. The Dolphin is an excellent value family EV package with a highly-usable driving range and an interestingly-styled interior.”

Runner-up – Abarth 500e

ONE TO WATCH – the car that SGMW members most look forward to driving in the coming year.

Winner – Dacia Spring

“I was very impressed driving the Dacia Jogger so I’m looking forward to seeing what Dacia’s first small EV will be like.”

“This cute city car, likely to be the UK’s cheapest EV, is going to be a tempting runabout and entice more people into electric motoring.”

SGMW CAR OF THE YEAR

Winner – Jeep Avenger, top

“Totally new concept power for this American icon. Although I was hesitant about it when I first drove it, the more I did the more impressive it was for overall driver satisfaction. Really surprising in my view.”

2024 SGMW New Year Honours: Gallery

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The SGMW New Year Honours go to the manufacturers and PR teams and individuals whose outstanding efforts have gone the extra mile to make motoring memorable and help SGMW members over the past 12 months.

SGMW members were keen to make sure manufacturers, teams and individuals received the acclaim they deserved with some keenly-fought contests and a record number of people voting.

SGMW chairman Ian Robertson said: “The SGMW New Year Honours continue to go from strength to strength. This year we had a record number of votes from our members which highlights how much we all appreciate the efforts of the manufacturers and PR teams.

“There were some clear winners while other categories were unbelievably close, going right to the wire as the votes came in.

“Electric cars, or one in particular, made a big impression with our members but it was also good see to see a lot of support for a legendary petrol-powered hot-hatchback.”

The MG4 EV, pictured above, was a double winner, taking the coveted SGMW Car of the Year crown by a clear margin. But it also scooped the Dark Horse of the Year trophy with members seeing this more affordable electric hatchback as a potential game-changer and the next MG to entice drivers to EVs.

Genesis won a hat-trick of trophies with press officer Sam Buckingham taking the Best PR Newcomer title by just one vote in a close contest after a very busy start to his career.

And Genesis also won the Best in PR Innovation award for the international launch of the all-electric GV60 SUV. Invited guests experienced the Genesis We Come To You promise with a GV60 delivered straight to their hotel balcony in Frankfurt, Germany.

The brand’s third award went to Genesis Motor UK head of PR and communications Simon Branney who won our O.B.E. (Operating Beyond Expectation) award for the second year running and the third time in his career which highlights how much his combination of going the extra mile for so many people and making motoring PR fun is appreciated.

With EVs an increasingly big part of the motoring scene, it was good to see so many people looking forward to driving the 2023 Honda Civic Type R which topped the One to Watch 2023 category. It will be interesting to see the impact of the latest version of this petrol-powered hot-hatch as the Civic celebrates its half-century.

Meanwhile, Kia UK continued to dominate the Best PR Office category and won the top award again this year, building on several years of success for this slick team.

The final SGMW award, the Southern Star, is an in-house accolade for a member who has made a big difference.

This year it was a poignant contest with the winner being a member we sadly lost. Sue Baker touched the lives of so many SGMW members, and the whole motoring world, over the years with her friendship, guidance, encouragement and humour. She really was a shining star.

The full results for the SGMW New Year Honours 2023, with opinions from voting members, are:

BEST PR NEWCOMER – awarded to someone who made a special impact in liaising with the media during the past year and is either new to the industry PR scene or has taken on a new role/position.

Winner – Sam Buckingham (Press officer, Genesis Motor UK)

“‘Thrown in at the deep end’ could be a phrase invented for Sam Buckingham. In his first PR posting, he has risen to the challenge of representing the Genesis brand brilliantly as it establishes itself in the UK. Sam has integrated seamlessly into one of the most charismatic PR teams in the industry with a level of enthusiasm and professionalism that is truly appreciated by SGMW members.”

Runner-up – Tamara Better (Product communications section manager, Nissan GB)

THE SGMW OBE (OPERATING BEYOND EXPECTATION) – for acting above and beyond the call of PR duty during the past year. It can be for consistent high performance, a memorable one-off effort, or a thoughtful gesture towards one of our members caught in a bind.

Winner – Simon Branney (Head of PR and communications, Genesis Motor UK)

“Simon Branney, Genesis. Made sure Pro Driver had a GV80 for our CoTY event ahead of the press launch. And it won!”

Runner-up – Jess Grimditch (Press officer, Suzuki GB)

BEST PR OFFICE – awarded to the operation consistently delivering the best all-round or forward-thinking service to SGMW throughout the year.

Winner – Kia UK

“Kia again! Consistently supportive in providing a professional service to showcase an excellent product range to our members.”

Runner-up – Suzuki GB

BEST IN PR INNOVATION – awarded for an unusual or particularly excellent launch, driving route, or any imaginative addition to an event of the PR year in general.

Winner – Genesis GV60 international launch

“Genesis for the ‘Car Hotel’ at the GV60 launch. Park and recharge on your balcony!”

DARK HORSE OF THE YEAR – a car that surprised SGMW members, either by its arrival or just how good it was.

Winner – MG4 EV

“MG4 simply exceeded expectations on all fronts.”

ONE TO WATCH – the car that SGMW members most look forward to driving in the coming year.

Winner – Honda Civic Type R

“As the Honda Civic celebrates half a century, and in an era of electric vehicles, it is great to see that a high-performance hot hatchback can still excite the motoring world. A fitting tribute and a brave move.”

SGMW CAR OF THE YEAR

Winner – MG4 EV

“A very pleasantly surprising car. An unbelievable price, with a driving experience, equipment list and all-electric driving range to shade major rivals.”

SGMW Southern Star – for the group member who has done most for the organisation or its profile or done something praiseworthy or beyond the call of duty.

Winner – the late Sue Baker

“As for SGMW Southern Star, I’m not sure if posthumous votes are allowed, but I really think it should go to the lovely and much-missed Sue Baker.”

Congratulations to our winners and we wish you all a healthy and happy new year.

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It has been another difficult year for the motor industry so the coveted, keenly-fought awards, now in their sixth year, will be a great start to 2023. The successful cars, manufacturers and PRs are revealed on January 1.

SGMW chairman Ian Robertson said: “It’s hard to believe this is the sixth year that we have presented our New Year Honours.

“Our annual awards, for star cars and pro-active PRs, survived the Covid pandemic, which severely affected the motor industry and new model launches, and have gone from strength to strength since their original launch.

“They have become a high point of the motoring calendar for manufacturers and PRs. With the successful cars and contestants announced on January 1, it is a great start to the new year.

“Hopefully, our awards will be the first of many successes for them.

“More and more electric vehicles are among the contenders but, even so, you can never dismiss some of the excellent petrol and diesel models that also make up the fascinating field.”

The winners of the eight tightly-fought categories, voted for by SGMW members, will be announced on January 1, 2023.

Here’s a reminder of the awards up for grabs and the 2022 winners and runners-up:

Best PR Newcomer – awarded to someone who made a special impact in liaising with the media during the past year and is either new to the industry PR scene or has taken on a new role/position.

• 2022 runaway winner – Milissa Ordona (Senior events co-ordinator, Kia UK)

The SGMW OBE (Operating Beyond Expectation) – for acting above and beyond the call of PR duty during the past year. It can be for consistent high performance, a memorable one-off effort, or a thoughtful gesture towards one of our members caught in a bind.

• 2022 winner – Simon Branney (Head of PR and communications, Genesis Motor UK)
• 2022 runner-up – Jess Grimditch (Press officer, Suzuki GB)

Best PR Office – awarded to the operation consistently delivering the best all-round or forward-thinking service to SGMW throughout the year.

• 2022 winner – Toyota
• 2022 runner-up – Kia UK

Best in PR Innovation – awarded for an unusual or particularly excellent launch, driving route, or any imaginative addition to an event of the PR year in general.

• 2022 winner – Suzuki’s 100^th anniversary all-products launch in Cardiff
• 2022 runner-up – Kia EV6 launch

Dark Horse of the Year – a car that surprised SGMW members, either by its arrival or just how good it was.

• 2022 winner – Fiat 500 Electric
• 2022 runner-up – Kia EV6

One to Watch  – the car that SGMW members most look forward to driving in the coming year.

• 2022 winner – Volkswagen ID. Buzz
• 2022 runner-up – Tesla Model Y

SGMW Car of the Year

• 2022 winner – Kia EV6, pictured top
• 2022 runner-up – Skoda Enyaq

SGMW Southern Star – for the group member who has done most for the organisation or its profile or done something praiseworthy or beyond the call of duty.

• 2022 winner – Andy Russell

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