BMW and Jaguar battle for best Executive Car title
Summary
The battle between UK-based Jaguar and German car maker BMW has intensified as the BMW 530d was named Executive Car of the Year for the second year running at the Professional Driver Car of the Year Awards 2011.
Only last week, the Jaguar XF was named the UK's best car of the past decade in a driver survey, but it finished a close second behind its rival in the latest Professional Driver awards.
A new 2.2-litre diesel engine, the most efficient ever used on Jaguar car, was introduced this month to put the XF directly up against the likes of the 530d, itself an improved engine in terms of efficiency and running costs.
A panel of chauffeurs, private hire operators and motoring journalists chose the BMW 530d Gran Turismo for its practicality, equipment levels and efficient diesel engines.
Meanwhile, the Jaguar XF executive saloon finished second ahead of another German rival, the Audi A6.
The Jaguar XF and BMW 530d differ in that the XF is an executive saloon while the BMW Gran Turismo model is a hatchback, meaning it has more room in the back thanks to its bulkier rear end.
However, the Jaguar XF starts at just £30,950 for SE specification models compared to the entry-level BMW 530d Gran Turismo version which starts from £46,325.
Alternatively, a BMW 530d saloon is priced at £38,000, an increase of £8,000 over its Jaguar rival. Both cars offer the same level of CO2 emissions (149g/km) and similar fuel economy figures of around 50mpg.
Both cars have a long list of executive-level equipment such as climate control, leather interior, satellite navigation and touch-screen technology.
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