India’s most loved automotive title, BBC TopGear Magazine India has announced its winners of its TopGear Magazine India Awards 2012. Into its fifth edition, the TopGear Magazine India Awards brings together a list of the most impressive cars and bikes launched in the past one year in India, which have won the most kudos from the jury comprising of automotive experts.  An award that recognises true passion in our exciting automotive world – BBC TopGear Magazine’s ‘The Stig’ trophy is fast becoming a symbol of recognition for those manufacturers who bring uncompromising and radical machines on Indian roads.

Held at the Kingdom of Dreams, Gurgaon on December 10, 2012, the ceremony honoured the most significant, game-changing and thrilling machines to set new tyre tread on Indian roads. The jury, comprising of the TopGear road test team, have chosen the best from a slew of launches that happened between November 1, 2011 and October 31, 2012. Unlike many jury awards that judges cars over a few laps over a day or two, the TopGear magazine’s editorial team of automotive experts drive, ride and practically live with these machines throughout the year; and thus, are able to come across key elements in cars and bikes that all vehicle buyers look for before a purchase – attributes that can never be gauged by a simple test drive.

Commenting on the BBC TopGear Magazine India Awards, Tarun Rai CEO Worldwide Media said “BBC TopGear is the biggest auto magazine brand in the world with editions in 31 countries. And in each of these 31 countries Top Gear is known for its authoritative take on cars and motorcycles. It is therefore, appropriate that the first auto awards of 2012 are also the most definitive. 26 best cars and bikes of the year, in various categories, will walk away with the TopGear trophy – The Stig. The Stig trophy itself symbolizes Top Gear’s passion for cars and bikes. The night of Dec 10 will be a big night of celebration as we applaud the very best of the auto industry”

This year’s winners include names like the Mini Cooper S, Renault Duster, Lamborghini Aventador, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Audi Q3 and KTM Duke 200 among others who have managed to impress the TopGear Magazine team with their sheer capabilities. “We do not judge a car by numbers alone. That would be too easy and strangely, inaccurate. I think for all true car and bike lovers, they are not just machines but living beings whom we talk and spend time with,” says Girish Karkera, Editor, TopGear Magazine India. “The underlying common thread between all our winners is that they are the new benchmark in their respective segments. More importantly, they are brilliant in their own right.”

Taking into account the expansion and diversification of the Indian automotive market, the 2012 edition of the awards have also evolved with all-new categories over last year to reflect the evolution of the Indian automotive scene. Especially, in the SUV segment where we have seen a lot of action. “We Indians don’t seem to have enough of SUVs,” notes Girish Karkera. “Which has prompted us to create new categories to justify the surge in the different kinds of these lovable machines that we now have access to.”

The uncompromising methodology of picking the winners is based on not just engine performance or boot space but also the overall driving and lounging experience, value, reliability, coolness, refinement and the ability of the vehicle to touch a chord with its owner.

TopGear Magazine India Awards 2012 winners (in no particular order):

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