For once, a group of women was in the spotlight at the London Motor Show, which is still dominated by men. The show shows cars and technology - and awards are presented on the live stage in the main hall of the 400 m² exhibition area at the Royal Docks in east London. For automotive journalists from Women's Word Car of the Year the London show was a milestone. It was the first time in the 121-year history of automobile exhibitions that motorists have their own stand.
Women's World Car of The Year was founded nine years ago by New Zealand motor journalist Sandy Myhre with just eight jury members. There are now 37 journalists from 28 different countries on the jury. Additional jury members will join in the course of the year. This year, ten members of the jury from nine different countries, including Solveig Grewe, author for AUTOHUB, gathered on and in front of the stage Beatrice Simonson, Senior Product Manager from Volvo in Sweden to present trophy and certificate for the Volvo XC40.
The SUV was named Women's World Car of The Year 2018 by the jury. The world's only automobile award with an exclusively female jury is intended to take into account the increasing importance of women as an independent customer group and their influence on the decision to buy a vehicle in the family. Decisions are based on criteria such as safety, price-performance ratio, appearance, storage space, child-friendliness, driving comfort and environmental properties.
The XC 40 has the most female customers of all Volvos
The number of female buyers shows how correct the jury is with its assessment of the compact SUV from Sweden. The Volvo XC 40, launched last year, has the highest proportion of buyers in Volvo's portfolio, Beatrice Simonsson emphasized after accepting the award.
The “Woman of Worth” award went to Fiona Pargeter from Jaguar Land Rover
Subsequently, Fiona Pargeter, Jaguar Land Rover's Commercial Experience Director, received the trophy and certificate for the first prize ever, which the jury awarded as the “Woman of Worth Award” last year as part of the Women's World Car of the Year award. The award was created to honor the significant contribution of a woman from the automotive industry.
Fiona Pargeter as a role model for women in the automotive industry
Fiona Pargeter is responsible for actively promoting more women in the automotive industry at the British luxury brand. At Jaguar Land Rover, the number of women in management positions tripled, and the number of female engineering trainees has now exceeded threefold the national average. “Our customers come first when developing our products. Females as well as males ”. That is why the diversity of the workforce is of particular importance and a matter close to her heart, she explained after the award was presented.
Text: Solveig Grewe
Photos: Matt Richardsen / private