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What Car? Names Ford Focus as Green Car of the Year in First-Ever What Car? Green Awards

LONDON, July 23, 2008: The Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Style has scooped the top award at What Car?’s first-ever Green Awards, held in association with Warranty Direct.

The Focus’s green credentials saw it beat off 23 other contenders to take the top accolade, in categories ranging from green supermini to green sports car.

The results of the Awards were announced in the Greener Driving Pavilion at the British International Motorshow, currently running at ExCel in London. Presenting the Awards, What Car?’s group editor, Steve Fowler, said: “This Focus shows you don’t have to slum it to do your bit for the planet. It’s proof that outstanding efficiency and lower emissions can be achieved without using prohibitively expensive technologies.

“Beside the environmental benefits, it’s family-friendly, great to drive, fuel efficient and safe, too, as its five-star Euro NCAP rating goes to show.”

Collecting the award, Stephen Odell, Ford of Europe’s Chief Operation Officer, said:"All of us at Ford are delighted that the Focus 1.6 TDCi Style has been named Green Car of the Year by What Car?. It is a great endorsement of Ford's environmental philosophy to provide simple, effective technology to the mass market where it can be adopted by more customers. And the more customers, the greater the environmental effect."

Citroën won two Green Awards, for MPV (Grand C4 Picasso) and family car (C5), while Honda’s British-built CR-V picked up the award for the greenest 4x4, proving that not all 4x4s are gas-guzzling monsters. The CR-V emits just 171g/km – less than many mainstream hatchbacks.

Another British-built car, the Mini Cooper S, picked up the award for the greenest sports car. “The Mini is simply good at everything, and it’s got a heart,” said Steve Fowler.

At different ends of the market, the Fiat 500 1.2 Pop was named best Green Supermini, while the Audi A8 2.8 V6 FSI SE collected the gong for the greenest luxury car.

The special Editor’s Award went to BMW for its Efficient Dynamics technology, while Toyota picked up the Technology Award for leading the way with future hybrid technology, this time in the form of plug-in hybrids. Toyota plans to have a plug-in Prius on sale by 2010.

"Fuel prices have certainly focused the consumers mind on more economical, and by default, greener options. One thing is for sure, the choices available are expanding all the time, and it's encouraging to see a clear pattern of change from the manufacturers." explains Duncan McClure Fisher of Warranty Direct.