Not only was the BMW 730Ld saloon crowned ‘Car of the Year’ at the Professional Driver Awards 2011, it also took the title of ‘Chauffeur Car of the Year’, being commended for its mix of passenger luxury, low running costs and driver satisfaction.

What’s more, the all-new 5 Series Gran Turismo retained its title of ‘Executive Car of the Year’ for the second year running and was praised for its abundance of rear legroom, driving position and high quality.

A total of 33 cars were entered for the Professional Driver Car of the Year Awards, which were judged by more than 30 experts from the chauffeuring and private hire sector and the motoring media.

Both models are available on the BMW Chauffeur Programme with benefits such as BMW Service Inclusive which lasts for five years or 60,000 miles and covers all of the vehicle’s basic servicing needs.