Spring 2019 Meeting: A New Website and Car of the Year

The Northern Group of Motoring Writers held its first meeting of the year at its traditional haunt of the Thorpe Park Hotel, Leeds – and it proved quite a busy one!

After the success of last year’s Car of the Year driving day, the Group decided to repeat the format for 2019. Martin Ward will compile the traditional list of new cars from the last 12 months, and members will submit their choices of the top three they have driven throughout the year. There’s also the option of a “wild card” — a car they may not have driven, but which they think may merit inclusion.

Following a tallying of the votes, the Group will invite manufacturers to send examples of the top six cars to Thorpe Park in late summer for a driving day. All members present will get the opportunity to drive, poke and prod the vehicles before voting for the winner — which the Group will present at the SMMT North Test Day in September.

In 2018, the prize went to the Kia Stinger, ahead of the Jaguar I-PACE and the Suzuki Swift Sport.

Kia will also be involved in the Group’s traditional summer AGM and driving day. This will take place in Cheshire (with the venue yet to be determined) and, unusually, will be a midweek affair, on June 11th.

The AGM also presents an opportunity for members to propose amendments to the Group’s constitution. This is available to browse right here on the NGMW website.

Speaking of the website, Andrew Evans, our website editor, showed the attendees the new-look site. This is due to go live on April 1st (all jokes aside), replacing its venerable predecessor.

The members at the meeting also invited retiring PSA communications director Andrew Didlick to become a Friend of the Group.