The waiting is over and tonight is finally the night for the biggest celebration of car dealership success in 2017… The AM Awards are here.

The most important night in the motor retailing calendar takes place at the ICC, Birmingham, this evening and right here we give you one last chance to take a look at this year’s shortlist before the winners are announced.

A panel of eight judges, including AM editor-in-chief- Stephen Briers and editor Tim Rose and chaired by Christopher Macgowan OBE, made their choices last month from the dealers seeking to be crowned the best in the industry.

Taking a deliberately diverse look at the industry, AM aims to acknowledge great performance, innovation and a consistent approach that exploits opportunities and tackles problems across more than 20 categories.

As well as dealers, AM acknowledges the part played by manufacturers in the health of the retail sector in five awards-  new car, used car and franchise partner of the year (voted for by dealers) as well as manufacturer of the year and digital initiative.

> AM Awards 2017 e-zine (view here)

 

The 2017 AM Awards Shortlist

 

Digital awards

Best Use of Social Media

Cambria Automobiles

CarShop

Hendy Group

Luscombe Motors

Marshall Motor Group

Ocean Automotive

Sponsored by Marketing Delivery

 

Best Use of Video

Luscombe Motors

Spire Jaguar

 

Best Dealer Website

CarShop

Luscombe Motors

Peter Vardy

Swansway Group

TMS Motor Group

Sponsored by CarGurus

 

Excellence in business awards

Best Training and Development Programme

CarShop

Stoneacre Motor Group

Volkswagen Passenger Cars

(with DEKRA Automotive)

Wight Motors

Sponsored by AutoProtect

 

Excellence in Customer Service

Beechwood Derby

Curtis Toyota Ballymena

Jardine Motors Group

Luscombe Motors

Romford Mazda

Vospers of Truro

Sponsored by EMaC

 

Excellence in Aftersales

Peter Vardy BMW & Mini Edinburgh

Sandown Group

Swansway Group

TMS Kia

Sponsored by FUCHS Lubricants

 

Best Sales Team (new or used)

Arnold Clark Hillington Renault

Norton Way Corporate Sales

Peter Vardy CarStore Glasgow

Peter Vardy BMW & Mini Edinburgh

TMS Kia

Swansway Volkswagen Van Centre Liverpool

Sponsored by Barclays Partner Finance

 

Retailer awards

Best Used Car Performance

Arnold Clark Automobiles

Drayton Motors

Fine Cars

Perrys Aylesbury

Peter Vardy

Sponsored by Autoclenz

 

Best Fleet Operation

Norton Way Motors

Snows Toyota

Swansway Group

TrustFord

 

Most Improved Dealership

Harold Wood Audi

Marshall Volkswagen South Oxford

TMS Volvo Coventry

TMS Volvo Hinckley

TrustFord Bradford

Volvo Cars North London

Wight Motors

 

Best Dealership

Luscombe Suzuki Leeds

Peter Vardy BMW & Mini Edinburgh

Stafford Land Rover (Swansway Group)

Sponsored by Rhino Events

 

Best Retail Group (up to & including 10 sites)

Delgarth Motor Group

Hawkins Motor Group

The Hughes Group

TMS Motor Group

Sponsored by Diamondbrite Automotive

 

Best Retail Group (more than 10 sites)

Arnold Clark Automobiles

Hatfields

Peter Vardy

Rybrook Holdings

TrustFord

Sponsored by Dealerweb

 

Manufacturer awards

Used Car of the Year

Ford Fiesta

Kia Sportage

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Suzuki Vitara

Volkswagen Golf

Sponsored by Car Care Plan

 

New Car of the Year

Fiat 124 Spider

Jaguar F-Pace

Kia Sportage

Peugeot 3008

Toyota CH-R

Volkswagen Tiguan

Sponsored by Supagard

 

Franchise Partner of the Year

Ford

Kia

Mercedes-Benz

Peugeot

Suzuki

Volkswagen

 

Headline awards

Dealer Principal/General Manager of the Year

Darren Bradford, Drayton Motors Kia

Glen Ramskill, Vantage Toyota York

Mike Dodds, Volvo Cars North London

Neil Pearson, JCT600 Mazda Leeds

Nick Beevis, Perrys Motor Sales Aylesbury

William Lander, Marshall Bridgewater Van Centre

Sponsored by Motors.co.uk

 

Digital Initiative of the Year

Shortlist is made up of the winners from each digital category

Sponsored by Auto Trader

 

Business Leader of the Year

Chosen by the AM judges

Sponsored by Santander Consumer Finance

 

Manufacturer of the Year

BMW

Hyundai

Jaguar Land Rover

Mazda

Seat

Tesla

Volvo

Sponsored by carwow

 

Retailer of the Year

Shortlist is made up of the winners from each retail category

Sponsored by Black Horse

 

AM Hall of Fame

Chosen by Stephen Briers, the editor-in-chief of AM

Sponsored by Shell UK