Professional Driver named the BMW 730Ld not only the Car of the Year for 2011, but also the Chauffeur Car of the year, by offering a great mix of comfort, luxury and drivability.

The Bimmer won the title – judged by a panel of invited chauffeurs, private hire operators and motoring journalists – in a close competition with Audi A8L, as well as from last year’s Professional Driver Car of the Year, the Jaguar XJL. While those two might be better for the passengers in the back, there’s no doubt the BMW is the best to drive.

With the highest total score, the BMW 730Ld finished ahead of the other three category winners to win the ultimate accolade of Professional Driver Car of the Year for 2011.

Professional Driver editor Mark Bursa, who chaired the judging for the awards, said: “The BMW 730Ld offers an exceptional mix of comfort, rear-seat luxury and driveability. Since 2009, the 7-series has been improved, with better fuel economy now above 40mpg combined. And crucially, it’s part of a beefed-up manufacturer-backed chauffeur programme that makes it much more affordable for chauffeurs on a lease basis than either the Jaguar XJL or the Mercedes S-class.”