The Golden Steering Wheel (“Das Goldene Lenkrad”) competition, one of the most prestigious in the auto world, has awarded the Alfa Romeo Giulia the coveted title of the “Most Beautiful Car” for the year 2016. So for once one of these car of the year awards has got it just right!

That’s probably because that in addition to a panel of 29 automotive experts, Golden Steering Wheel also counts the votes of the readers of Auto Bild and Bild am Sonntag. So in a way it was the public that awarded the Giulia with the title it so clearly deserves. What’s more, the panel of experts included some big names who are true petrolheads, such as rally world champions Walter Röhrl and Sébastien Ogier, DTM champion Mattias Ekström and designer Andrea Zagato.

You only have to look at the Alfa Romeo Giulia next to some of the other cars of this class to realize it is leaps and bounds better looking them. The Alfa is one of the handful of new cars that still have an emotional design, like it was penned by an actual human being and not a software or a marketing committee concerned with trend and fashion. The voters also liked how Alfa has managed to integrate their traditional design features, such as trefoil, into modern and dynamic lines of the Giulia.

Alfa Romeo is no stranger to Golden Steering Wheel award, with their most notable previous wing including a 2011 award for “I am Giulietta” advertising campaign, a 2000 win for Alfa Romeo 147, and a 1995 award for the “Coupé” category won by Alfa Romeo GTV.