The NGK-sponsored M-Sport World Rally Championship (WRC) team has won a prestigious award.

Its Ford Fiesta WRC, fitted with NGK spark plugs and NTK Lambda sensors, came out on top in the 2017 Autosport Awards' Rally Car of the Year category after out-performing factory teams from Citroen, Hyundai and Toyota.

Malcolm Wilson's Cumbrian-based team won the 2017 WRC title as well as taking Sebastien Ogier to the drivers' title and helping Ott Tanak and Elfyn Evans to individual rally victories.

"This year's been very special," said Wilson as he received the award at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London's Park Lane.

“The 20 minutes on Rally GB is something that I think would be very difficult to replicate - Ott crosses the line and we get the manufacturers', Sebastien crosses the line and we get the drivers' and then we get the triple crown as Elfyn becomes the first British driver to win there for 17 years. It's been an incredible year."

M-Sport has retained Ogier, who was named Rally Driver of the Year for the fifth successive year, and Evans for 2018.

Mark Hallam, Marketing Manager, NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd, said: “It has been great to have worked with M-Sport in what has been an incredibly successful year for the team acknowledged by this richly deserved accolade. Many of our customers are devoted fans of WRC and have followed the M-Sport team throughout what has been a memorable season.”

NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd is a leading supplier of original equipment (OE) spark plugs, glow plugs, NTK Lambda and other engine management sensors, plus ignition coils.

The company has a long and illustrious history in motorsport, sponsoring some of the most successful teams and competitors in Rally, Formula One and other championships, helping them to achieve numerous world titles.

For more information on NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd and its products and services, please visit the website www.ngkntk.co.uk Also you can check out its new blogzine at ngktorque.com