BMW’s i3 and Nissan’s IDx have won the coveted Car Design of the Year award for 2013 cars in the concept and production categories respectively.
They were selected by a panel of senior design directors and won over fierce competition from runners up Volvo Concept Coupe and Cadillac Elmiraj in the concept category, and Jaguar F-Type Coupe and Porsche 918 Spyder in the production category.
Twelve cars were shortlisted by the judges for each of the awards, including designs from the 2013 global output of Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet, Citroen, Ford, Kia, Lexus, Mercedes, Opel, Suzuki and VW among others.
The judging panel for the Design of the Year Awards included Ed Welburn, VP of global design at GM, Moray Callum, VP design at Ford, Laurens van den Acker, VP design for Renault, Gorden Wagener, VP design at Mercedes-Benz, Gert Hildebrand, head of design for newcomer Qoros, Steve Mattin, design director at Lada, Richard Chung, VP industrial design at Johnson Controls, and Sooshin Choi, professor at leading design school CCS.
The BMW i3 was described as: “The signal we were all waiting for: to settle us firmly in the twenty-first century. The BMW i3 is more than a car, it goes beyond its airy style. It’s a total 360-degree circle of design innovation: from shapes to instruments, we are discovering the pleasure of seamless mobility.”
Of the Nissan IDx the judges said: “The simplicity of the IDx’s angular, three-box silhouettes is a large part of the uncomplicated, instant emotional connection to these cars, while the inspired level of customisation makes me want to build one just for me.”
Lifetime Achievement Award for Marcello Gandini
The awards also honoured the lifetime achievement of legendary Italian designer Marcello Gandini. His outstanding contribution to car design stretches back to the 1965 Lamborghini Miura, as well as its Countach and Diablo successors. His work also includes the Lancia Stratos Zero concept and the production Lancia Stratos HF, the Citroen BX, Fiat X1/9, BMW 5 Series, a series of Maseratis and the Renault Magnum truck amongst many others.
“This great man’s career spans over 50 years and his work includes some of the most seminal, visionary designs of all time,” said Car Design News editor Owen Ready. “He has proved an inspiration to generations of car designers and his work continues to influence the industry today.”[wzslider height=”400″ lightbox=”true”]
