20-MAR-2008: 2008 World Car Design of the Year: Audi R8

  AND NOW THERE IS ONE….

AUDI R8 DECLARED

2008 WORLD CAR DESIGN OF THE YEAR

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March 20, 2008 – New York, NY - For Immediate Release

At a press conference hosted by the MIDWAY GROUP, Mobil 1 and the New York International Auto Show at the Jacob Javitz Centre in Manhattan, New York, the Audi R8 was declared the 2008 World Car Design of the Year.   

Cars eligible for the 2008 World Car Design of the Year award are taken from the list of thirty-nine (39) World Car candidates nominated by forty-seven (47) World Car jurors from twenty-four (24) countries throughout the world. 

A design panel consisting of four highly respected world design experts asked to first review each candidate, and then establish a short-list of recommendations for the jurors.  The design experts were:   

•           Silvia Baruffaldi: Managing Editor, Auto & Design magazine

•           Robert Cumberford:  design critic, Automobile and Auto & Design magazines

•           Akira Fujimoto:  Editor-in-Chief, Car Styling magazine.

•           Tom Matano: Executive Director, School of Industrial Design, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, USA

Jurors then voted on the expert’s recommendations. The top three design finalists were, in alphabetical order, the Audi R8, the Mazda2 / Mazda Demio and the Volvo C30.         

The World Car Design of the Year category, and the corresponding award, is meant to highlight new vehicles with innovation and style that push established boundaries.

The World Car jurors praised Audi for “….transforming the sports car landscape”.  “The R8 design is striking, original and full of interesting details, from the nose strakes to the much discussed vertical ‘blade’ behind the B pillar”.   World Car design expert, Tom Matano, commented, “It is a great visual representation of the technology within…..a complete package of Techno-Iconic Design”.   The R8 looks just as good as it performs, which is saying something.  In design consultant Robert Cumberford’s opinion, the Audi is a “real tour de force in style, performance and practicality.” 

“Having won the World Car Design of the Year award last year with the new Audi TT, it is a real pleasure to make it two in a row with the Audi R8,” said Johan De Nysschen, Executive Vice President of Audi of America.  “Our designers surpassed themselves with our first super sports car, which is both a show-stopper and a traffic-stopper.  Characteristic features such as LED headlights and customizable sideblades make the Audi R8 instantly recognizable.  We are delighted that our designers' work has been acknowledged in this way by the World Car of the Year jurors.”

Previous winners of the World Car Design of the Year award were the Audi TT in 2007 and the Citroen C4 in 2006. 

Now in their fifth year, the annual World Car awards have become one of the most prestigious and credible programs of their type in the world.

The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale.   The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programs.

The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America.  There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.

For more information, please visit our web site at www.wcoty.com or send us an email:  beth@wcoty.com.  If you prefer to talk to us, please call our Executive Manager, Beth Rhind, at 1.705.924.3444.

About the MIDWAY-GROUP

MIDWAY-GROUP, a member of the Hankey Group of Companies, is a global automotive solutions firm with strategic regional headquarter locations serving the United States, Canada, Western Europe, China, Korea and Japan.  The MIDWAY-GROUP, specializes in Vehicle Acquisition and Supply, Comprehensive Transportation, Insurance Underwriting and Market Data Services utilized by automobile manufacturers, marketing, training, advertising, consumer research, engineering, media services and certified testing agencies.  www.midway-group.com

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About Mobil 1

The world's leading synthetic motor oil, Mobil 1 features a proprietary SuperSyn anti-wear technology that provides performance beyond conventional motor oils. This technology allows Mobil 1 to exceed the toughest standards of car builders and to provide exceptional protection against engine wear, under normal or some of the most extreme conditions. Mobil 1 flows quickly in extreme temperatures to protect critical engine parts and is designed to maximize engine performance and help extend engine life.

Chosen by more Original Equipment Manufacturers than any other oil brand in the world, Mobil 1 is factory fill, manufacturer recommended, original equipment in many of the world's premier luxury and high performance vehicles, including Acura RDX, Aston Martin, all Bentley Vehicles, Cadillac CTS, CTS-V, Escalade, XLR, XLR-V, SRX and STS and STS-V Chevrolet Corvette C6 and Z06, Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS, Chrysler 300C SRT-8 , Cobalt SS S/C Coupe, Charger SRT-8, and Magnum SRT-8, Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8, Mercedes AMG Vehicles, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Mitsubishi Evolution, Pontiac Solstice GXP, all Porsche Vehicles, Saturn Ion Red Line, Saturn Sky Red Line and Nissan GT-R.

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About the New York International Auto Show

Kicking off the springtime selling season, the 2008 New York International Auto Show features an impressive collection of cutting-edge design and remarkable innovation.  More than four floors of displays from the world’s automakers feature the newest vehicles and futuristic concept cars.  More than 1,000 cars and trucks are on display at the Javits Center, filling 846,000 square feet of exhibit space.  The New York International Automobile Show is owned and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association. www.autoshowNY.com

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