2012 Awards

2012 JURORS (by country)

AUSTRALIA
	JOSHUA DOWLING  Contributor: The Sydney Morning Herald, Top Gear Australia, Popular Science Australia, GQ Australia Joshua Dowling is one of Australia's most experienced motoring journalists, with 20 years under his belt. Having worked for 11 years as the Motoring Editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia's biggest broadsheet newspaper, he has amassed an impressive list of news, reviews and feature stories. Dowling estimates he drives over 200 vehicles a year, in Australia and overseas, and has attended every major international motor show for the past decade to stay in tune with the latest models and trends. Since going freelance in 2009, he has expanded his outlet coverage to include the country's biggest-selling men's magazine Top Gear Australia, the nation's most-viewed car website carsales.com.au reaching over 1.2m unique hits each month, Popular Science Australia and GQ Australia. He also comments weekly about the car industry on two of Sydney's most popular radio stations MMM and 2UE, the latter of which is syndicated to over 40 stations across Australia reaching an estimated 1 million listeners. A keen motor sport enthusiast, Dowling is a competition license holder and has raced at Bathurst in production cars as well as competing in production car and rally series.
	PAUL GOVER  Contributor: Herald Sun. Syndicated across Australia to five major metropolitan newspapers, e.g. Daily Telegraph Sydney; The Advertiser Adelaide, Sunday Time, Perth, etc. Paul Gover is one of Australia's most senior motoring and motorsport writers and commentators, with a 30-year history in automotive journalism. He has worked as a newspaper reporter, motoring magazine editor and in public relations, as well as commentating on motoring issues for both radio and television. Gover is currently the National Motoring Editor for News Limited in Australia, a position which gives him oversight of the daily motoring content in the country's largest group of daily newspapers. The total daily readership of the News Limited papers is in excess of 8 million. In addition to his writing, the 53-year- old is also a successful race and rally driver who has won a national production car championship and raced a V8 Supercar at the legendary Bathurst circuit.
AUSTRIA
	MARIA BRANDL   Editor-in-chief: Kurier newspaper Maria Brandl is a University of Graz and Paris translation and journalism graduate and started her career as a translater for a metallurgical group in Austria. In 1986 she began her writing career. Since 1995 she has been co-editor of the weekly motoring-supplement of the nationwide newspaper Kurier. She is specialised in new technologies and alternative powertrains.
BELGIUM
	XAVIER DAFFE  Editor-in-chief: Le Moniteur automobile magazine After graduating in media relations in 1991, Daffe began writing road test reviews for the French magazine «Action Auto-Moto». He was then hired by Moniteur Automobile in Belgium to produce their buyers' guide. He then became a regular road-tester and eventually took over as Editor in Chief of the magazine in March 2006.
BRAZIL
	BORIS FELDMAN  O Estado de Minas, Boris Feldman was born in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, and earned degrees in engineering and journalism. As a journalist, he has written extensively about automobiles since 1966. Boris currently holds the positions of motoring editor for the newspaper Estado de Minas, host of the radio program Auto Papo, broadcast on several radio stations nationwide, and executive director of the weekly car show VRUM, broadcast on national TV by SBT – a Brazilian tv network. A former rally and racing driver, he is a vintage car collector and president of Veteran Car Club de Minas Gerais.
	JASON VOGEL  Contributor: O Globo newspaper, Diario de S. Paulo, Extra, Espresso newspapers Vogel became an automotive journalist in 1994. Since 2001, he is editor of "O Globo" motoring-supplement, named "CARROetc". Regular road-tests inside and outside Brazil are part of his professional work.
CANADA
	MICHAEL BETTENCOURT  The Globe and Mail newspaper Holding degrees in North American history and journalism, Michael Bettencourt is a weekly columnist and regular auto reviewer for The Globe and Mail newspaper, Canada's largest national daily. With his freelance automotive coverage taking him from South African coasts, to the de-militarized zone between North and South Korea, to the moonscapes of the deep Canadian Arctic, he uses both Canadian and European passports to cover automotive and tire events around the world, while representing outlets such as MSN Autos Canada, NUVO magazine and Sharp magazine.
	JOHN LEBLANC  Contributor: Toronto Star and MSN Autos After spending almost two decades in the advertising industry, John became a freelance automative journalist in 2000. He began contributing to the Ottawa Citizen in 2004, then moved to the National Post's Driving section a year later. Since 2007, he's been a regular contributor to the Toronto Star's weekly Wheels section, as well as also online at wheels.ca and MSN Autos Canada
CHINA
	BOB (BAO QING) DONG  Contributor: Auto Magazine Mr. Dong has been in the news media publishing business for over twenty years. Since 1996, he has been working for various media organizations, including Deputy Supervisor at Guanzhong Daily Newspaper's Business Section, News Supervisor of Zhujiang News Centre, Deputy Publisher and Editor-in-Chief at Guanzhong Morning Post and Editor-in-Chief at Science Herald. In 2002, he became the CEO of Dayoo.com. He joined CAR MAGAZINE and served as Editor-in-Chief in 2003.
	XIA DONG  Editor: Auto Motor and Sport, Car For You, Auto Catalogue, Auto Power magazine Xia Dong began his automotive career working for Mercedes and then Ferrari as sales manager. He became an automotive journalist in 1999 working for the Chinese edition of Auto Motor Und Sport. Shortly thereafter he and a team of journalists created two Chinese car magazines, China Auto Pictorial and Cars For You. They now produce an annual Auto Catalogue highlighting the "best new" vehicles. In addition, Dong founded, in 2001, the Chinese Car of the Year Awards.
	WILLIAM WANG KUN  Editor-in-Chief: AutoBild magazine Wang Kun is one of the youngest editors in the car magazine industry in China. He joined Car For You magazine in 2003 as an automotive journalist. Two years later, he became the Editorial Director for China Auto Pictorial. In 2007, he then went on to be the Editor-in-Chief at AutoCar and F1 Racing China magazines
	SEAN X.H. QIU  Editor-in-chief: AutoWorld magazine As one of the earliest auto professional media persons in China, Xiong Hui Qiu and his colleagues jointly founded China's first full-colour, auto professional monthly magazine in 1994. This was also the earliest auto magazine that China jointly launched with overseas media. Xiong Hui Qiu created China's earliest auto testing report column, tested autos himself and wrote testing reports. In the year 2000, he also established China's first auto rating - the annual top ten vehicles - which continues up to the present. Xiong Hui Qiu graduated from the Hunan University with a master's degree in linguistics. Currently he is also teaching journalism and Western cultural subjects in universities.
	SVEN XU  Publisher and Editorial Director: Car and Driver China, BMW Magazine China and MINI International China Sven Xu graduated from Fachhochschule for Technologies and Design Mannheim, Germany in 1998 where he majored in Communications Design From 1999-2004, he worked as the Art Director and Producer of the German auto magazine Auto motor und sport, Chinese edition. In 2005, he became the Editor-in-Chief of Car and Driver China; a position he held until 2006. From 2006 until now, he is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Car and Driver China. He has twice been an international juror in the Michelin Challenge Bibendum Design Contest; in Paris in 2006 and more recently in 2007 in Shanghai. He was the only Asian juror of The World's Most Beautiful Automobile Award 2007, Italy. For the past several years, he is a jury member on a number of domestic automotive awards in China.
ENGLAND
	NAT BARNES  Motoring Editor Daily and Sunday Express Nat Barnes also contributes on a freelance basis to numerous other publications and websites including 4Car, Fifth Gear online, Car magazine, Auto Express and other consumer titles. In addition to motoring, Nat also specialises in health and fitness journalism for numerous magazines and also undertakes more general feature writing.
	RICHARD BREMNER  Contributor: Autocar (UK); Daily Telegraph, Daily Express and Edmunds Inside Line; Sunday Times, What Car? Magazine, www.cleangreencars.co.uk/ Richard Bremner has been a motoring journalist since 1984 working for Car magazine, Autocar, the Channel 4 website 4car which he founded as well as various other web sites and national newspapers including the Daily Telegraph, Sunday Times, Express and Independent. Bremner is currently freelance, a senior contributing editor to Autocar, editor of Clean Green Cars (www.cleangreencars.co.uk) and contributor to various newspapers and websites as listed above. Specialties include road-test reviews in Autocar, news and feature writing. He has long been a reporter and motor industry observer having started out in the marketing department of Austin Rover. He also has a special interest in vehicle design and has written much in this area over the years.
	PETER BURGESS  Editor-in-chief and contributor: MSN - UK, Car Dealer Magazine, Which? – UK version of Consumer Reports Peter Burgess runs Motoring Research Ltd in the UK, an editorial agency specializing in motoring magazine and web site content. He is editor of the UK Car Catalogue, editor-in-chief of the Daily Express World Car Guide and chairman of the Guild of Motoring Writers in the UK.
	MIKE RUTHERFORD  Columnist: Daily Telegraph, Auto Express, AOL Motoring, BBC News, Telegraph TV Mike Rutherford currently writes weekly motoring columns for The Daily Telegraph, Auto Express (Chief Columnist) and AOL Motoring in the UK. He also does a monthly column for Motoring and Leisure plus various other features and road tests for The Times, Car and various other newspapers and magazines published in Britain and overseas. He has been a presenter on Pulling Power on ITV 1 for nine years, presented over 1,000 motoring programmes on national radio, been motoring editor on three national newspapers. Rutherford is one of the founding fathers of Auto Express which he helped establish and launch in 1988.
FRANCE
	KARINE LEROY  Contributor: Paris-Normandie daily newspaper Karine Leroy is one of the few women in France to have a career as an automotive journalist. She is responsible for the automotive section of the daily newspaper Paris-Normandie. She looks after other sections of the newspaper as well as part of her responsibilities. In addition, Leroy contributes to several other automotive media outlets in France. She brings to her career another perspective from a woman’s point of view. Leroy is also a board member of the Association française de la presse automobile (AFPA) and a juror for The International Car Advertising Film Festival, created in 1989.
	LIONEL ROBERT  Editor-in-chief, Automobiles and Sports - Paris-Match magazine Lionel Robert is a journalism graduate who joined the French publishing house Hachette Filipacchi in 1991 as the Assistant Editor-in-chief of Auto Moto magazine. He worked for this particular magazine until 1999 when he then focused his energies on creating the web site Auto-Moto.com. From there he moved over to Excelsior Publications as Editor-in-chief of Automobiles Classiques from 2001-2003. Since 2004, Lionel Robert has worked for media giant Lagardere Active; first on Driven magazine (2004-2008), then Onze Mondial (2006-2008) and currently Paris Match magazine. He writes a weekly automotive column, "Vivrematch Auto".
GERMANY
	THOMAS GEIGER  Contributor: Welt am Sonntag, Welt, Bild-Zeitung, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Deutsche Presse Agentur, Der Spiegel online, AutoBild, Der Tagesanzeiger Zürich, www.Autonet.at Redaktionsbuero.Geig For more then 10 years, Geiger is kept busy with regular road tests, press launches. In addition to his new car reviews, he also writes about design, new technologies, sustainable mobility, and customer service amongst other topics.
	GREG KABLE  Contributor: AutoCar UK, CAR UK, Top Gear, MSN Autos, Diesel Car, Evo, What MPV
	YOSHIHIRO KIMURA  Contributor: Auto Motor und Sport, Frankfurter Allgemaine Zeitung newspaper, Japan's Motor Magazine, Car Top, Car Graphic Based in Germany for over 20 years, Japanese journalist Yoshihiro Kimura is one of the industry's most influential personalities. A graduate of Tokyo's St. Paul University and the Academy or Art College in Stuttgart, German-speaking Kimura contributes to Auto Motor und Sport and the Frankfurter Allgemaine Zeitung newspaper, in addition to Japan's Motor, Le Volant, Car Top, Car Graphic and Driver. He also works as a much sought-after translator for BMW's Fascination magazine and Freude am Fahren, as well as Maybach History.
	JENS MEINERS  Owner: SpotPress Services; contributor to a number of national and international publications. Jens Meiners has covered the automotive industry since 1996. A former law student, he began his career in automotive journalism as editor of the buyer's guide Autosalon. He has since written for a number of newspapers, trade and enthusiast magazines, including Arabia Motors, Auto Week, Automotive News Europe, and Car and Driver. He is co-owner of the automotive news agency SpotPress Services in Cologne, Germany. He lives in Northern Bavaria with a growing collection of cars, which includes an Aston Martin Lagonda and a Nissan Skyline GT-R.
	JUERGEN ZOELLTER   Contributor: Autobild, Autozeitung, Focus, Welt am Sonntag plus additional international outlets A graduate of the University of Karlsruhe, Jurgen Zollter taught at the same university for six years prior to becoming the editor of the leading photo-magazine Photo Revue in February of 1986. He became editor of Top Driver in April 1987 and in 1989 became a freelance journalist contributing to outlets all over Asia, Europe and the USA, for example, FOCUS, stern,CAR, mot, Autobild, Welt am Sonntag, WELT, AutoFocus, AUTO/Strassenverkehr, Off Road, Playboy, Matador, GALA, AutoExpress/UK, CAR/UK, AUTOWEEK/NL, GTO/NL, L'Auto Journal/F, L'Automobile Magazine/F, Sport Auto/F, Alles Auto/A, Neue Kronen Zeitung/A, Neue Zuercher Zeitung/CH, Z¸richer Sonntagszeitg./CH, Automobil Revue/CH, AUTO/I, Autosprint/I, Auto Capital + Autopui/I, Automovil/SP, Autopista/SP, Auto Foco/P, Motor Magazine/J, GENROQ/J, F-Magazine/J,Road & Track/USA.
GREECE
	MICHAEL STAVROPOULOS  Contributor: 4Wheels Michael Stavropoulos began his automotive writing career working for the very magazine where he is now chief Editor. Beginning in 1986, he was their photographer and illustrator in addition to writing car reviews. In 1990, he began working for Auto Motor und Sport as their technical editor; then deputy editor in 1995. He returned to 4Wheels magazine in 2000 as the chief editor - a position that he still holds today.
INDIA
	ADIL JAL DARUKHANAWALA   Editor-in-chief, ZigWheels, Times of India Group Adil Jal Darukhanawala heads the automotive arm of the Times of India Group of publications known as ZigWheels. He spearheads a 360-degree automotive communications initiative which spans weekly automotive supplements in the Times of India newspaper (the largest circulated English newspaper in the world) as well as other newspapers in the group. Adil heads the largest automotive web site in India - www.zigwheels.com and has also formulated the very popular weekly ZigWheels show on the ET NOW television channel. He was the former editor of Car & Bike International magazine for 11 years followed by stewardship of Overdrive magazine for nine years. Prior to joining the Times of India’s automotive division, he headed the Indian edition of the British magazine CAR. An intrepid automotive buff, he began writing on subjects automotive when just out of school in 1976 and has contributed features for many international publications and also many specialist books on the subject. Adil is closely involved in chronicling Indian automotive history. Adil was instrumental in introducing the sport of motocross in India and remains to this day the only Indian, journalist or otherwise to having been on a MotoGP motorcycle. Not surprising this last detail cause he comes from a family which brought the very first motorcycle into India in 1903.
	RENUKA KIRPALANI  Editor & Host, Bloombergutv Renuka Kirpalani was editor and host of the CNBC TV 18's award-winning Auto Show since its inception in 2003 until 2007. She shifted over to UTVi channel (which has an alliance with ABC news) in April 2008 to launch an all-new TV programme on cars and bikes. Renuka is constantly traveling the globe, testing new cars both for the international and domestic market. She is also a Jury member for the Indian Car of the Year (ICOTY) awards and the Autocar Awards which are considered the Oscars of the Indian automobile Industry. Renuka had a successful career in Motorsport in India from 1988 to 1994 , and was National Champion in 1994. She learned about the world of automobiles working with her father one of the top tuners in the country.
	SIDDHARTH VINAYAK PATANKAR   Editor-Auto, NDTV and Columnist, Mint-Wall Street Journal (Financial and Business Daily) Siddharth is one of the most well-known faces on Indian television, as the anchor and editor of the country's most watched automobile based programme - The Car and Bike Show, on NDTV. Siddharth popularised the concept, and has since helped evolve a new niche of auto-based viewing and programming for Indian television. He is a well-respected name, not just as an automobile journalist, but also as a financial correspondent who specialises in the automobile industry. He also conceived and began the annual NDTV-Car & Bike Awards, which in its 7th year now, has fast gained the reputation of being one of the most non-controversial and sought-after awards for the Indian auto industry. Siddharth writes a monthly column on automobiles for the Mint-Wall Street journal newspaper. He is also the Editor-Auto for India's largest news website NDTV.com. He routinely travels to all parts of the world to test new cars, and cover the latest in automobile design & technology. Siddharth holds a Master of Science degree in Communication Studies from the prestigious Pune University. He has also studied in Australia and the United States.
	HORMAZD SORABJEE  Contributor: Autocar India Hormazd Sorabjee is widely acknowledged as India's most respected automotive journalist. He established Autocar India as the leading and most influential automobile magazine in India. Hormazd began his career with The Indian Auto Journal in 1986 where he pioneered the concept of automotive journalism and road testing in India. Since then, Hormazd has been closely involved with the auto industry and market and his articles have appeared in all major publications in India and abroad. He is considered an authority on the Indian automobile market and is widely quoted by the media. He hosts the very popular 'Auto Selector' section on CNBC channel's 'The Auto Show' to give consumer advice to viewers. Hormazd participated actively in motor sports from 1985-1994. The highlight of his career was overall second place in the gruelling 4,000km Great Desert Himalaya Rally in 1988. He is also the only Indian journalist to have driven a Formula One car.
IRELAND
	PADRAIC DEANE  Editor and contributor: Automotive Publications syndicated across Ireland Deane is the Irish juror for the International Engine of the Year awards and is the Irish Motoring Writers Association Secretary. He is also a juror for the Irish Car of the Year Awards, the Irish Van of the Year and the Irish SUV of the Year. In addition to his key role in Ireland's largest automotive publisher, Deane us a regular contributor to national newspapers, magazines, radio as well as Ireland's top automotive industry web sites, e.g. www.autopub.ie. Deane writes a weekly syndicated consumer motoring column in sixteen regional newspapers. He has eighteen years experience as a professional automotive journalist.
ITALY
	MATT DAVIS  Contributor: Winding Road, Edmonds Inside Line, European Car, Wynn Las Vegas, Auto Express UK, Sunday Times UK, Octane UK, Omni Auto Italy, Expressen Motor Sweden, Teknikens Varld Sweden, Genroq Japa So far as auto enthusiast publications go, Matt Davis remains the only American correspondent living and working in Europe. He contributes regularly to Winding Road in the United States (www.windingroad.com) as European Editor and can count some 20 additional publications around the world as frequent clients. He has also written books on various car subjects, particularly in the areas of design and designers. He calls northern Italy home.
	ALESSANDRO LAGO  Editor-in-chief, OmniAuto Born in Rome, Alessandro Lago studied in in Luxembourg and Rome (Business Administration). In 2000, he founded OmniAuto at the age of 18. OmniAuto.it is a website specialising in the automotive sector. Today, OmniAuto.it ranks first amongst Italian web magazines with more than 700.000 unique visitors per month. Thanks to his work, Alessandro Lago is a well respected journalist and successful web editor with his company Edimotive Srl whose headquarters are based in Rome. He also writes for Tiscali Motori (http://motori.tiscali.it) and H2Roma Magazine (http://www.h2roma.org).
	MARCO MARELLI   Contributor: Marco Marelli: RAI TV, La Stampa, Repubblica newspaper, Italiracing.net , XIX radio, CarandDriver (international). Marco began his career in freelance before he started working in Motorsport (F.1, F.Indy, Rally) in PR. In 1992, Marco began workeing for such newspapers as Il Gazzettino, Il Tempo and magazines Auto Oggi and Rombo. In 1999 Marco Al Volante, italian magazine. Currently Marco works for Gente Motori and Auto & Fuoristrada as Capo Redattore. Marco is a member of the Italian Automotive Journalist Association.
	MICHAEL TAYLOR  Italy based contributor to: Haymarket's Autocar magazine syndication, Motor magazine (Australia), AutoWeek (US), Engine magazine (Japan), United Arab Emirates' National newspaper, carsales.com.au (A With almost two decades of experience writing about cars and the car industry, Michael Taylor's work is now published regularly in more than 20 countries. After establishing himself as one of the foremost motoring journalists in Australia, he he moved to Modena, Italy in 2006. Beginning his working career on The Chronicle regional daily newspaper in Toowoomba, Australia, he progressed through The Courier-Mail in Brisbane to win awards for road tests and feature stories with the Royal Automobile Club of Australia's magazine, The Road Ahead. He subsequently worked as motoring editor on The Daily Telegraph, and has held editorships at both 4X4 Australia and Motor magazines. He still writes for both Australian publications, but his work is also syndicated through Haymarket's Autocar magazine and its licensed international outlets. He also contributes to AutoWeek magazine in the US, Japan's Engine magazine, United Arab Emirates' National newspaper, carsales.com.au in Australia and leftlanenews.com in the US. His work has also been translated and sold into Brazil, The Netherlands, France, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Russia, Spain, China, Turkey and Sweden.
JAPAN
	YASUHIKO KAWAMURA  Contributor: MotorMagazine, CarWatch, MotorFan, webCG, Driver, Autoc One, OPENERS A graduate of the mechanical engineering department of Japan's Kogakuin University, Kawamura is one of the country's most highly regarded motoring journalists. Starting out as a news editor with Motor Fan magazine in the early 80s, he soon left to become a freelance writer. Over the next 20 years, he developed a no-nonsense, intelligent and witty style that is a much sought after commodity in the local industry. He is rather partial to German metal and owns a Porsche Cayman S and a VW Lupo GTI, and votes on the Japan Car of the Year jury panel.
	PETER LYON  Japan-based contributor to Motor Trend (US), Quattroruote (It), Auto Bild (Ger), Herald Sun (Aus), Auto Express (UK), Evo (UK), Motor (Aus), Holiday Auto (Jpn), Car (SAf)... Entering his 24th year reporting from Japan, Australian-born journalist Peter Lyon contributes to more than a dozen publications worldwide, including America's Edmunds Insideline, Britain's Auto Express, Italy's Quattroruote and Germany's Auto Bild. As a fluent speaker and writer of Japanese, he writes for several of Japan's most influential automotive publications such as Best Car, Engine and Holiday Auto magazines. Regarded as the most prolific bilingual automotive writer and translator in the country, he has translated books on Bridgestone Motorsport, writes for Sony's Gran Turismo, and races a Mazda MX-5 in the local one-make series. In addition to his position as WCOTY juror and Co-chair, he also votes on the jury panel for the Japan Car of the Year and the International Engine of the Year awards. Having had a soft spot for British cars since before he can remember, he finally got his hands on a Sherwood Green Jaguar XJ8 in the summer of 2005, one of the last Jaguars made by Jaguar.
	HIDESHI MATSUDA  Contributor: Best Car, Holiday Auto, Motor Magazine, Navi, J’s Tipo, Car Sensor, Xacar, Genroq, Response, Car Graphic Matsuda's ability to evaluate new cars and technology to such an in- depth degree is drawn from over two decades of top level motor racing experience. As one of a handful of Japanese drivers to have raced in both Indy 500 and Le Mans, he has also raced open-wheelers and touring cars, and currently pilots a Ferrari in Japan's Super GT300 class series. While he may be exceptionally quick on the race track, he is highly respected in the industry as a motor journalist with rare insight into the intricacies of handling and performance. He also works as a guest TV commentator for the Japan round of America's IRL series and votes on the jury panel of Japan's Car of the Year award.
	PETER NUNN  Contributor: (Japan based correspondent for Edmumds.com, AutoObserver.com, Inside Line - USA, Wheels - Australia, Evo - UK, Car Graphic - Japan, InterAuto - Italy Peter Nunn lives and works in Tokyo, writing full-time on the Japanese car industry. With Haymarket in the UK (Classic &Sportscar, What Car?) for eight years, then moved to Tokyo in May 1988. Today, contributing regularly to frontline media in Japan, US, Europe, Australia and cyberspace. Member of Japan's Car of the Year judging panel and also votes for International Engine of the Year. Member of the UK Guild of Motoring Writers.
	GORO OKAZAKI  TV Host and Contributor: weekly TV Show – Goro Okazaki’s Car Talk, Car & Driver – Japan, CarView, Goods Press, Car Graphic – Japan As the son of one of Japan's most highly respected motoring critics, Hiroshi Okazaki, Goro tells us that he knew more about engine sounds than lullabies by the age of five. Influenced by his father's passion for anything automotive, Goro majored in mechanical engineering at Aoyama Gakuin University before starting work as a motor journalist in the early 90's. Currently writing for Car&Driver Japan, CarView, Goods Press and Men's EX, he also presents one of Japan's rare TV car shows, Goro Okazaki's Car Talk on the Kanagawa TV network. His in-depth knowledge of the industry, eloquent manner and ability to tell it how it is, has won him many thousands of viewers across the country. He is a Japan COTY juror and a director of the Automotive Journalists Association of Japan. Goro's car of choice is a Porsche 911.
	KOJI OZAWA  Contributor: Best Car, Engine, Lapita, CarGraphic, Smart, Begin, Takarajima, Form Ozawa tells us that after he graduated from university, he started working at a certain Japanese carmaker before deciding that the publishing game was his calling. Having completed a short time as an assistant editor at Japan's prestigious Navi magazine, he soon made the switch to freelance 'variety' motor journalist and has never looked back. His slightly off-beat yet always entertaining approach to the discipline sees his services on demand from specialist motoring magazines to lifestyle publications to weekly radio shows. As a judge for Japan's Car of the Year award, Ozawa loves cars, currently owning a 911 Carrera 2, Mini Cooper and a Rolls Royce Cornishe.
	KAZUNORI YAMAUCHI   President, Polyphony Digital Ltd /Creator, GranTurismo Kazunori Yamauchi is president of Polyphony Digital Ltd and creator of Gran Turismo, regarded as the world's biggest selling driving simulator game. Over the past 12 years, since its introduction, GT has sold more than 50 million copies globally. Yamauchi, who personally tests - for real - nearly every car in his game, has over the past year expanded the game's reach by creating "Gran Turismo (GT) TV" which is seen online in 149 countries and 8 languages with an estimated audience (online) of over 1.2 million. At present, he and his team are busy putting the final touches to the long-awaited GT5, which is expected in stores by the end of this year. An avid car collector and driver, he currently owns a Porsche GT3, Nissan GT-R, Ford GT, Mercedes SL55 AMG, VW Golf R32, Honda S2000, and a Nissan 370Z.
KOREA
	YOUNG-SEOK (CHARLEY) CHAE  Global Auto News From 1990 - 2002, Young-Seok (Charley) Chae was a journalist plus Editor-in-chief of the monthly Motor Magazine. During this period, he traveled to atleast 50 countries world-wide researching news about the automotive industry and writing new vehicle reviews. Chae is a regular visitor to the Geneva, Paris, Tokyo, Frankfurt and Detroit auto shows. Since 2003, he is a publisher and editor-in-chief of Global Auto News, an online based newspaper. He also reports for the daily business newspaper “MK” and several magazines. His work takes him around the world to review, and report on, new vehicles. Chae is a juror on the International Engine of the Year Awards panel since 2004. He is also the winner of the Korean Journalist of the Year award in 1999.
	JOOSIK CHOI  Editor-in-Chief, AutoCar Korea In 1992 Joo-sik Choi became an automotive journalist in Korea. After successfully leading Carvision and Carlife magazines as their Editor-in-chief, he has now taken the helm as Editor in Chief of Autocar Korea, the Korean edition of the British Autocar. He is also co-editor of The Fifty Year History of Cars in Korea (published by Korea Automobile Industry Association) and a contributor to the 100 Year Footprint of Korea Transportation (published by Korea Transportation Institute). His contributions have played an important role in systematizing the automobile history in Korea. He actively participates as member-manger in the Korea Car Culture Forum, a group of opinion leaders in within the Korean automotive industry. Joo-sik Choi is also the author of a book entitled "The 20th Century Cars at A Glance".
MEXICO
	HECTOR HUGO OCAMPO ESPINOZA  Editor: Automovil Magazine and Motorpress-Televisa Hector Ocampo Espinoza began his career as an automotive journalist when he worked as an editor/reporter for "Autos" in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1998. He joined Motorpress Televisa in 1999 where he assumed the position of editor/reporter for Automovil magazine. In 2003, he added Automovil TV to his responsibilities until 2005 when he worked for four years as the editor of Autoplus magazine in addition to his work with Motorpress-Televisa. Currently, he is editor of Automovil Magazine plus many more that are published under Motorpress-Televisa.
POLAND
	MACIEJ PERTYNSKI  Contributor: Auto Moto and Motor Magazines Pertynski's primary area of interest is car history and design. He has been conducting regular road tests of new automobiles since 1995. Before becoming a journalist, Pertynski worked for Renault Poland. He is multilingual and speaks English, German, French, Arabic and Russian in addition to his native Polish.
	ROBERT PRZYBYLSKI  Contributor: Rzeczpospolita Robert Przybylski is a freelance automotive journalist who has been writing about cars since 1992. He began his career as a staff writer for the monthly Motomagazyn and became their deputy editor-in-chief in 1996. He was promoted to editor-in-chief in 1998. In 2002 he moved over to the Rzeczpospolita newspaper where he is staff writer for their automotive section until this day. Przybylski has also contributed to Georgano's Encyclopedia of Cars, Antique Automobile and SAH Journal.
RUSSIA
	VLADIMIR SOLOVIEV  Contributor: Za Rulem magazine Vladimir Soloviev is professional journalist who began his career at Radio Moscow. In 1987 he began working for "Za Rulem"; one of the most popular and respected automotive magazines in Russia. His participation in the 45 hour Moscow-Lisbon speed marathon as well as the Lada-Niva Sahara expedition has made Vladimir and his co-participants well-known in Russia. Now, Vladimir is head of the International Projects Department and a board member for Za Rulem magazine. He regularly test-drives and writes about new automobiles. He is also a member of the Za Rulem Grand Prix Committee; an all-Russian readership contest that votes for the "best new" cars in the Russian market.
	VITALIY TISCHENKO   Editor-in-Chief, Top Gear
	YURI URYUKOV   Contributor: Klaxon newspaper Yuri Uryukov is a native of Moscow and graduated in 2005 from the Moscow State Automotive University. He then worked as a Russian representative for the bus manufacturer "Temsa". Since 2006 he began conducting and publishing regular test-drives of new vehicles for the Russian newspaper Klaxon that is issued bi-weekly. Klaxon began publication in 1990 and has a monthly circulation of 425,000.
	IVAN VLADIMIROV  Senior Editor, AutoMir weekly magazine Ivan Vladimirov graduated from Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics in 1992. From 2001-2004, he worked at TV-6 televsion channel as a journalist, editor and producer. In 2004 Ivan became a contributor to the Klaxon automotive newspaper; then Senior Editor from 2007 - 2009. Since 2009 he is Senior Editor at AutoMir weekly magazine, published by Hubert Burda Media Russia.
SAUDI ARABIA
	BAKUR AZHER  Editor-in-chief and contributor: Azher Information Technology Group (Saudi Auto magazine) Bakur Azher is a BS graduate from the University of Oregon. He established his publication career in 1991 with Saudi Auto Magazine which has since grown to be the most respected and leading motoring magazine in the Arab World. Saudi Auto was the pioneer in the Arab world to initiate the Car of the Year Awards. He is a regular invitee to major car launches and auto shows around the world. Currently, his publishing house produces seven titles consisting of Saudi Auto, Arabian Woman, Arabian Man, Haute Couture, Auto Deal, Arabian Traveler, and Arabian Woman in Arabic.
SOUTH AFRICA
	HANNES OOSTHUIZEN  Editor and contributor: CAR magazine A journalism graduate, Oosthuizen joined CAR in 2001 as a staff writer. In the five years since he has progressed to his current position of Deputy Editor. Besides his road testing and other monthly duties, he is tasked with writing CAR's Update section, covering new model introductions and future previews.
SPAIN
	MANUEL GOMEZ BLANCO   Editor-in-chief: El Pais national newspaper
SWEDEN
	ROBERT COLLIN  Contributor: Aftonbladet bil newspaper Robert Collin is a journalism graduate who began his career writing for all types of newspapers and magazines before specializing in automotive journalism beginning in 1984. He wrote about cars for the Swedish magazine Teknikens Vorld from 1984 to 1998. He is best known for his campaign to force Mercedes to withdraw their A-Class car from the market so that the chassis could be redone, and ESP added, before starting to sell the car again. Collin won Sweden's top journalist prize in 1998 as a result of his article on the Mercedes car. Collin has been writing for Sweden's leading daily newspaper Aftonblad since 1999.
UAE / EGYPT / MIDDLE EAST
	MOHAMED SHETA  (Publisher & Editor, Auto Arabia Media Group: autoarabia.org, Auto Arabia magazine, Auto Arabia TV, Radio Masr 88.7, MOTORING supplement) Mohamed Sheta started working for several German, English and Arabic-speaking publication in 1995, including Al-Ahram Newspaper, Akhbar Elyoum, Al-Gomhuria, Egyptian Gazette, AutoNewsAgency.com, International Herald Tribune & Daily Star Egypt in Cairo, and last but not least for the Diplomatische Magazin and the Egyptian Television in Germany. In 2004 Mohamed Sheta became Editor & Co-Publisher of Auto Arabia Media Group, which publishes Auto Arabia Magazine, produces Auto Arabia TV and is also operator of autoarabia.org, which is considered the fastest, most influential and opinion-making automotive media in Egypt and the Middle East region. Sheta is a recognized F1-expert contributing regularly to several Formula 1 and motor-sport programs on leading TV and radio stations in the Middle East region and Europe, such as BBC Arabic TV in London and Deutsche Welle TV in Berlin, France24 TV in Paris and Radio Monte Carlo. Mohamed Sheta is also an acknowledged Road Safety expert speaking regularly about the Road Safety issues in Egypt and the Middle East at regional and international Road Safety conferences. Mohamed Sheta is speaker of the Egyptian Automotive Media Council and is founder of the Diplomatic Drivers Club in Germany and in Egypt.. He is the Egyptian juror at the London-based International Engine of the Year Award as well as the Egyptian juror at the UAE-based Middle East Motor Award. Sheta is also founder of the Egyptian Car of the Year Award, the first of its kind in Egypt. Sheta, who speaks four languages fluently and writes automotive and motor-cycle test-drives in English, German and Arabic, commutes regularly between Europe and the Middle East
UNITED STATES
	MIKE ALLEN  Associate Automotive Editor: Popular Mechanics, New York Times syndicated weekly column Mike Allen has been the associate automotive editor at Popular Mechanics since 1986. He's the magazine's test driver for instrumented testing for all comparison tests and writes extensively about automotive maintenance and repair. Reviews of new cars, light trucks and motorcycles, as well as additional feature writing, also fill his days. Allen started his automotive career as a freelancer and spent several years at Sandy Corporation, a training and consulting firm in Troy, Michigan. A Michigan native, he attended Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Graduating from Michigan State, Allen was an active autocrosser and amateur sports car racer active in Porsche Club and SCCA. His racing career brought him to SCCA and IMSA professional racing licenses, driving stints in more than a dozen endurance races and an overall win in the Nelson Ledges 24-hours, as well as 11 world land speed records.
	EDDIE ALTERMAN  Editor-in-chief, Car and Driver magazine
	PHIL BERG  Contributor: AutoWeek, Road & Track Buyers Guides, Car Collector, Automobile Quarterly, Maxim, Garage Style, New Car Test Drive, TheCarConnection.com, Popular Science, UltimateGarages.net, American D
	JORGE KOECHLIN  Contributor: AutoMundo Extra, AutoMundo en América, AutoExpress, MSN Latino; Canal SPEED; Univision.com; AmericaTV; Canal SUR (DirecTV)
	JOHN MCCORMICK   Contributor: Detroit News, Automotive Industries, Consumers Digest, Bloomberg Markets magazine, Top Gear - UK, Die Welt - Germany, Automobil Produktion - Germany British-born John McCormick came to the United States in 1986 to join AutoWeek magazine after four years as deputy editor of Britain's prestigious CAR magazine. McCormick moved from AutoWeek to Ward's Auto World and then became an independent auto writer in 1992. Today, McCormick is one of the leading United States-based international automotive writers, contributing to publications in every major market around the world. In Europe, McCormick contributes to leading consumer automotive newspapers and magazines in every major market - Top Gear in the UK, Die Welt and Auto Zeitung in Germany, L'Automobile in France, Gente Motori in Italy and Autopista in Spain. In the Pacific Rim region, McCormick is the United States editor for Driver magazine in Japan and contributes to the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia. Widely travelled, McCormick's expertise includes new vehicle evaluation as well as reporting on automotive industry developments, supplier activities, production facilities, personnel and business matters
	DANIEL PUND  Senior Editor, Detroit: Edmunds Inside Line Daniel Pund began his automotive career working as a road-test editor for AutoWeek after graduating with a university degree in journalism. He then became Senior Editor of Car and Driver from 2000 - 2004. From 2004 - 2006, he defined the editorial arrangement and tone of the start-up monthly magazine mph. From 2006 to the present, Pund is the editorial representative in Detroit for the automotive enthusiast web site, edmunds Inside Line.
	JOHN RETTIE  Contributor: Autotrader.com, New Car Test Drive US, Road & Track Buyers Guide, European Car, The Car Connection, Auto Express - UK John Rettie is an internationally renowned British writer and photographer, specializing on automotive topics and high technology, who lives in Santa Barbara, California. Rettie has managed to pack a wide range of experiences into his career since leaving university 36 years ago. In 1987, following a two-year stint with Ward's Auto World, he joined J.D. Power and Associates and quickly became editorial director. Between 1990 and 1993 he also wrote a weekly road-test column for the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group. After nine years at J.D. Power and Associates, John returned to working as an independent writer and photographer in 1997 -- his work appearing in magazines and on web sites all over the world. Rettie was a member of the jury for the North American Car of the Year award for 13 years and president of the Motor Press Guild in Los Angeles in 1990, 2004 and 2005.
	JASON STEIN  Editor, Automotive News and Publisher, Automotive News Europe Jason Stein was named editor of Automotive News in August 2009. In this role he directs the editorial staff of more than 40 reporters and editors around the world. Mr. Stein also continues to lead Automotive News Europe as publisher of the European operation. The European staff produces several online and print news products and hosts a number of annual events including its annual Congress each summer. Mr. Stein joined Automotive News in 2003. As a reporter he covered many important automotive beats in the United States and Europe, including General Motors, Volkswagen and Daimler. Mr. Stein joined Crain Communications from The Journal Gazette, a morning newspaper in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he spent seven years in various roles as an editor, reporter and the paper's first automotive columnist. Prior to that, he worked for four newspapers as well as the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, where he was a news, business and sports reporter. Mr. Stein is Canadian and holds many state and national journalism awards. In 1994, he earned an honors bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario.
	BARRY WINFIELD  Contributor: AutoWeek magazine Now freelance, Barry is a former technical director and editor-at-large of CAR and DRIVER magazine. He currently contributes to Popular Mechanics, Inside Line, Robb Report and CAR and DRIVER. As a veteran motorcyclist and former deputy editor of the UK's BIKE magazine, Barry also writes motorcycle reviews for motorcycledaily.com.

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