EyesOn Design Awards 2014 presented in Detroit

The winners of the EyesOn Design Awards have been announced in COBO Hall at the end of the second press day of the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

More than 30 competition judges, who are active or retired heads of design at automotive manufacturers and chairs of transportation design education programs, declared the Ford Mustang the ‘Best Production Car'. The 2015 model, relaunched in time for the model's upcoming 50-year anniversary, is instantly recognizable as a Mustang, retaining similar proportions to the outgoing model but with a more sculpted and sophisticated silhouette.

'Best Concept Vehicle' award to the Volvo Concept XC Coupe. The second of three concepts developed under the design language of senior vice-president design Thomas Ingenlath, when it was unveiled we labeled it as striking the balance between elegancy and practicality. Previewing the next-generation XC90, it features future Volvo design cues including the iron mark in the floating grille, the larger bonnet with its new topography and the new T-shaped DRL lamps.

The Volvo Concept XC Coupe also emerged victorious in another category, ‘Most Innovative Use of Color, Graphics and Materials'; the first year the title has been awarded. The matte rubber moldings that contrast with several orange details are particular highlights. Volvo's partnership with extreme sportswear manufacturer POC was instrumental in the design's success.

"I'm honored and very happy of course. This is very encouraging, and it shows that Volvo's new design direction is appreciated not only by the general public and the press, but also by the leading people in the car design business," Ingenlath said.

Hyundai's president and chief design officer Peter Schreyer was presented with the 2014 EyesOn Design Lifetime Achievement Award after being chosen by a distinguished panel of previous winners including Shiro Nakamura, Willie G. Davidson, Tom Gale, Jack Telnack, Giorgetto Giugiaro, Bob Lutz, Bruno Sacco, Chuck Pelly, Marcello Gandini, Nuccio Bertone, Chris Bangle, Walter de'Silva and last year's recipient, Wayne Cherry.

Schreyer then returned to the stage in another capacity as he presented the ‘Catalyst Award', given annually to an executive who has inspired great design, to former head of Volkswagen Design Hartmut Warkus, who was Audi's chief designer when Schreyer was an intern in 1978.

"I learned a lot from him about car design and how to get a feeling for a brand. He knew how to develop talent and many successful designers came out of his era," Schreyer said.

By Rufus Thompson