World Car Design of the Year 2014 award shortlist revealed

The BMW i3 and Volkswagen XL1 are amongst the contenders for the World Car Design of the Year award as the top 10 finalists in each category of the tenth annual World Car Awards are announced.

The full shortlist of nominees for the 2014 World Car Design of the Year Award are: BMW i3; Cadillac CTS; Citröen C4 Picasso; Lexus IS; Mazda3; Mercedes-Benz C-Class; Volkswagen XLR1; Cadillac ELR; Range Rover Sport and Volkswagen XL1.

As in previous years for the World Car Design of the Year award, a panel of five design experts reviews all candidates before writing up recommendations for the jury of 69 international automotive journalists to consider.

This year's panel consists of: executive director of industrial design at Academy of Art University Tom Matano; former senior editor of Japan's Car Styling magazine and chairman of the Japan Auto Colour Award program Masatsugu Arimoto; editor of bi-monthly magazine Auto&Design Silvia Baruffaldi; Pforzheim University tutor of Transportation Design Gernot Bracht and Sam Livingstone, senior tutor in Vehicle Design at London's Royal College of Art.

Awards for the World Car, World Luxury Car, World Performance Car and World Green Car of the Year are also presented.

In the first round of voting, the jury chooses a shortlist of 10 before this is whittled down to the final three in each category, which are announced on 4 March at the Geneva motor show.

Judges will then take part in a secret ballot before announcing the winners on 17 April at the New York auto show.

To view the other categories' finalists, please visit the official website.

By Rufus Thompson