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GMC Granite and Audi A8 Take Home EyesOn Design Awards at the North American International Auto Show

January 14, 2010

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January 12, 2009, Detroit – The GMC Granite Concept and the Audi A8 were awarded top honors at the 2010 EyesOn Design Awards at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). The awards are judged by top design executives from automotive manufacturers and by academics from transportation design programs. To be eligible for the awards, the vehicles must debut during NAIAS. This years head judges are as follow:

Willie G. Davidson – Harley-Davidson, EVP & Chief Styling Officer
Tom Matano, Academy of Art University, Executive Director of Industrial Design
Jack Telnack, Ford Motor Company, Global VP of Design (Retired)

In the concept category, the GMC Granite received top honors. Accepting the award were Frank Saucedo, director of GM Design’s California studio, and Clay Dean, Executive Director GM Advanced Global Design, who both acknowledged the importance of recognition from their design peers. The GMC Granite, a concept which combines functionality with what General Motors calls an “urban-industrial design aesthetic,” made its worldwide debut here in Detroit. The other finalists were the Nissan Mixim, Revenge Verde Supercar, and the Audi eTron concept.

In the production category, the 2011 Audi A8 won the “Award for Design Excellence” Accepting the award was Wolfgang Egger, head of Audi and Lamborghini design, as judges and the audience commented on the exceptionality of the vehicle. The fourth generation of Audi’s flagship car, the Audi A8 made its first auto show debut here at the North American International Auto Show. The other finalists for production vehicles were the Bentley Muslanne, Fiat 500, Ford Focus, and Lincoln MKX.

The EyesOn Design Awards presented at the North American International Auto Show is in association with the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology (DIO) as part of the EyesOn Design series of events. The DIO is a not-for-profit that aids the visually impaired and facilitates research related to the eye. Each year, they host the EyesOn Design automotive exhibition at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe, Michigan that also focuses on design. The show is recognized by its peers as one of the best classic car shows in the country. The DIO enjoys a close relationship with automotive designers through the EyesOn Design events and by understanding the correlation between design and the eye.

The Awards Event was sponsored by Dassault Systemes. The post-awards event, Focus on Design was sponsored by BASF, KPMG and NEXT ENERGY. More information and photos are available at http://www.brophy.com/NAIAS/.