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Detroit 2009: Eyes on Design Awards for best concept, best production vehicle
by Damon Lavrinc on Jan 13th 2009 at 5:31PM 
Click any image above for a high-res gallery
Each year, the Detroit Auto Show plays host to the Eyes on Design Awards, where a group of judges descend into the bowels of Cobo Hall to pick their favorite vehicles from the show. The nominees are predictably divided into two categories: Design Excellence for a Concept Vehicle and Design Excellence for a Production Vehicle.
This year's ceremony was MC'd by our very own John McElroy from Autoline Detroit, with judging duties handled by BMW design head Chris Bangle, Harley-Davidson chief styling officer Willy G. Davidson, and transportation design chair at the College for Creative Studies Larry Erickson. The two winners for production vehicle were the Audi R8 5.2 FSI and the 2010 BMW Z4, while Audi Sportback and Cadillac Converj took home the best concept awards. Check out all four vehicles in the galleries below and let the judges know your own picks in the comments.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MJL 5:39PM (1/13/2009)
Odd to have Chris Bangle judging his own hideous creations
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Nick 8:24PM (1/13/2009)
Seriously - Bangle is one of the most polarizing designers in the industry - AND he's judging his own designs. Now that's some credibility.
BigMcLargeHuge 5:40PM (1/13/2009)
Well done, Audi.
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chconline 5:40PM (1/13/2009)
"...judging duties handled by BMW design head Chris Bangle"
"The two winners for production vehicle were [...] and the 2010 BMW Z4"
Hmm... unless I read something wrong.
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gforce 6:23PM (1/13/2009)
Yeah, isn't that a bit of conflict of interest?
Anyway, the Caddy is pretty nice. Both the BMW and the Audi concept remind me of some kind of "fish-face" for some reason.
MasterCKO 5:42PM (1/13/2009)
I like the BMW, so I don't mind that he picked a very handsome car. I like the Audi's too, and that Cadillac is quite fierce. I'm a fan of all these picks.
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the vegas style guy 5:45PM (1/13/2009)
CADDY!
My own personal fave: FISKER CONVERTIBLE hnads down!
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P.V. 5:51PM (1/13/2009)
I'm going to go with the Audi:
The Converj's basic design looks a lot like the Sixteen and CTS Coupe, which have already been shown before.
The R8 has been out for a while, and while it looks great, there ARE better cars to look at.
The Z4 looks great for its classic roadster proportions, but the rear looks too 6 Series-like.
The Sportback is completely new (as far as I know) from Audi, and it looks fantastic!
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R-Yo 6:08PM (1/13/2009)
The sportback looks like an A5 with 2 more doors, nothing really special there, but it does look amazing. Out of thre 4 I'd say the beemer looks the worst. Not saying it's ugly, but compared to the others, meh
zamafir 6:20PM (1/13/2009)
Yeah...with none of the lines or proportions being shared... and that different interior burrowing only the gear shift... i'll agree to disagree on that one.
zamafir 6:23PM (1/13/2009)
*borrowing
arrgee 6:16PM (1/13/2009)
My favorite is the Cadillac Converj. I think the Chrysler 200C deserves some kudos,...it's a great looking car and it's about time Chrysler showed up with something worth seeing.
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novanglus 6:15PM (1/13/2009)
Wow, terribad decisions. R8 is one of the least pleasing supercars to look at. The Z4 is down right cartoonish. The Audi Sportback looks like an homage to the X6, damn near a direct copy of the roofline. And the Converj has all the same cues and detailing as the CTC last year.
BOOOOOOOOO! I guess we should have expected nothing less with "flame surface" Bangle on the board.
Concept C was by far the best designed auto introduced at the show.
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EF 5:30PM (1/16/2009)
Have you seen an R8 on the road? In pictures and even on the show stand, it's not particularly impressive. On the road it's simply stunning. One of the coolest experiences ever was when I was strolling Rodeo Drive on vacation and there was a white R8 with black sideblades driving towards me--and then I look the other way and there is ANOTHER white R8 with black sideblades driving in the opposite direction, just across the meridian from each other. It wasn't staged by Audi or anything.
LeRobert 6:16PM (1/13/2009)
I would have thought that VW's BlueSport would win an award. =( That thing is a beauty.
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Tagg 7:06PM (1/13/2009)
I like both Audis but I would have to pick the Z4. I love the long hood and short deck. The Cadillac is my least favorite by far not because it's ugly, or because it's a GM car and not an import. I feel as if I have seen Cadillac show this car for the past few years. It not that different in terms of style from the Evoq, Prevouqe, Cien, Sixteen an so on. I just feel there is no point to a concept car if it does not forshadow a future direction of style. The Mustang, Accord and other previous concepts all gave a hint that the current style was changing. It appears Cadillac is keeping the "art and science" design which is fine but does GM really need to blow money on a concept to tell us? I would rather see a new Impala or Pontiac G6 concept.
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Randy 7:18PM (1/13/2009)
Although I tend to lean toward German design, the Caddy gets my heart racing toward the lust factor. That car would look seriously good running down the road - providing of course GM doesn't change a thing.
Knowing they will, however, and with the choice limited to these four units; BMW gets the nod. They totally transformed the vehicle into something respectable with fluid design throughout.
The Audi R8, even with its new powerplant and styling transcends been there, done that. Their Sportback needs a redesigned back - not sure what's going on there.
Bimmer. Vote submitted.
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taipeileviathan 7:42PM (1/13/2009)
audi represent! :D
... but i must say i personally am not such a huge fan of the A7 design. i think it'll look better as a production vehicle, the concept just looks a bit too much like a cartoon animal character or something. the caddy i do like a lot tho...
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Ficoto 7:49PM (1/13/2009)
Enough about Chris Bangle....the Cadillac concept was looking pretty good i though
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garlinski 10:03PM (1/13/2009)
I like the Caddy, but the Audi Sportback is incredible! Audi seems to do no wrong.
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