At a ceremony last week at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, MI, General Motors won two awards for its recent concept vehicles. The Chevy Volt won in the category of best Specialty concept and also got the Most Significant Concept of the Year. The Holden Efijy won in the basic concept car of the year category.
The various categories seem pretty arbitrary but the Specialty category appears to be for advanced alternative powertrain vehicles. There is certainly no doubt that the Volt has gotten more attention than any other recent concept and represents a real potential transformation of the future of automobiles.
The Efijy on the other hand is a total throwback being inspired by the 1953 Holden FJ. The Efijy was not meant to be a statement about anything that might be, but instead was pure whimsy and entertainment. A total of 33 concepts and 11 production preview vehicles were eligible for awards. The press release and a photo of the Efijy are after the jump.
The various categories seem pretty arbitrary but the Specialty category appears to be for advanced alternative powertrain vehicles. There is certainly no doubt that the Volt has gotten more attention than any other recent concept and represents a real potential transformation of the future of automobiles.
The Efijy on the other hand is a total throwback being inspired by the 1953 Holden FJ. The Efijy was not meant to be a statement about anything that might be, but instead was pure whimsy and entertainment. A total of 33 concepts and 11 production preview vehicles were eligible for awards. The press release and a photo of the Efijy are after the jump.
[Source: General Motors]
Chevrolet Volt and Holden EFIJY concepts win 2007 Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards
Detroit - The Chevrolet Volt concept was awarded the 2007 North American Specialty Concept Vehicle of the Year and the Most Significant Concept Vehicle of the Year at an awards ceremony at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn. The Holden EFIJY won the 2007 North American Concept Car of the Year Award.
Organized by the South East Automotive Media Organization (SEAMO), the sixth annual North American Concept Vehicle of the Year Awards recognize those vehicles most likely to shape the future of the automobile industry. Bob Boniface, director, GM advanced design, and Chevrolet Volt lead designer, accepted the awards on behalf of GM.
"We appreciate this recognition from such a prestigious group of automotive journalists," said Boniface. "The Volt is an important vehicle for GM and for the world. Whether your concern is energy security, CO2 emissions or reducing our dependence on oil, it all leads to energy diversity. GM wants to be a part of the solution, that's why we designed the Chevrolet Volt concept."
A jury consisting of professional automotive journalists selected the winners from 33 concept vehicles and 11 production preview vehicles that made a North American debut during the 2007 auto show season.
The Chevrolet Volt Concept, revealed at the North American International Auto Show in January, is GM's new electric vehicle concept. The concept car is a battery-powered electric vehicle that uses a gas engine to create additional electricity to extend its range. GM announced a fuel cell variant of the Volt concept at the 2007 Shanghai Motor Show in April.
The EFIJY is Holden's wild hot rod concept, first shown in North America in January. EFIJY is a radical custom coupe shape boasting V8 Supercar power under the bonnet, Chevrolet Corvette underbody and state-of-the-art automotive technology, reinterpreting the classic design cues of the iconic 1953 FJ Holden.
GM Holden Chief Designer and EFIJY project leader Richard Ferlazzo said the car existed purely for automotive entertainment.
"It is particularly gratifying for the car to be recognised in this way in the US which is historically the home of flamboyant automotive design," Ferlazzo said.
"It's nice to know that there is still a place in the concept car arena for a purely expressive design."
Other nominees from GM included the Chevrolet Beat, Chevrolet Groove, Chevrolet T2X, Chevrolet Trax, Chevrolet WTCC, Saturn Vue Plug-In Hybrid, and the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible.
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