Posted by David Phillips on Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 5:05 PMThe GMC Granite concept and the Audi A8 luxury sedan were awarded top honors today at the 2010 EyesOn Design Awards at the North American International Auto Show. The awards are judged by top automotive designers and academics from transportation design programs. In the concept vehicle category, the GMC Granite urban utility vehicle received top honors. The GMC Granite combines functionality with what GM calls an " urban-industrial design aesthetic." It is the smallest GMC ever, too.
The other concept vehicle finalists were the Nissan Mixim, Revenge Verde Supercar, and the Audi eTron concept.
Among production vehicles, the 2011 Audi A8 won the "Award for Design Excellence" It is the fourth generation of Audi's flagship car. The other finalists for production vehicles were the Bentley Muslanne, Fiat 500, Ford Focus, and Lincoln MKX.
The lead judges this year were Willie G. Davidson, chief styling officer for Harley-Davidson; Tom Matano, executive director of industrial design at the Academy of Art University; and Jack Telnack, retired head of global design for Ford Motor Co.
EyesOn Design at the North American International Auto Show is sponsored by the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology. The DIO is a not-for-profit that aids the visually impaired and facilitates research related to the eye.
