The Car Design Award announces the finalists of the 2026 edition, reaffirming its status as one of the most authoritative global recognitions in the field of automotive design. The award is presented to the design teams behind the projects that best express innovation, formal excellence, and the ability to interpret the new challenges of mobility.
As required by the Rulebook, the jurors selected 10 Production Car projects and 10 Concept Carprojects unveiled between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025, as well as 5 brands that have stood out for the formal language of their entire product range to compete in the Brand Design Language category.
Production Cars
Alpine A390
Audi A6 Avant
BMW iX3
Ferrari 849 Testarossa
Geely Galaxy M9
Jeep Compass
Kia EV4
Mercedes-Benz CLA
Polestar 5
Renault Twingo E-Tech Electric
Concept Cars
Audi Concept C
Avatr Vision Xpectra
Century One of One
Citroën ELO
Dacia Hipster
Genesis Magma GT
GM Corvette C9
Lexus LS Coupé
Mazda Vision X-Compact
Volkswagen ID.Every1
Brand Design Language
Bmw
Cupra
Dacia
Genesis
Jeep
http://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026021801_CDAFinalisti-1.jpg5001170Car Design Awardhttp://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logotrasparente.pngCar Design Award2026-02-18 18:49:492026-02-18 18:54:25CAR DESIGN AWARD 2026, THE FINALISTS
The design teams of Lotus for the Theory 1 concept car, of Ferrari for the 12Cilindri and Renault for its Brand Design Language are the winners of the 2025 Car Design Award, the Oscar of world car design established in 1984 by the Auto&Design magazine.
The award ceremony was held in Milan at the renowned ADI Design Museum today, April 8th, during the Milano Design Week. The event was opened by an exclusive “Emotional connections” talk with Domitilla Dardi, Design Historian, Andrea Rosati, Head of Strategic Design at Lotus Cars, Joaquin Garcia, Head of Design at Italdesign and Eugenio Lolli, Chairman & CEO of Alcantara.
The Car Design Award includes three categories: “Concept Cars”, “Production Cars” and “Brand Design Language”, the latter an award given to the design team that has stood out for the consistency and transversality of its brand’s formal language across its whole product range.
The winners of the 2025 edition, chosen from a shortlist of ten finalists, are:
in the Concept Cars category, the Lotus design team for the Theory 1 project
in second place the DS design team for the SM Tribute
in third place, tied, the BMW team for the Skytop, Jaguar for the Type 00 and Renault for the Emblème
for Production Cars, the Ferrari Design for its12Cilindri
in second place the team of Bugatti design for the Tourbillon
on the third step of the podium, the Kia team for the EV3
for the Brand Design Language section, the design language of the whole brand, the award went to the Renault design team
the Dacia and Hyundai design teams are tied in second place while Cupra and Genesis are in third place
“In its tenth edition following its relaunch in the 2000s, the Car Design Award remains the prize for excellence in automotive design, highly coveted by all creative teams and an opportunity for the entire automotive design community to meet and debate”, said Silvia Baruffaldi, Editor of Auto&Design and President of the Award Jury.
Again this year, the Car Design Award continues its prestigious collaboration with Alcantara, partner of the event. The exclusive trophies, the work of ERRE Company, were created this year by combining materials used in automotive interiors: Alcantara, metal, wood.
THE JURY
The winners were chosen by a jury of experts, all journalists from leading international automotive publications, for an objective assessment of the global car design scene:
Brazil: Paulo Campo Grande, Quatro Rodas, Editor
China: Jun Miao, MJ CarShow, Chief Editor
South Korea: Kibeom Kim, Roadtest, Publisher & Editor in Chief
United Kingdom: Andy Franklin, Top Gear, Creative Director
Spain: Juan Carlos Payo Calderon, Mobilitas Group, General Director
JURY MOTIVATIONS
CONCEPT CARS, Lotus Theory 1
“The Theory 1 concept not only takes inspiration from three iconic Lotus past models – Type 72, Esprit, and Eleven – but is also faithful to Colin Chapman’s endless research to reduce parts -and thus weight. Innovation, sustainability, advanced technology and an immersive driving experience: just looking at it makes your heart race.”
PRODUCTION CARS, Ferrari 12Cilindri
“The design of the 12Cilindri encapsulates the historical essence of the Ferrari V12s of the Fifties and Sixties, revisited taking into account the aerodynamic requirements that today are a science and no longer just an intuition. An indissoluble link with tradition that looks to the future and has led this project to unite two souls, sportiness and elegance, to create an out-of-the-box icon.”
BRAND DESIGN LANGUAGE, Renault
“Renault Design has embarked on a bold renewal path, combining a strong visual identity with the ability to innovate and integrate sustainable solutions. Its new design language stands out for its expressiveness and personality, both when applied to new models and when it reinterprets the icons of its past in a contemporary way to promote electric mobility.”
THE WINNERS OF THE PAST EDITIONS
Year
Concept Cars
Production Cars
Brand Design Language
2016
Mazda RX-Vision
Aston Martin DB11
Volvo Cars
2017
Jaguar I-Pace
Ford GT
Land Rover
2018
Honda Urban EV
Jaguar E-Pace
Volvo Cars
2019
Alfa Romeo Tonale
Peugeot 208
Citroën
2020
Hyundai Prophecy
Ferrari Roma
Porsche
2021
Canoo Pick-up EV
Land Rover Defender 90
Peugeot
2022
Toyota Compact Cruiser EV
Ferrari 296 GTB
Polestar
2023
Genesis X Convertible
Ferrari Purosangue
Ferrari
2024
BMW Neue Klasse Vision
Volvo EX30
Kia
http://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/DSC_4588-1.jpg7801170Car Design Awardhttp://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logotrasparente.pngCar Design Award2025-04-08 18:10:002025-04-16 09:49:392025 CAR DESIGN AWARDS GO TO LOTUS, FERRARI AND RENAULT
Forty-one years after its launch, the Car Design Award continues to be the international reference accolade for the design teams authors of the best production and concept car projects, as well as the best design language. The award, organized this year in collaboration with Alcantara, announces the finalist projects and brands for 2025:
Concept Cars
Production Cars
Brand Design Language
BMW Skytop
Alfa Romeo Junior
Cupra
DS SM Tribute
Aston Martin Vanquish
Dacia
GAC Motor City Pod
Bugatti Tourbillon
Genesis
Genesis Neolun
Dacia Bigster
Hyundai
Hyundai Initium
DS N°8
Renault
Italdesign Quintessenza
Ferrari 12Cilindri
Jaguar Type 00
Fiat Grande Panda
Lotus Theory 1
Hyundai Inster
MG EXE181
Kia EV3
Renault Emblème
Renault 5 E-Tech Electric
As required by the Rulebook, the jurors selected 10 Production Car projects and 10 Concept Carprojects unveiled between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024, as well as 5 brands that have stood out for the formal language of their entire product range to compete in the Brand Design Language category.
The 2025 Car Design Award’s winner announcement ceremony and the handover of the trophies will be held on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at the ADI Design Museum in Milan, during the 2025 Milan Design Week.
The international jury that will elect the winners of the Car Design Award 2025 is made up of journalists from renowned global car and design magazines:
http://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CDA-2024-88-1.jpg7781170Car Design Awardhttp://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logotrasparente.pngCar Design Award2024-04-19 17:00:002024-07-17 13:40:262024 CAR DESIGN AWARD – DESIGN TALK “ABITARE L’AUTOMOBILE – LIVING THE CAR” (VIDEO)
The design teams of BMW for the Vision Neue Klasse concept car, of Volvo for the EX30 and Kia for its Brand Design Language are the winners of the 2024 Car Design Award, the Oscar of world car design established in 1984 by the Auto&Design magazine. The award ceremony was held in Milan at the renowned ADI Design Museum today, April 17th, during the Milano Design Week. The event was opened by an exclusive “Living in the car” Talk with Rossella Guasco, Vice President C&M Design Stellantis Europe, Francesca Sangalli, Head of Color&Trim and Concept&Strategy Seat Cupra, Stefano Piontini, Partner at Vudafieri Saverino Partners Shanghai and Carlo Ammirati, Sustainability Director & Innovation Manager Alcantara. Since 2016, the Car Design Award includes three categories: “Concept Cars”, “Production Cars” and “Brand Design Language”, the latter an award given to the design team that has stood out for the consistency and transversality of its brand’s formal language across its whole product range.
BMW Vision Neue KlasseVolvo EX30
The winners of the 2024 edition, chosen from a shortlist of ten finalists, are:
in the Concept Cars category, the BMW design team for the Vision Neue Klasse project
in second place the Mazda design team for the Iconic SP
in third place the Mercedes-Benz team for the Vision One-Eleven
for Production Cars, the Volvo Design for its EX30
in second place the team of Alfa Romeo design for the 33 Stradale
on the third step of the podium, the Lamborghini team for the Revuelto
for the Brand Design Language section, the design language of the whole brand, the award went to the Kia design team
the Toyota and BMW design teams finished second and third respectively
The 2024 edition of the award is all new and sees Alcantara as a partner of the event. New trophies have also been created for the occasion, the exclusive design of which is the work of ERRE Company, operating in the field of engineering consultancy applied to the automotive, railway and industrial sectors.
THE JURY
The winners were chosen by a jury of experts, all journalists from leading international automotive publications, for an objective assessment of the global car design scene:
Brazil: Paulo Campo Grande, Quatro Rodas, Editor
China: Jun Miao, MJ CarShow, Chief Editor
South Korea: Kibeom Kim, Roadtest, Publisher & Editor in Chief
United Kingdom: Andy Franklin, Top Gear, Creative Director
Spain: Juan Carlos Payo Calderon, Mobilitas Group, General Director
JURY MOTIVATIONS
CONCEPT CARS, BMW Vision Neue Klasse
“It’s never easy to reinvent a brand’s design language, nevertheless the BMW Vision Neue Klasse does exactly so by being thoroughly modern while maintaining the unmistakable style cues that constitute the heritage of the brand. In the increasingly homogeneous design of electric vehicles, a tribute to the past and a vision for the future.”
PRODUCTION CARS, Volvo EX30
“Small is truly beautiful at Volvo. The exterior of the EX30 is perfectly executed and the interior very roomy. A small SUV with a strong sense of luxury, featuring a typical Volvo design language, simple, environmentally friendly, practical, but also capable of bringing a refreshing feeling with its distinctive Scandinavian, yet unprecedented, design.”
BRAND DESIGN LANGUAGE, Kia
“With its Opposite United philosophy, Kia design has taken a non-conformist approach with the aim of inducing change, unafraid of taking risks. Unexpected at first sight, Kia’s new models brake the mould with long-established aesthetic parameters to introduce a totally new and modern formal language. A relentless innovation to establish a new identity.”
WINNERS OF THE MOST RECENT CAR DESIGN AWARDS
Year
Concept Cars
Production Cars
Brand Design Language
2016
Mazda RX-Vision
Aston Martin DB11
Volvo Cars
2017
Jaguar I-Pace
Ford GT
Land Rover
2018
Honda Urban EV
Jaguar E-Pace
Volvo Cars
2019
Alfa Romeo Tonale
Peugeot 208
Citroën
2020
Hyundai Prophecy
Ferrari Roma
Porsche
2021
Canoo Pick-up EV
Land Rover Defender 90
Peugeot
2022
Toyota Compact Cruiser EV
Ferrari 296 GTB
Polestar
2023
Genesis X Convertible
Ferrari Purosangue
Ferrari
http://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CDA_Vincitori_web-1.jpg7781170Car Design Awardhttp://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logotrasparente.pngCar Design Award2024-04-17 18:15:002024-07-17 13:54:392024 CAR DESIGN AWARDS GO TO BMW, VOLVO AND KIA
It’s a whole new edition of the Car Design Award 2024, the international accolade that has been honouring since 1980s the design teams responsible for the best series and concept car projects, as well as the best design language. The award, organized this year in collaboration with Alcantara, announces the finalist projects and brands for 2024.
As required by the Rulebook, the jurors selected 10 production car projects and 10 concept car projects unveiled between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023, plus 5 brands that have stood out for the formal language of their entire product range. The finalists have been selected by the Car Design Award jury members following the award’s three categories: Production Cars, Concept Cars and best Brand Design Language. The 2024 Car Design Award’s winner announcement ceremony and the handover of the trophies will be held on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at the ADI Design Museum in Milan, during the 2024 Milan Design Week.
Concept Cars
Production Cars
Brand Design Language
Alpine A290_β
Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
BMW
Audi Activesphere
Aston Martin Valour
Cupra
BMW Vision Neue Klasse
Cupra Tavascan
Kia
Cupra DarkRebel
Dacia Duster
Lotus
Kia EV3
Geely Galaxy E8
Toyota
Lamborghini Lanzador
Kia EV9
Lancia Pu+Ra HPE
Lamborghini Revuelto
Mazda Iconic SP
Tesla Cybertruck
Mercedes-Benz Vision One-Eleven
Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota FT-Se
Volvo EX30
The international jury that will elect the winners of the Car Design Award 2024 is made up of journalists from renowned global car and design magazines:
Brazil: Paulo Campo Grande, Quatro Rodas, Editor China: Jun Miao, MJ CarShow, Chief Editor Europe: Luca Ciferri, Automotive News Europe, Editor & Associate Publisher France: Stéphane Meunier, L’Automobile Magazine, Editor in Chief Germany: Michael Köckritz, Publisher, Editor-in-Chief and Creative Director Ramp.Space Japan: Tetsuya Kato, Car Graphic, Publisher India: Dhruv Behl, AutoX, Founder & Managing Editor Italy: Silvia Baruffaldi, Auto&Design, Editor South Korea: Kibeom Kim, Roadtest, Publisher & Editor in Chief Spain: Juan Carlos Payo Calderon, Mobilitas Group, General Director United Kingdom: Andy Franklin, Top Gear, Creative Director
The design teams of Genesis for the X Convertible concept car, of Ferrari for the Purosangue and Ferrari for its Brand Design Language are the winners of the 2023 Car Design Award, the Oscar of world car design established in 1984 by the Auto&Design magazine.
The award ceremony was held in Milan at the renowned ADI Design Museum today, April 18th, during the Milano Design Week. The event was opened by an exclusive “High Performance Design” Talk with Flavio Manzoni, Chief Design Officer of Ferrari, Alberto Ferrari, Brand Manager of Brembo and Gregorio Marsiaj, Executive Vice President of Sabelt.
Since 2016, the Car Design Award includes three categories: “Concept Cars”, “Production Cars” and “Brand Design Language”, the latter an award given to the design team that has stood out for the consistency and transversality of its brand’s formal language across its whole product range.
The winners of the 2023 edition, chosen from a shortlist of ten finalists, are:
in the Concept Cars category, the Genesis design team for the X Convertible project
for Production Cars, the Ferrari Design for its Purosangue
in second place the team of Toyota Design for the Prius
on the third step of the podium, the Jeep team for the Avenger
for the Brand Design Language section, the design language of the whole brand, the award went to the Ferrari Design team
the Kia and Hyundai design teams finished second and third respectively
“More than ever, design is one of the key elements in buying a new model and the Car Design Award has always been an internationally recognized prize for the best of the best in the highly competitive automotive design community”, said Silvia Baruffaldi, Editor of Auto&Design and President of the Award Jury.
The unique design of the trophies comes from Brembo, a partner of the award program since it was revived in the 2000s.
THE JURY
The winners were chosen by a jury of experts, all journalists from leading international automotive publications, for an objective assessment of the global car design scene:
Brazil: Paulo Campo Grande, Quatro Rodas, Editor
China: Jun Miao, MJ CarShow, Chief Editor
South Korea: Kibeom Kim, Roadtest, Publisher & Editor in Chief
United Kingdom: Andy Franklin, Top Gear, Creative Director
Spain: Juan Carlos Payo Calderon, Autopista
CAR DESIGN AWARD 2023, JURY MOTIVATIONS
CONCEPT CARS, Genesis X Convertible
“Genesis has been on a roll recently, with truly clean and premium design, epitomized in the Genesis X Convertible. This project plays elegantly with the design elements of classic sports convertibles in a contemporary interpretation, enhancing Genesis design DNA.”
PRODUCTION CARS, Ferrari Purosangue
“Stunning proportions for an SUV that looks more compact than its actual size. Accessibility and roominess are best in class, thanks also to an elaborate and visually appealing door system. Unmistakably a Ferrari, which sets itself apart from all the other high end marque SUVs.”
BRAND DESIGN LANGUAGE, Ferrari
“There is not a single Ferrari which has been less than gorgeous in recent years. Different design languages, but all distinctively Ferrari. The brand has managed to evolve and innovate without losing its identity, while entering a new chapter for independent model lines.”
Design Talk and Prize-giving Ceremony photos in high-resolution download here
http://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2023042001_CDAPremiazione.jpg5531100Car Design Awardhttp://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logotrasparente.pngCar Design Award2023-04-18 18:00:002023-04-26 17:28:302023 CAR DESIGN AWARDS GO TO GENESIS AND FERRARI (GALLERY+VIDEO)
The Car Design Award is pleased to announce the 2023 edition finalists. The international accolade has been awarded since the 1980s to the design teams that have created the best production and concept car projects, as well as the best brand design language. As required by the Rulebook, the jurors selected 10 production car projects and 10 concept car projects unveiled between 1 April 2022 and 31 December 2022, plus 5 brands that have stood out for the formal language of their entire product range. The finalists have been selected by the Car Design Award jury members following the award’s three categories: Production Cars, Concept Cars and best Brand Design Language.
Concept Cars
Production Cars
Brand Design Language
Alpine Alpenglow
Bentley Batur
BMW
Audi Urbansphere
BYD Atto 3
Ferrari
Dacia Manifesto
Ferrari Purosangue
Hyundai
Cupra UrbanRebel
GAC Aion Hyper GT
Kia
GAC Car Culture Series #1
Jeep Avenger
Toyota
Genesis X Convertible
Maserati GranTurismo
Hyundai N Vision 74
Peugeot 408
Mercedes-Benz AMG
Polestar 3
Renault R5 TURBO 3E
Toyota Prius
Toyota bZ Compact SUV
Volvo EX90
The 2023 Car Design Award’s winner announcement ceremony and the delivery of the trophies made by Brembo, partner of the event, will be held on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at the ADI Design Museum in Milan, during the Milan Design Week 2023.
Maximillian Missoni, head of Polestar design, collected the Car Design Award 2022 for the Brand Design Language category. The ceremony took place at the ADI Design Museum in Milan on June 10 in the presence of Silvia Baruffaldi, editor Auto&Design, Riccardo Baldo (Academic Director of the IED Group, technical partner of the event) and Alberto Ferrari, Brand and Marketing Manager of Brembo, in charge of designing the trophies.
This is the jury’s motivation for the Polestar brand: “At Polestar everything has a practical meaning, beyond looking for beauty. In addition to the clean, elegant and futuristic style, its projects also reveal concern for the planet and sustainability. The design team has found a distinguished and engaging personality within the premium electrified environment, thanks to a consistent and attractive design language”.
http://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/a2022062103_PolestarMissoni.jpg7801170Car Design Awardhttp://cardesignaward.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logotrasparente.pngCar Design Award2022-06-21 18:12:562023-02-06 17:37:53CAR DESIGN AWARD 2022, MAXIMILIAN MISSONI COLLECTED THE PRIZE FOR POLESTAR (VIDEO)
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