The design teams of Toyota for the concept car Compact Cruiser EV, Ferrari for the 296 GTB and Polestar for its Brand Design Language are the winners of the 2022 Car Design Award, the Oscar of world car design established in 1984 by Auto&Design magazine.

The award ceremony was held in Milan at the prestigious ADI Design Museum today, during the Milano Design Week.

The Car Design Award has three categories since 2016: “Concept Cars”, “Production Cars” and “Brand Design Language”, an award given to the design team that has stood out for the consistency and transversality of its brand’s formal language across the whole product range.

Here are the winners of the 2022 edition, chosen from a shortlist of ten finalists:

• in the Concept Cars section, the Toyota design team for its Compact Cruiser EV project
• in second place the Polestar design team for the O2
• in third place the Astheimer Design team for its Aura

• for Production Cars, the best design award went to Ferrari design for its 296 GTB
• in second place ex aequo, the teams of DS design for the 4 and Lotus for the Eletre
• on the third step of the podium, the Volkswagen team for the ID.Buzz

• for the Brand Design Language section, i.e. the design language of the whole brand, the award went to the Polestar team
• the Ferrari and Kia design teams are in second and third places respectively

The Car Design Award has three categories since 2016: “Concept Cars”, “Production Cars” and “Brand Design Language”, an award given to the design team that has stood out for the consistency and transversality of its brand’s formal language across the whole product range. 

“The Car Design Award has always been an unmissable event for the automotive design community and we are glad to return to meet in presence after two digital editions due to the pandemic disruption”, said Silva Baruffaldi, Editor of Auto&Design and President of the Award Jury.

The winners’ trophies, with their unique design, were made by Brembo, a partner of the initiative since the award was revived in the 2000s. “The trophy for this edition is inspired by our latest innovation Sensify, the smart braking system that offers designers new opportunities and scope for creativity. Design has always been part of Brembo’s DNA; attention to form, detail and finish will always be a key aspect of our market offering”, said Mauro Piccoli, Brembo Chief Marketing Officer.

Guest of the ceremony, Riccardo Balbo, Academic Director of IED Global: “The IED shares the values of the Car Design Award. A school’s mandate is to train designers and teach them how to grasp and anticipate brand needs, but also to enable brands to contribute to the growth of the educational system”.

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:

Silvia Baruffaldi (Auto&Design, Italy)

Luca Ciferri (Automotive News Europe, EU)

Juan Carlos Payo Calderon (Autopista, Spain)

Dhruv Behl (AutoX, India)

Tetsuya Kato (Car Graphic, Japan) 

Stéphane Meunier (L’Automobile Magazine, France) 

Jun Miao (MJ CarShow, China)

Paulo Campo Grande (Quatro Rodas, Brazil)

Michael Köckritz (Ramp, Germany)

Kibeom Kim (Roadtest, Korea)

Andy Franklin (Top Gear, UK)

CAR DESIGN AWARD 2022, JURY MOTIVATIONS

CONCEPT CARS, Toyota Compact Cruiser EV

“This project revives in the electric era one of the most iconic Toyota off-roaders, promising a future production compact SUV with a strong appeal. All the design details are meant to express all-terrain credentials in a contemporary shape. A rugged and modern utilitarian product that is also desirable, a hard feat to achieve”.

PRODUCTION CARS, Ferrari 296 GTB

“Creating such a beautiful and organic shape while respecting all current regulations and at the same time equipping the car with technology and performance of the highest level is truly impressive. The influence of the legendary racing sports cars of the 1960s is found in the Ferrari 296 GTB and the end result is a grand contemporary interpretation of a classic design language”.

BRAND DESIGN LANGUAGE, Polestar

“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”.  

WINNERS OF THE MOST RECENT CAR DESIGN AWARDS