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The photos here originated from the NAIAS 2012 media website, and reflect the winners of the NAIAS 2012 EyesOn Design competition. Below is my video of the awards ceremony from the lower level of Cobo Center at th eend of Press Preview Day 2.
In its 7th year, the EyesOn Design Awards honors the best production and concept cars making their North American or worldwide debut at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Keeping with the spirit of other EyesOn Design events, the EyesOn Design Awards are selected by active and retired design heads of automotive OEMs, transportation design chairs from top art schools, and designers from other fields.
According to the official website for the award, each of The EyesOn Design Awards, is recognized by each automaker as a validation of its work by its peers, and it is covered each year by the automotive, national, and international press.
EOD Best Production Award
I admit that I was not initially impressed by the final three candidates chosen for this year’s award. However, the rules are clear. This has to be it first official showing as a production vehicle. I liken it to similar rules for the Detroit Autorama’s Final Eight for the Ridler Award, which I believe is coming up in late February this year.
The 2012 NAIAS EOD final 3 for EOD Best Production were as follows: The 2013 Cadillac ATS, the 2013 BMW-335i and the 2013 Ford Fusion.
The production award I think is tougher to choose than the concept. I don’t know what I expected this year, but I personally could not view the ATS or the BMW as major contenders, not when the field last year seemed stronger, which the Audi won for two years in a row.
I found the ATS simply a smaller version of the CTS; and that just didn’t do it for me personally enough to warrant the award, with all respect to the fine work at Cadillac. I guess I was looking for a greater distinction in styling, not a super-mild, downsized evolutionary step. Same for the BMW, which was also too subtle of design changes for me; albeit high quality.
Bottom line, though, the 2013 Ford Fusion was indeed the best of the pack, in my opinion. It kept to the tone and theme of the Ford line, but its lines still look unique and fresh compared to the others, especially the grill area; again, in my opinion. But the only opinion that counts are those of the judges.
EOD Best Concept Award
I was especially impressed by this category; but, again, not by all of the final three candidates chosen for this year’s award. The rules, though, are clear as I noted. This has to be its first official showing as a concept vehicle, which meant the Chevy Miray (meaning, future) did not qualify. Yes, I liked that vehicle.
The final three candidates overcame competition from the new supercar entry, the Falcon F7; then again, it was production car, not rerallya concept. In that case, it likely fell short of production quality. In other words, that vehicle, as cool as it appears (I want one), may have lacked that refinement in fits and gap quality that must be a part of any winner. Still, the contenders this year were as follows: the Chevy Tru140S; the Lincoln MKZ and the Lexus LF-LC.
Here is the video of the EOD Award presentations at the end of the Press Preview Day 2.
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About the Reporter: After 39 years in the auto industry as a design engineer, Frank Sherosky now trades stocks, futures and writes articles, books and ebooks like, "Perfecting Corporate Character," "Awaken Your Speculator Mind", and "Millennial World Order" via authorfrank.com. He may be contacted here by email: [email protected] and followed in Twitter under @Authorfranks
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Additional Reading:
NAIAS 2012 Press Preview Day 2: great signs of industry enthusiasm
NAIAS 2012: Day 1 of Press Preview witnesses 27 vehicle unveilings
CODA Automotive announces 125 and 150 mile range for 2012 EV sedan at NAIAS
Volkwsagen E-Bugster makes debut at North American International Auto Show
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