And Now There Is One...Jaguar F-TYPE Declared 2013 World Car Design of the Year

NEW YORK--March 28, 2013: At a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show and Bridgestone Corporation, the Jaguar F-Type was declared the 2013 World Car Design of the Year.

Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar, said: "No design project has given me greater pleasure than the creation of the F-TYPE. It's a project I've looked forward to from the moment I joined Jaguar, and it's one that's given my team and I great satisfaction. The F-TYPE is a sports car that is true to Jaguar's design values -- beauty of line and purity of form -- and I'm honoured that the World Car of the Year Design jury has recognised our work with this award."

The World Car Design of the Year category, and the corresponding award, is meant to highlight new vehicles with innovation and style that push established boundaries.

It was a long list of hopefuls. Forty-three candidates were eligible for the honour of being the 2013 World Car Design of the Year. Those candidates may be on the overall World Car of the Year list, or may be included as a stand-alone entry provided the vehicle is introduced and available for sale in at least one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2012 and ending May 30th, 2013.

A design panel consisting of five highly respected world design experts was asked to first review each candidate, and then establish a short-list of recommendations for the jurors. The design experts were:

Masatsugu Arimoto (Japan -- Freelance design journalist)
Silvia Baruffaldi (Italy -- Auto & Design magazine)
Gernot Bracht (Germany -- Pforzheim Design School)
Sam Livingstone (U.K. - Car Design Research and Royal College of Art)
Tom Matano (USA - School of Industrial Design at Academy of Art University in San Francisco)

The experts commented that: "The long wheelbase, short overhangs and flared fenders give this car a good stance. The contour in plan view tapered toward the door emphasizes the muscular rear fender that houses the driven wheels. The F-Type exterior maintains Jaguar's own elegance in its horizontal proportion and rounded surfaces, yet it looks very dynamic. But I would like to say the interior design is even more attractive. It is clearly driver-oriented, and a grip bar for the passenger is nicely integrated into the big center console. The seat design is superb, too."

"Almost Italian at first glance. the clear, analytic and fresh design of the F-type is the promising dawn for the company's latest roadster. The rear can't hide a certain influence of Alfas Brera. The sideview is dominated by muscular rear fenders; the front end is a careful evolution of the XK. Sharper - by that more like a driving machine."

The sixty-six World Car Awards jurors then voted on the expert's recommendations in February and their ballots were tabulated by the international accounting firm KPMG.

A short-list of three finalists was then announced earlier this month at the Geneva International Motor Show: the Jaguar F-Type, the Mazda6, and the Aston Martin Vanquish.

Previous winners of the World Car Design of the Year award were the Range Rover Evoque in 2012, the Aston Martin Rapide in 2011, the Chevrolet Camaro in 2010, the Fiat 500 in 2009, the Audi R8 in 2008, the Audi TT in 2007 and the Citroen C4 in 2006.

About the World Car Awards
Now in their ninth year, the annual World Car awards have become one of the world's most prestigious, credible and significant programs of its kind.

The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale. The awards are intended to complement, not compete, with existing national and regional Car of the Year programs.

The awards are administered by a non-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee of pre-eminent automotive journalists from Asia, Europe, and North America. Peter Lyon (Japan) and Matt Davis (Italy) are the co-chairs; John McCormick (USA), Jens Meiners (Germany), Mike Rutherford (U.K.), Eddie Alterman (USA), and Gerry Malloy (Canada) are the directors. There is no affiliation with, nor are the awards in any way influenced by any publication, auto show, automaker, or other commercial enterprise.

Prime Research International, a global leader in strategic communication research and consultancy is the World Car Awards' research partner. The company will provide strategic reports in 2013 that analyze our awards global automotive media coverage.

Important Show Information: Press Days: March 27 & 28, Public Show Dates: March 29 ^th -- April 7 ^th
Show Hours: Monday -- Saturday: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sundays: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.