Car Design Review Awards, 2021 winners

In Car Design Review 8, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Renault 5 Prototype take home the production car and concept car awards, respectively, while Peter Horbury receives the lifetime achievement award. 

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been named 2021 Production Car of the Year by Car Design Review, a prominent industry design publication. The tiny SUV was the apparent front runner from the start of the competition, with its uniquely edgy design and futuristic interior. 

The Ioniq 5 was pitted against a shortlist of cars set to be released between March 2020 and March 2021, with an expert team of designers from rival automakers voting on the winner. Heads of design from Maserati, Volvo, and Volkswagen were among the judges. 

“Once in a while a car comes along that creates an impact on the design community. The Ioniq 5 is such a car, and its impact is evident in the sketches of many young student designers,” said Klaus Busse, vice president of design at Maserati. Other judges described the Ioniq 5 as a “gamechanger,” highlighting the “striking surfaces and geometric patterns” on the outside of the vehicle, as well as the comfortable, living room style interior. There were also mentions of the “purity” of its design and its link back to Hyundai’s first ever production vehicle – the Pony.   

In the Concept Car category, the Renault 5 Prototype beat off the Lexus LF-Z and Polestar Precept to take first place. 

The judges commented that the “Renault 5 Concept shows a beautiful mix between Retro design and the modern reincarnation of an iconic car of the past.” 

True industry giants whose work has inspired and sustained throughout the course of a career are honored with the Lifetime Achievement award. Few would disagree that Peter Horbury is a deserving winner. 

Horbury has designed cars for Chrysler, Ford (twice), Volvo (three times), Geely Group, and Lotus, as well as freelancing for Bentley, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, MG, Rolls-Royce, Triumph, and others over the course of his nearly 50-year career. 

Horbury’s wide portfolio spans vehicles, motorcycles, buses, vans, and London cabs from the mid-1970s to the present day, and he has worked in locations as disparate as Coventry, Detroit, Shanghai, and Gothenburg. He is currently Lotus’ senior vice president of design. 

For full design story of Hyundai Ioniq 5 follow the link.