Mar. 07, 1991

TOYOTA WINS ITALIAN DESIGN AWARD

Toyota City―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION'S gull-wing specialty car, the Sera, walked away yesterday with the prestigious 1991 Torino-Piemonte Car Design Award for production cars.

The Sera received high marks for its balancing of high-tech style and practicality. The car's innovative gull-wing doors, all-glass cabin, and curvaceous, compact design made it a hit among first-time buyers when it was launched in Japan in March 1990.

The Torino-Piemonte award, the top award in auto design, was established in 1984 by the Italian car specialist magazine Auto & Design. Cars in two categories―mass-production and concept―are selected and voted on by a jury composed of representatives from 11 auto enthusiast magazines from Europe, the U.S., and Japan, and from the City of Turin and the Region of Piedmont.

The award was presented to representatives of the Toyota Design Division by the Mayor of Turin, Italy, and the governor of Piedmont at a ceremony held yesterday in Geneva.

Also noted for design excellence was the Previa, Toyota's futuristic new minivan, which finished third. This marks the second time that a Japanese company has received the award.

1991 Torino-Piemonte Car Design Award

Results of this year's selection
Mass-production car category
1. Toyota Sera
  
  27 points
2. Renault Clio
  
  14 points
3. Toyota Previa
  
  11 points
4. Buick Park Avenue
  
  10 points
5. Chevrolet Caprice
  
  5 points
Concept-car category
1. Renault Laguna
  
  25 points
2. Citroen Activa 2
  
  16 points
3. Bertone Nivola
  
  15 points
4. Ghia Zig/Zag
  
  6 points
5. Plymouth Voyager
  
  5 points
1991 Selection committee
- Auto & Design (Italy)
- Automobile Magazine (U.S.)
- Automotor und Sport (Germany)
- Auto Select (Holland)
- Car (Great Britain)
- Car Styling (Japan)
- Classiques Automobile (France)
- Motor 16 (Spain)
- Revue Automobiles (Switzerland)
- Road & Track (U.S.)
- Vi Bilagare (Sweden)