The 'i' Is On Design - Hyundai i45 Wins At The Australian International Design Awards

SYDNEY – Jun 8, 2010: In a record breaking year for entries, the Australian International Design Awards’ judging panel have honoured Hyundai i45 with a Design Award in the coveted Automotive and Transport category for 2010.

Presented by Standards Australia, the Australian International Design Awards is Australia’s premier design assessment program, recognising Australian and international design and innovation excellence.

The field of 10 finalists from luxury and mainstream automotive manufacturers included sports coupes, compact cars and SUVs including the Hyundai ix35 which received a Design Mark; with the Hyundai i45 the only five seat mid-size passenger sedan to make the finalist shortlist.

Stephanie Pemberton, Program Director of the awards program said six panels of judges spent 10 days assessing more than 200 products on their design merits. “Products that clearly showed a considered approach to the professional design process, incorporating some level of innovation and environmentally-responsible decisions, rated highly with the judges,” Ms. Pemberton said. "Among other aspects, the judges noted i45 provides a surprisingly spacious interior which is savvy without being overbearing."

Created at Hyundai Design North America, located in Irvine California, i45 represents the second iteration of Hyundai’s ‘Fluidic Sculpture’ design philosophy, embodying quality and substance from every angle. A passion to deliver an exciting design fuelled the creation of Hyundai’s new i45 mid-size sedan.

“With i45, we wanted to deliver a strikingly modern shape, yet accommodate the wide variety of practical needs which sedan buyers require met,” said Andre Hudson, Design Manager at Hyundai Design North America. “Fluidic Design is a Hyundai signature, a design language which will appear on future Hyundai volume models. It gives our range a unique and premium identity and defines Hyundai as a modern, progressive company.”

Developed from the ground up with meticulous attention to detail ensuring every element delivered purpose and function, i45 represents Hyundai’s obsessive approach to design and testing, guaranteeing the company’s fundamental values of quality, safety and reliability are delivered.

“We are very proud to have been awarded this accolade for i45 by the Australian International Design Awards,” said Oliver Mann, Hyundai Motor Company Australia’s Marketing Director. “This is a highly respected design award and we are delighted to have had not one but two products listed as finalists. We see this title as an enormous compliment to our design team.”