Has the world gone mad? Did pigs just fly by my window? An American car acknowledged on the world stage for its design. Surely there must be some kind of mistake, great automotive design comes from Europe, doesn’t it?
Apparently not, as jurors for the World Car Awards have seen fit to bestow the Camaro with the honour of World Car Design of the Year. One of the judges, Sam Livingstone, Associate Editor of Car Design News, praised the Camaro for its “innately seductive exterior and interior.” He went on to say, “It’s well resolved and I’d argue evidence that General Motors strikes a better balance than Ford and Chrysler do in their pony cars.”
The Camaro pipped the Citroen C3 Picasso and the Kia Soul to earn its stripes. According to ex-pat Aussie Mike Simcoe, who now holds the position of Chevrolet Design Director, it was passion that inspired the retro coupé, “In recreating this modern sports car, we have proven that people are just as passionate about Chevy as ever. We have been delighted about the strong reaction to the Camaro—even in markets that are new to Chevy, it has been creating an emotional appeal for the brand.”