Skoda succeeds in the “Excellent Product of the Year 2007” competition

Skoda Auto's designer team has succeeded in the nationwide competition “Excellent Product of the Year 2007”.

Skoda Auto Chief Designer Jens Manske received the award for the winner of the “Excellent Product of the Year 2007” competition today, in the Bethlehem Chapel Auditorium of the Czech Technical University, Prague. Of 137 industrial products nominated for the competition, the international jury selected two Skoda vehicles in their respective categories, the Skoda Octavia Scout (“Good Design”) and the Skoda Joyster (“National Award for Design Excellence”).

The award is another great achievement by Skoda Auto's designer studio. In March 2005, the Skoda Octavia was awarded the title of “The Most Beautiful Car of the Year 2004“. Ranked by an international jury made up of architects, reviewers and artists voting on the world's most beautiful car in Milan, the Skoda Octavia won the medium-size sedan category. In June of the same year, the Skoda Octavia Combi was awarded the title of “The Most Beautiful Car of the Year in the Czech Republic” after a vote by the viewers of a Prima TV live coverage featuring a gala night event on the eve of the Brno Motor Show.

Authorised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, the organiser of the nationwide competition “Excellent Product of the Year 2007” is Design centrum ?eské republiky (Design Centre of the Czech Republic). Taking the ICSID as a model, Design centrum organised this competition for the first time in 1991. The competition campaign consists of several rating rounds and the awards are awarded by an international jury made up of Czech experts, as well as renowned international designers and representatives of major designer companies. The competition is part of the Czech Republic's National Quality Policy and is held in cooperation with the Czech Republic's Quality Council.

Commenting on the occasion, Skoda Auto Chief Designer Jens Manske said: “I am very pleased that Skoda Auto's design centre in Mladá Boleslav has been awarded this year again. The award is an important appreciation of the work of our international designer team and I believe that we will surprise you with some interesting automotive design also next year.”