Automotive dominates Good Design awards

TESLA'S Model S electric luxury sedan has taken out the top prize at the 2015 Good Design Australia awards, attracting praise from judges who described the EV as “showcasing the best of human ingenuity, design brilliance and commercial excellence”.

Held each year since 1998, the Good Design Australia awards recognises exceptional achievements in the areas of architecture, sustainability, digital, service, communication and business, and the Tesla win is only the second time an entrant in the Automotive segment has taken the top award.

The 2015 winners were announced last week at a special event in Sydney's Darling Harbour, with one judge saying that every aspect of the North American car was “amazing and truly deserves to be recognised at this level”.

Designed by Franz Von Holzhausen at the car-makers headquarters in California, the Model S went on sale in Australia late last year with a four-variant range priced, at the time, between $91,400 and $133,500, plus on-road costs.

Left: 2015 Good Design Award Tesla Australia marketing and communications manager Heath Walker was present at the event to accept the Good Design award of the year.

In addition to the Tesla's success, BMW also took out a prize with the Best Sustainability Design award going to the German car-maker's i3 zero-emissions hatchback.

BMW offers the model as a range extended plug-in hybrid (REx), but the pure electric version (BEV) was the variant recognised for its 95 per cent recyclable construction, use of natural materials and zero-emissions drivetrain.

Taxi alternative application Uber took the Automotive and Transport winner tally to three, picking up the Digital Design award and gaining recognition for cashless ease of use and an “optimum user experience.”

In 2004, Ford became the first car-maker to with the top Good Design award with its Territory large SUV.

Wannabe owners of the award-winning cars can hop into an entry-level Tesla Model S 70D priced from $106,900 before on-road costs, while the BMW i3 costs $63,900 for the all-electric version, or $69,900 for the range-extended variant.