Now, did you know that every year, leading body-manufacturing experts convene to discuss trends as well as scrutinise numerous body shells and series-production vehicles at the International Car-Body Benchmarking Conference? And that there’s an award called the Euro Car Body Award?
The last is where the attendees select the world’s most innovative series-built vehicle body for the year. The 12th edition of the conference, organised by Automotive Circle International and held in in Bad Nauheim, Germany late last month, saw 520 experts and a jury of specialists evaluating 14 of the latest series-production vehicles to determine a winner.
When voting was done, the winner of the world’s most distinguished award for innovations in body manufacturing, better known as the Euro Car Body Award, was Audi’s A8, making it the fourth time Audi has taken the honours. In taking the gong, the A8 also set a new record by earning 41.11 out of a possible 50 points in the voting process.
Cetainly, there’s a lot in the Neckarsulm-made offering to have impressed the experts. The aluminium body (featuring no less than 13 grades of aluminium) weighs in at 231 kg, 30 kg less than its predecessor, but has a stiffness/weight ratio that’s increased by 20% over the previous shell. For those who enjoy such trivia, building one involves 1,847 punch-rivets, 632 self-tapping screws, 202 spot welds, 25 MIG welds, six metres of laser welds, and 44 metres of bonded seams.
In addition to its impressive body properties, the Euro Car Body Award also recognised Audi’s pioneering concepts regarding processes, production and manufacturing as well as the company’s know-how concerning materials technology and joining techniques.
The current A8 follows in the tyre tracks of an A8 predecessor, which was the first Audi to win the award in 2003. In 2006, the TT won the award, and in 2008, it was the Q5’s turn to emerge victorious.
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Europe Car Body Award? It is just an enlarged Audi A4 body, but nevertheless, still a beautiful car.
The 2nd place goes to Toyota LEXUS LFA, 3rd place was the new BMW 5 series, so if ur priority is on advance innovative body, u won’t go wrong with a premium toyota/lexus/audi/bimmer.
A4 body? Dude get your eye done mann.
pengadilan berat sebelah. mgkn orang2 audi yg jadi juri. Banyak lg model2 lain lagi cantik.. design dr negara asia lebih kemas & mantap… mcm menafikan design2 dari asia je…
I don’t think this award is about design. It’s more about engineering and manufacturing the car body, not how good it looks.
You are right Paul. The article has already mentioned about how the body of the Audi A8 is made. This award is not about good looking cars. It’s about body making technology.
YES!
Audi A8. Emmmmm….. 750K for A8 3.0T is Good Buy.
It’s the perfect car for home garage, don’t you agree?
Thanks Paul.
this is a huge achievement for audi as the previous a8s have been quite silent,and they themselves said they wanted to bring the a8 to life with this new model and they certainly did! good job..cant wait for the S8
btw paul how did the new jaguar XJ do?its outstanding features has always been its all aluminum body right? =)
Dear Gajen, the not-so-new JAGUAR XJ won the 2nd place last year in EuroCarBody 2009. The first place belonged to Mercedes-Benz E-class. 3rd was Audi R8 Spyder.
oh i see..thanks!
Who were the other 13 cars that a8 was competing against? Audi has bagged 4 trophies so far and I must say it’s a great achievement for them and hope to see more good cars coming
here’s the summary: (1st to 14th)
1.Audi A8
2.Lexus LFA
3.BMW 5 Series
4.Volkswagen Sharan
5.Alfa Romeo Giulietta
6.Opel Meriva
7.Aston Martin Rapide
8.Volvo S60
9.Honda CR-Z
10.Ferrari 458 Italia
11.Citroën C4
12.Ford Grand C-Max
13.Saab 9-5
14.Samsung SM5
Where is Merc?
samsung?
Lets enjoy how Bangla Bangers build car’s body.Astro 734
I wish there is a Worst CarBody Award 2010, so that not-so-rich buyers can be more informed of which particular less-premium model to avoid every year… come come come guess who ll top the list?
all proton models i guess
viva sure take 1st place
the a8 has always been something special….the aluminium body and stuff…just dat its greatly overshadowed by the overhyped s-class
i mean the audi aluminium space frame