2004 Motor Trend/CIAS International Design Contest Announces Judges Panel; Judges Include World Renowned Automotive Designers from Ford, Mazda, General Motors and Mitsubishi

Business Wire, August 31, 2004

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- MOTOR TREND, the world's #1 automotive authority, and the California International Auto Show (CIAS) today announced the judges for the 2004 MOTOR TREND/CIAS International Design Contest. Each year, an impressive panel of judges comprised of some of the leading automotive designers, MOTOR TREND editors and industry professionals evaluate the hundreds of submitted entries. Open to amateur, student and professional designers from around the world, the theme for the sixth-annual contest is "Brand It Your Way," challenging contestants to conceptualize a vehicle design that embodies the characteristics and traits of a specific, non-automotive brand. The winners will be announced during Media Day at the California International Auto Show on October 27, 2004, where the finalists' designs will be displayed throughout the show.

"We're thrilled to be able to give our contestants this unique opportunity to put their entries in front of some of the top designing experts in the automotive industry," said Matt Stone, executive editor of MOTOR TREND. "Now in its sixth year, this contest continues to attract some incredible concepts and ideas from designers all over the world and we look forward to seeing what they come up with this year."

Judges will select the top three winners in each amateur category, as well as the top five student and professional finalists in early Fall. The student and professional finalists will receive an expense-paid trip to the California International Auto Show in Anaheim, California to attend the final round of judging. MOTOR TREND's Executive Editor and Design Contest Chief Judge Matt Stone will present the awards to the winners in the Design Professional and Amateur categories at an afternoon press conference and awards ceremony on October 27, 2004.

Awards include a $2,500 prize for the overall "Best of Show" winner, $1,000 prize for the first-place winner of the Design Professional category and $1,000 scholarship towards the college or university attended by the first-place Design Student winner. Both first place winners in the Amateur categories will each receive $500, plus online classes or a scholarship to the Academy of Art University. Winners will also receive a trophy, free subscription to MOTOR TREND and have their achievement recognized in a future issue of MOTOR TREND and online at www.motortrend.com and www.mtdesigncontest.com.

About The Judges

The prestigious judging team for the 2004 MOTOR TREND/CIAS International Design Contest include the following designers and industry experts:

--Henrik Fisker - Executive Design Director/AML, California Advanced Product Creation, Ford Motor Company

In addition to holding the position of design director for Aston Martin, Henrik Fisker also serves as executive director of the California Advanced Product Creation studio for Ford Motor Company. Fisker has held the positions of president and chief executive officer of Designworks/USA, a subsidiary of BMW and has also served as designer at BMW AG and BMW Technik GmbH. Fisker holds design degrees from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and the University of Switzerland.

--Eddie Paul - President and Founder, E.P. Industries, Inc.

Eddie Paul is the Founder and President of E.P. Industries, Inc., a research, development and prototype manufacturing company established in 1970. With over 35 years of engineering experience, Paul has developed innovative designs in engines, pumps, compressors, optics, electronics, camera movements and housings, hydraulic systems and animatronics. Paul is currently a consultant for the Department of Defense, Rockwell Scientific, Mission Research, SOCOM, NRL and many others. His high-profile involvement in creating vehicles and props for movie studios has led to his work on multiple box office hits including 2Fast, 2 Furious, XXX, The Fast & The Furious, and Grease. Paul is also the author of "The Cars of the Fast and the Furious," and serves as the West Coast Technical Editor of Design News and the Technical Editor for Ol' Skool Rodz and Horse, a popular motorcycle magazine.

--Hideki Masuda - Assistant Director of Industrial Design, Academy of Art University

Hideki Masuda received a B.A. in Fine Art from Bard College in Annandale, NY, and a B.S. in Industrial Design/Transportation Design from Art Center College of Design. As a student at the Art Center, Masuda designed, engineered and built a full-scale running prototype vehicle. In 1998, he joined the Academy of Art University as an instructor in the Industrial Design Department. In addition to his role as an instructor, Masuda has contributed to developing the Industrial Design program and currently teaches both transportation design classes and computer courses at the Academy.

--Tom Matano - Director, School of Industrial Design, Academy of Art University

Tom Matano has more than 30 years of experience in the automotive design industry. Prior to joining Mazda, he held design positions at General Motors, Volvo and BMW and in 1983, he became a chief designer at Mazda North America, Inc. He continued to become vice president of the Design Division and executive vice president of Western Operations for Mazda R&D North America, Inc, as well as executive designer and director of Mazda North American Operations. Additionally, Matano has worked with Mazda in Japan as an executive designer in charge of the Global Advance Studio and has also served as the general manager of Mazda Design. Matano holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Transportation Design from the Art Center College of Design.