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2005 Michelin Challenge Design Convenes Jury

Six international designers to judge German themed entries for display at the 2005 North American International Auto Show

DETROIT, July 12 -- The international jury for Michelin Challenge Design(TM) will have a challenge of their own when it gathers in Detroit July 12 and 13 to review a record number of worldwide vehicle design entries vying for display in the Michelin exhibit at the 2005 North American International Auto Show.

Michelin Challenge Design has enjoyed phenomenal growth since its inception in 2001, and this year is no exception. A record number of entries have been received, each representing the influence of German design, the theme of this year's Challenge. A total of 162 entries from 50 countries were received -- representing almost a 50-percent increase over last year.

"The momentum and enthusiastic support the Michelin Challenge Design program has received from the worldwide design community since its inception speaks volumes about the viability of the original concept," said Tom Chubb, vice president of marketing, Michelin Automotive Industry Division. "Judging such a large and diverse group of entries presents a challenge, but it's one I'm confident our distinguished jury is well-equipped to handle."

Earlier this year, Michelin North America announced the names of its panel of professional transportation designers who will serve on the jury of one of the fastest growing design competitions in the world. The jury convenes in the Motor City this week to review vehicle designs received from individuals, companies and students.

This year's international jury includes the following:

* Dick Ruzzin, returns as the chairman of the Michelin Challenge Design jury. Now based in Detroit, Ruzzin was the design director for General Motors Europe before he retired in 1998. Ruzzin spent 36 years at GM participating in and directing the creative design development of many General Motors vehicles on five continents: North America, Europe, Asia, South America and Australia. Ruzzin has participated in numerous design projects and contributes to ID Magazine and cardesignnews.com.

* Wolfgang-Dieter Appel, graduated as an engineer from Fachhochschule Regensburg in 1978 and immediately began working with the Audi Development Center. During his eight years in the Development Center he designed engines for the Golf GTI 1.8 and the Audi 80 GTE. In 1985, Appel moved to Audi Sport and worked on various projects including gearbox and drive train for the Sport Quattro Pikes Peak, Audi 200 rally and Audi 200 TransAm. In 1999, he was named the technical project leader for the development of the Audi R8R and R8. The Audi R8 has since become one of the most successful racecars in motorsports history dominating the American Le Mans Series and winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans three consecutive years (2000-2002). He is currently the director of vehicle engineering at Audi Sport.

* Ronald Ihrig, returns as a juror this year and is currently the German consultant for the 2005 Michelin Challenge Design. He is founder of Ihrig Design in Worfelden, Germany. Ihrig founded the company in 1984 to provide clients design consulting and evaluation. Clients have included 3M, abt, Adam Opel AG, Alldos Gmbh, Airline-Bohnen&Kern GmbH, Blaupunkt Bosch Group, Ista, Mitsubishi MRDE, Michael Conrad & Leo Burnett, Silverhaze, VIA International and VW-Votex. He began his design career in 1979 with GM-Adam Opel AG in Ruesselsheim, Germany. Ihrig earned an industrial design degree from the University of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt Germany and degrees in philosophy, German and politics from the Technical University of Darmstadt.

* Professor Harald Leschke, started working as a designer for Mercedes in 1978. In 1986, he was appointed as an assistant to Bruno Sacco's new firm, Direktion Design. In 1987, he organized the founding of the first Mercedes- Benz Advanced Design Studio in Germany. As head of Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design and Corporate Design since 1993, he is now responsible for the worldwide Advanced Design Projects within the studios in Stuttgart, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Como. Furthermore, since 1994 he has developed several projects and workshops with the Industrial Design Department at the Beijing Academy of Arts, Tsinghua University.

* Stewart Reed, a three-time juror for Michelin Challenge Design, founded Stewart Reed Design in Holland, Mich., in 1994 to consult with the automotive and consumer manufacturing industries. Reed has been active in design since graduating from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., in 1969. He began with Meyers Manx and designed and developed the Manx SR, considered one of the best-executed, road-worthy kit vehicles. Reed spent nine years at Chrysler Corporation's advanced design department; six years as the chief designer of Toyota's California advanced design studio; and eight years with Prince Corporation, now part of Johnson Controls. He has taught transportation design courses at the Art Center College of Design and completed numerous works for clients including Robert Lutz's reintroduction of the Cunningham C7 in 2001, which Reed designed.

* Gerhard Steinle, graduated as an industrial designer from the Fachhochschule fuer Gestaltung in Pforzheim, Germany in 1981, and immediately joined Daimler-Benz AG as exterior designer for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and commercial vehicles. In 1988 he became the assistant to Bruno Sacco, senior vice president of Design at Daimler-Benz AG. There, Steinle established the first Mercedes-Benz design center outside the German headquarters in 1990. He held the position of president at Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America until 1997. Steinle left Mercedes-Benz in 1997 to establish and become president of Prisma Design International, Inc. in Tustin, Calif. Prisma Design has created designs for many automotive and commercial vehicle manufacturers, ranging from both interior and exterior full vehicle and accessory design.

For complete information on Michelin Challenge Design, including specific entry requirements, entry process, rules and theme details, visit http://www.michelinchallengedesign.com/ .