'A Car's Life: Designed to Entertain' is Theme of AutoWeek Design Forum, Jan. 12, 2005

DETROIT, Nov. 4 -- A behind-the-scenes look at creating Pixar Animation Studios' The Incredibles, as well as a preview of Cars, the company's next state-of-the-art feature film, will cap AutoWeek's 2005 Design Forum agenda Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2005 at Cobo Conference/Exhibition Center in Detroit, Mich.

"A Car's Life: Designed to Entertain," is the theme of the day-long program, which begins with registration and continental breakfast at 8 a.m. and concludes at 8:30 p.m., following dinner and the keynote address by John Lasseter, Pixar's executive vice president, creative.

The 13th annual Design Forum will explore design as the automotive industry's ultimate differentiating factor. The morning program, featuring individual presentations and a panel discussion by leading executives, will look at design as the main factor in moving a consumer from an inquirer to a buyer.

Geared to automotive and non-automotive professionals and students alike, the 2005 AutoWeek Design Forum will feature individual remarks by:

  *  Chris Bangle, director of BMW Group Design, BMW; and
  *  Jeri Yoshizu, sales and promotion manager, Scion.

The panel discussion, which will explore the car as a design palette from the OEM, aftermarket and retail perspectives, will feature:

  *  Beau Boeckmann, vice president, Galpin Ford;
  *  Chip Foose, founder, Foose Design Inc.; and
  *  Kip Wasenko, designer, Cadillac STS, General Motors.

Rounding out the Design Forum agenda are guided afternoon tours of the 2005 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), a pre-dinner reception and dinner program presentations of the AutoWeek Editors' Choice Awards. The awards will recognize the Best in Show, Most Fun, Most Significant and Best Concept vehicles of the 2005 NAIAS.

Held in conjunction with the NAIAS, the Design Forum is presented by AutoWeek in association with Johnson Controls, Inc.

Registration for the day-long program is $275 for professionals and $125 for students. Tickets are $175 each for the dinner program only. Visit http://www.autoweek.com/ for additional information and to register online. Information is also available by contacting Shauna Vercher-Morrow at 313-446-0485 or svercher-morrow@crain.com .