Conference to Explore Design as the Ultimate Differentiating Factor Between Consumer Products; Primary Force That Drives Consumers' Interest and Purchase Decisions

  WHAT:        AutoWeek Design Forum, 13th annual
               "Iconic Design"

  WHEN:        Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006
               Day-long program runs 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.

  WHERE:       Riverview Ballroom, Cobo Conference/Exhibition Center,
               Detroit

  HIGHLIGHTS:  Leading design professionals will share creative insights and
               industry trends with hundreds of automotive and
               non-automotive professionals and students.

               Individual morning presentations by:

               *  Stephen Murkett, design manager, Porsche AG (9:05 a.m.)

               *  Dicky Riegel, group president, Thor Industries and Bob
                  Wheeler, president and CEO, Airstream Inc. (9:45 a.m.)

               *  Joel Piaskowski, chief designer, Hyundai Motor America,
                  Kia Design and Technical Center (11 a.m.)

               *  Peter Horbury, executive director of design, North
                  America, Ford Motor Company (11:45 a.m.)

               Pre-dinner reception (5:00 p.m.) and dinner (6:00 p.m.)

               Dinner program:

               *  Presentation of College for Creative Studies' Concept Car
                  That Must Be Built Award (6:05 p.m.).

               *  Presentation of the AutoWeek Lifetime Achievement Award to
                  Carroll Shelby (7:30 p.m.).

               *  Announcement of AutoWeek Editors' Choice Awards from 2006
                  North American International Auto Show recognizing Best in
                  Show, Most Fun, Most Significant and Best Concept vehicles
                  (7:40 p.m.).

               *  Keynote dinner remarks by:

                  --  Academy Award(R)-winning John Lasseter, executive vice
                      president, creative, Pixar Animation Studios.
                      Lasseter will preview "Cars," which arrives in
                      theaters in June 2006 (7:45 p.m.); and

                  --  Giorgetto Giugiaro, president and chairman,
                      ItalDesign.  Celebrating 50 years in automotive
                      design, Giugiaro has styled and produced more than 200
                      cars (8:15 p.m.).

  INFO:        http://www.autoweek.com/dforum

PRNewswire -- Jan. 9