Nominees for Ward's Auto Interior of the Year Awards

NEW YORK--Penton Media’s Ward’s AutoWorld^® magazine has selected 34 outstanding vehicle interiors from 11 manufacturers as nominees for top honors in the annual “Ward’s Interior of the Year” awards program. The prestigious awards program is part of the Ward’s Auto Interiors Show, being held June 6-7 at Detroit’s Cobo Center.

The following nominees were selected from vehicles or interiors introduced in the 2007 model year:

ECONOMY-PRICED CARS (Under $17,000)

Dodge Caliber
Honda Fit
Hyundai Elantra
Suzuki SX4
VW Rabbit

POPULAR-PRICED CARS ($17,000-$30,000)

Chrysler Sebring
Mini Cooper
Nissan Maxima
Saturn Aura
Toyota Camry

PREMIUM-PRICED CARS (More than $30,000)

Infiniti G35
Jaguar XK
Lexus LS 460
Lincoln MKZ
Volvo S80

POPULAR-PRICED CUVS (Under $30,000)

Ford Edge
Saturn Outlook (in place of GMC Acadia)
Honda CR-V
Hyundai Veracruz (in place of Santa Fe)
Mazda CX-7

PREMIUM-PRICED CUVS (More than $30,000)

Acura MDX
BMW X5
Cadillac SRX
Lincoln MKX
Mercedes GL-Class

POPULAR-PRICED TRUCKS (Under $30,000)

Chevy Silverado
Dodge Nitro (in place of Veracruz)
Jeep Wrangler
Toyota Tundra

PREMIUM-PRICED TRUCKS (More than $30,000)

Cadillac Escalade
Chrysler Aspen ($30,745)
Lincoln Navigator
Land Rover LR3
Nissan Quest (in place of Mercedes G-Class)

The slate of 34 nominees was determined by the editorial staff of Ward’s. The industry at-large is invited to vote for the winners at www.autointeriors.com through May 5, and attendees may vote for the “Best in Show” winner during the event, June 6 and 7. A special awards ceremony will take place on June 6 at 4:30 p.m. Many of the nominated vehicles will be on display on the show floor.

To register to attend the Awards program, go to www.autointeriors.com. For media registration, send an email to: mhedge@hedgeco.com or call 248-789-8976.

Ward's Automotive Group is a world-leading provider of auto industry news, data and analysis, having served the industry's information needs for nearly 80 years. Ward’s AutoWorld is a monthly magazine serving more than 68,000 automotive professionals globally. The twice-monthly newsletter Ward’s Engine & Vehicle Technology Update provides analysis of engineering advancements and technical issues. WardsAuto.com is an online subscription service delivering virtually all the industry news, data and analysis compiled by Ward’s Automotive Group, the world’s leader in automotive industry information. A Southfield, MI – based division of Penton Media, Inc., Ward’s Automotive Group also offers a wealth of other automotive information services including reference annuals, online databases, and customized data reports.

Penton Media, Inc. is the largest independent business-to-business media company in the U.S., serving more than six million business professionals every month. The company's market-leading brands are focused on 30 industries and include 113 trade magazines, 145 Web sites, 150 industry trade shows and conferences, and more than 500 information data products. Headquartered in New York City, the privately held company is owned by MidOcean Partners and U.S. Equity Partners II, an investment fund sponsored by Wasserstein & Co., LP, and its co-investors. For additional information on the company and its businesses, visit www.penton.com.