16-01-2008

Car Design News Contest 2008 Kicks Off with Challenge to Design the Ultimate Green-Connected Urban Car

Detroit, MI – Jan. 14, 2008 – Today at the 2008 North American International Auto Show’s Designer’s Night, Car Design News announced the formal kick off of the 2008 Car Design News Contest, held in association with SABIC Innovative Plastics and powered by Autodesk, by revealing the challenging lifestyle scenario design brief online at www.cardesignnews.com/site/contests/brief Car Design News also announced today the contest’s rigorous assessment process and the full panel of judges, consisting of more senior car designers than any previous design contest.

Designers are challenged to create 3D virtual models within an eleven-week time period beginning January 16 and ending on March 26. Finalists will be given eight additional weeks to develop their proposals, and winners will be announced on July 2. Top prizes will be awarded in two categories - professional designer and student designer - with the winners each receiving an Autodesk DesignStudio Commercial software license worth approximately $7,000; $2,000 in cash; and a 12-month individual membership in Car Design News.

Design Brief

The brief for Car Design News Contest 2008 is to design a car for Millenniumites (people born in 2000) and the way they might use their cars in 2028. Three Millenniumites are described in the brief. They lead international lives, have “green” values embedded in the way they think, expect to be able to always connect to the virtual world, and inhabit a non-stop 24/7 real world wherever they are. Each of the three Millenniumites needs a new car that must be compact, seat at least two, provide a private space within which to communicate, feel secure on congested streets, and assert their status as independent, trend-leading, and “green”-minded young professionals. All entries must be “snapshot” views of digital design models.

Complete information on the contest, including design guidelines, judging, assessment criteria, available materials, and how to work with these materials, is available online at www.cardesignnews.com/site/contests/brief

Reader enquiries

SABIC

WTC Tower Ten Strawinskylaan 1475
1077 XX Amsterdam
Netherlands

+31 164 293 148

anne.clement@sabic-ip.com

www.sabic.com

Notes for editors

About Car Design News

Car Design News is the world’s leading automotive design media with news stories on the latest and most interesting new production and concept car designs, in-depth car design reviews, extensive online photo galleries from every major international motor show, coverage of design exhibitions and competitions, resources and jobs listings, a discussion forum, and the world's biggest online collection of car designer portfolios.

Established in 1999, the site has a unique design focus with no road tests or driving impressions, just informed perspectives on car design exclusively written by experienced automotive designers to give a unique designer perspective.

Car Design News receives an average of a million visits and about 3000 visits per day from car designers - more than any other media. It is universally recognised by the global car design community as THE one consistent point of reference read in every car styling studio around the world.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc. is the world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk has developed the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art digital prototyping solutions to help customers experience their ideas before they are built. Fortune 1000 companies rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualize, simulate and analyze real-world performance early in the design process to save time and money, enhance quality and foster innovation. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.

About SABIC Innovative Plastics

SABIC Innovative Plastics is a global supplier of plastic resins widely used in automotive, healthcare, consumer electronics, transportation, performance packaging, building and construction, telecommunications and optical media applications. The company manufactures and compounds polycarbonate, ABS, ASA, PPE, PC/ABS, PBT and PEI resins, as well as the LNP* line of high-performance specialty compounds, under such well known brand names as Lexan*, Cycolac*, Geloy*, Noryl*, Cycoloy*, Valox* and Ultem*.

The Specialty Film and Sheet division of SABIC Innovative Plastics manufactures high-performance Lexan sheet and film products used in thousands of demanding applications worldwide. The dedicated automotive organization is an experienced, worldwide supplier, offering leading plastics solutions for five key automotive segments: body panels and glazing; under the hood applications; component; structures and interiors; and lighting.

SABIC Innovative Plastics is part of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), one of the 10 largest petrochemicals manufacturers in the world.

For additional information on SABIC Innovative Plastics please visit the company’s website at www.sabic-ip.com.

* Trademarks of SABIC Innovative Plastics IP BV.

Autodesk and AliasStudio are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document

Media Note: The proper name of the company is SABIC Innovative Plastics, and excludes any abbreviations or variations when referring to the company. As an acronym, SABIC should be all caps whenever it appears in print.