A much-coveted Trophy

The Car of the Year has a new trophy to accompany its new logo and it has been presented for the first time in January 2004.

The new trophy, in marble and coloured metals, was created by Emmanuel Zurini, a French artist who is famous for his automotive sculptures. For most of its 42-year history, the Car of the Year trophy has featured six or seven poppet valves surmounted by the national flags of the contest's sponsoring publications. This trophy, originally designed by Geoff Axby, art director of the British Sunday Telegraph magazine, was 'retired' after the 1999 contest and, acknowledging that the Dutch magazine Autovise and its former editor Fred van der Vlugt established the Car of the Year award, it was entrusted to the Dutch National Automobile Museum in Raamsdonksveer. The replacement was an L-shaped steel sculpture depicting and stylised speeding car with the original Car of the Year logo prominent on its end-plate. It was the work of UK designer Dean Arthurs. An individual trophy was presented each year from 2000 through 2003 and kept in perpetuity by the winning manufacturer.

Emblems of our History

1978

Porsche 928 prizegiving in Monaco. Prince Rainiero, with Jury president Paul Frere and Porsche chairman Dr. Ernst Fuhrmann.

2000

L-shaped steel sculpture for the new millenium.

1986

Debut for trophy with seven poppet valves on a solid polygonal base.

2004

Trophy won by Fiat Panda shows the new design of Car of the Year logo.

1999

Last mission for classic trophy in Focus year: Ford of Europe president (right) receives it from Ray Hutton.