Thursday, June 21, 2007

The clear winners

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(RASHAUN RUCKER/Detroit Free Press)

The Jeep Trail Hawk SUV took the award for best truck concept.

    (J. KYLE KEENER/Detroit Free Press)

    BEST CONCEPT: It's the Holden Efijy, a curvaceous 1950s-style coupe from General Motors Corp.'s Australian unit.

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  • (ERIC SEALS/Detroit Free Press)

    The Chevrolet Volt was named best specialty concept.

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  • (RASHAUN RUCKER/Detroit Free Press)

    The Jaguar C-XF won as the best vehicle that reflects an upcoming production model.

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Brands owned by Detroit's automakers swept four awards for best concept cars.

The Chevrolet Volt, Holden Efijy, Jaguar C-XF and Jeep Trail Hawk got the nod Wednesday from a panel of automotive journalists as the top concept cars in their respective categories from the late 2006-07 auto show season.

The winner of a fifth award for most significant concept vehicle is to be announced tonight at an awards ceremony at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn.

The Chevrolet Volt, a new kind of hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle, was named best specialty concept for its innovative technology. The Volt is a strong contender for most significant concept.

The Jeep Trail Hawk SUV took the award for best truck concept. The Holden Efijy, a curvaceous 1950s-style coupe from General Motors Corp.'s Australian unit, won best concept car.

While the concept car and truck awards reward style and looks, Jaguar's C-XF got the nod as the best vehicle that reflects an upcoming production model.

All four of the winners debuted at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this year. The Southeast Automotive Media Organization organizes the award. The two dozen jurors include Free Press auto critic Mark Phelan.

By Free Press staff

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