In the category for medium size (hatchback) cars the Fiat Bravo with 15 points was a clear winner ahead of the new Peugeot 308 (9 points). The Fiat 500 came home first in the 'city car/small car' category, racking up 15 points from the judging panel compared to its closest rival, the Mazda 2, which claimed 5 points. The announcement was made during a ceremony to mark the 15th edition of the awards, which was held in the glorious surroundings of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan on 8th November.

The Fiat 500 and Bravo have both picked up awards in their respective categories in this year's edition of L’Automobile più Bella del Mondo (The World’s most Beautiful Automobile). The announcement was made during a ceremony to mark the 15th edition of the awards, which was held in the glorious surroundings of the Castello Sforzesco in Milan on 8th November.

The Fiat 500 came home first in the 'city car/small car' category, racking up 15 points from the judging panel compared to its closest rival, the Mazda 2, which claimed 5 points. In the category for medium size (hatchback) cars the Bravo with 15 points was also a clear winner ahead of the new Peugeot 308 (9 points). Other winners in this years edition included the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (sedan), Lexus LX600H (luxury), Audi A5 (coupé), Opel GT (cabriolet), Aston Martin DBS (sportscar), Mercedes-Benz C-Class station wagon (station wagon) and Citroën C4 Picasso (MPV).

The L’Automobile più Bella del Mondo Award was created in 1993, immediately generating great interest. For the first time, a Jury panel of artists, architects, designers, art critics and historians met to examine the models of that year from a totally new point of view: Beauty. The purpose of this yearly Award therefore is to confirm the formal values of the automobile, even clashing with the world of product design that also mistrusted this marvellous fruit of genius and creativity. The formal component has become an increasingly decisive factor in the selection of automobile models. But (and this is quite important) the car-object has deservingly entered the area of figurative culture in our society.

The awards are organised by Bruno Alfieri, the President of Museum. One of the founders of ADI and of the Compasso d’Oro Award in 1955, he’s authored books on the contemporary art masters – including his Paul Klee (1947) – and Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Alfa Romeo cars. Founder and editor of the reviews ‘Quadrum’ (avant-garde art, 1955-1960), ‘Zodiac’ (with Adriano Olivetti, architecture, 1957-1963), ‘Metro’ (avant-garde art, 1960-1973), ‘Pagina’ (graphics, 1962-1964), ‘Lotus’ (architecture, 1963-1973). Alfieri also conceived some important car design shows at the Milan Triennale: Design in Motion (1998-2001); Sculture in Movimento (1997), Colore in Movimento (1996). In 2002 he organised in New York the exhibition The Italian Avantgarde in Car Design (show design by Massimo Vignelli).

The International Jury panels over the last fourteen editions have been wide ranging, including artists: Pietro Consagra, Piero Dorazio, Patrick Caulfield, Jorge Eielson, Joe Tilson, Vittorio Matino, Heinz Mack, Kenneth Noland; of architects: Mario Bellini, Claudio Bellini, Vico Magistretti, Massimo Vignelli, Pierluigi Nicolin, Mario Piazza, Valerio Moretti, Alberto Seassaro and Alessandro Belli. Art historians and critics: Rossana Bossaglia, Ermanno Arslan, Guido Ballo, Gillo Dorfles, Lionello Puppi,  Harald Szeemann, Aldo Colonetti. Graphic artists: Giulio Confalonieri, Giancarlo Iliprandi and Roberto Sambonet. Car designers: Carlo Chiti, Lorenzo Ramaciotti, Shinya Iwakura and Bruno Sacco. Photographers: Gianni Berengo Gardin and Lorenzo Bianda; automobile historians: Fulvio Cinti, Alessandro Giudice and Antoine Prunet. In addition to architect, designer and editor of ‘Car & Transportation design’ Enrico Leonardo Fagone, Xu Qun, editor of 'Car and Driver China', journalist Massimo Fiorentino, experts in taste Fabio Pierotti Cei and Gianni Bulgari, product designer Giulio Cappellini and fashion designers Elio Fiorucci, Agata Ruiz de la Prada and Carlo Rivetti.