‘Most Remarkable Award’ for Avante at Beijing show

Hyundai Motor’s Avante won the Most Remarkable Award at the Beijing International Motor Show, the country’s leading carmaker said on Tuesday.

Winning the most out of the 6.75 million votes counted, the award-winning sedan has made a promising premier in the automobile market, the company said.

First presented in 2005, the Most Remarkable Award is given by three major motor shows in China, Shanghai Motor Show, Beijing International Motor Show and Guangzhou International Motor Show. The award is presented to an automobile that receives the most votes from spectators. 

The vote took place from April 23 for a week, during which people voted either at the show or online via Twitter and Sohu, a Chinese automobile portal.

“The prize is among the fairest automobile awards, since it relies entirely on the customers’ choice. And it directly affects the future sales record,” the carmaker said.

Based on the technology and performance of the original model, the sedan is localized in design and structure to suit their Chinese customers’ taste, the company said. The new model is named Langdong, a Chinese name that suggests energy and excitement, according to the company.

In size, Langdong is 40 millimeters longer and 10 millimeters higher than the original model, Avante. The company said that it applied bold and smooth design by employing unique radiator grills and head lamps.

The Avante line has been winning a series of automobile awards on a global level this year. The sedan won the 2012 North American Car of the Year at Detroit Motor Show in last January and the 2012 Canadian Car of the Year at the Canadian International Auto Show last February. Last March the car won the 2012 South African Car of the Year.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)