BMW, Siemens, DaimlerChrysler, Bombardier, Porsche, Audi, Honda, Jaguar, Crown. What do all of these companies have in common? They all were awarded top positions in this year’s prestigious Ranking: Design awards. Crown placed third in both the "Special Use Vehicles" and "Manufacturers" categories, outranking many companies known for strong design such as Audi and Jaguar.

Ranking: Design, published annually by design.net AG in
Germany, has established itself as an independent benchmark for internationally acknowledged design competence. It provides an overview of design competence in Europe and pays tribute to outstanding achievements of design-oriented manufacturers and industrial designers.

The annual Ranking: Design awards are based on the evaluation of 19 of the top German design competitions organized at the federal and state levels, with the participation of numerous German and foreign companies. Ten product groups, such as "Trade and Industry", "Transportation", "Special Use Vehicles" and "Public Design", are included in the Ranking: Design awards, making the rankings a practical reference for professional audiences and decision-makers.

A Ranking: Design award is not related to single products but rather the successful design work of a company throughout the past year. "Crown’s success in the Ranking: Design awards testifies to the precision of Crown’s design strategy. The design of each Crown product begins where it also ends – in the minds and hands of our customers. This method of design is a Crown distinction," says Mike Gallagher, Crown Vice President – Design Center.