Alcantara Stands Out Among Winners Of Wards 10 Best Interiors
DETROIT, May 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcantara, the Made in Italy luxury material, was an interior feature on four of the vehicles on the 2017 Wards 10 Best Interiors award list. Winners equipped with Alcantara included the Lexus LC500h, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Lincoln Continental and Maserati Levante.
More than 30 vehicles were considered for the award in 2017. Wards editors scored each vehicle based on "material quality, ergonomics, safety, the human-machine interface, comfort, fit-and-finish, overall value and aesthetics," according to Tom Murphy, WardsAuto senior editor.
The new $96,000 flagship Lexus LC500h was extensively fitted with Alcantara. Seats, headliner, dashboard, pillars and door panels all used a variety of signature colors to heighten the owner experience. Editors were impressed by a color palette from crimson Rioja Red to Bespoke White, especially on the LC500h's door-panel trim.
For the Alfa Romeo Giulia, an Alcantara steering wheel and seat provided a perfect grip which is pleasant to the touch at any temperature, whether on the racetrack or on the road. Detail such as red stitching when combined with the 100 percent Made in Italy material ensures an even sportier, more individual character.
The headliner of the Lincoln flagship Lincoln Continental also was crafted from Alcantara. Lincoln designers chose the material for its durability, while Wards praised Continental for its "gorgeous interior with soft ambient lighting." The Lincoln Continental Black Label Rhapsody edition uses Alcantara on seats and pillars as well.
Alcantara also provided a long-lasting, lightweight headliner for the Maserati Levante. Wards editors commented that Levante was a car "meant to be heard, felt, seen and smelled from the driver's seat."
Wards 10 Best Interiors is now in its seventh year. Selecting this year's winners, Wards editors asked: "Does this interior demonstrate a cohesive melding of surfaces and color, or does it look and feel disjointed? Will this interior age well? How unique is this interior? Does it raise the bar?"
Alcantara CEO and Chairmen Andrea Boragno congratulated the 2017 award winners noting that "Alcantara's proprietary technology delivers an avant-garde material with superior aesthetic, technical and sensory qualities, respecting ethics and the environment, and making it a preferred choice for designers across the globe. Many OEMs are interested in our long lasting responsible vision. Our status of Carbon Neutrality (certified since 2009) together with our commitment to sustainability, is in fact raising increasing interest within the industry."
About WardsAuto
WardsAuto is a world-leading provider of automotive insights and analysis, having served the industry's information needs for more than 90 years. A Southfield, Michigan-based division of the Penton Commercial Vehicle Group, it provides a forward-looking perspective on all aspects of the automotive business.
Alcantara S.p.A. - www.alcantara.com
Founded in 1972, Alcantara is a prime example of Italian-produced quality. As a registered trademark of Alcantara S.p.A. and the result of a unique and proprietary technology, Alcantara® is a highly innovative material, offering an unrivalled combination of sensory, aesthetic and functional qualities. Alcantara is the choice of leading brands in a number of application fields: fashion and accessories, automotive, interior design and home décor, and consumer-electronics. Since 2009 Alcantara has been certified "Carbon Neutral", having defined, reduced and offset all the CO2 emissions derived from its activities. Headquartered in Milan, Alcantara's production site and R&D department are located in Nera Montoro, in the heart of Umbria Region (Terni).
SOURCE Alcantara
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