An important delegation from Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year traveled to South Korea to present the Supreme Winner award to the Hyundai Santa Fe and explore the gigantic Ulsan plant, where 5,600 cars are manufactured daily
SEOUL, South Korea – Three jurors of the Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) award traveled thousands of miles from around the world (Italy, United Arab Emirates and the United States) to Seoul, South Korea to present the Supreme Winner trophy to Hyundai Motor Company executives, conduct interviews and tour the world’s largest automotive manufacturing facility.
The three jurors are Monica Secondino, founder of Donne in Auto and a feature writer for Il Fatto Quotidiano, Auto and Motor 1 Italia, based in Milan, Italy; Shereen Shabnam, editor-in-chief of Global Trend Monitor magazine based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; and Tanya Gazdik, automotive editor at MediaPost and a contributor to WardsAuto and A Girl’s Guide to Cars, based in Detroit, Michigan, United States.
They represented the 85 women motoring journalists from 54 countries across five continents who voted for this year’s winners.
The Hyundai Santa Fe was chosen as the WWCOTY Supreme Winner after first being selected as Best Large SUV.
The trio conducted interviews with Hae In Kim, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at Hyundai Motor Company and presented her with the award.
Next, they traveled to Hyundai Motorstudio Hanam, a brand experience space for Hyundai Motor Company located within Starfield Hanam mall in South Korea, where they interviewed Taewook Choi, senior researcher, Hyundai exterior design team.
The WWCOTY jurors’ trip to South Korea also included a side trip from Seoul to the port city of Ulsan, where they toured Hyundai’s massive manufacturing complex. It is renowned as the world’s largest automobile plant.
The facility encompasses five factories, an engine and transmission plant and even its own port for shipping vehicles. The plant covers 4.8 million square meters (1,200 acres) and can produce over 1.5 million vehicles annually, with a daily output of 5,600 cars.
The WWCOTY jurors also toured the Hyundai Heritage Hall, a space dedicated to showcasing the company’s history and brand heritage. It is located within the Ulsan Plant’s Culture Center. The hall features an exhibition that traces Hyundai’s journey from its beginnings at the Ulsan Plant to its current position as one of the largest automotive companies globally.
About Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year
Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year is the only car awards group in the world comprised exclusively of women motoring journalists. It was created by New Zealand motoring journalist Sandy Myhre in 2009. She is Honorary President while Marta García is Executive President.
This unique award aims to recognise the best cars of the year and to give a voice to women in the automotive world. The voting criteria are based on the same principles that guide any driver when choosing a car. The jurors do not select a ‘woman’s car’ because cars are not gender specific. Aspects such as safety, quality, price, design, ease of driving, benefits and environmental footprint, among others, are considered when casting the votes.
However, beyond choosing the best cars of the year, our goal is also to give visibility to women in the automotive world and to contribute to making women’s voices heard on all continents because mobility for a woman means access to many personal and professional possibilities.
Supported by
