Ward's Wins 11 International Wheel Awards

The Ward’s editorial staff won 11 2006 International Wheel Awards at a ceremony at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn April 6, the most honors by any competing media outlet.

The Wheel Awards, presented by the Detroit Press Club Foundation, honor the best in automotive journalism.

WardsAuto.com picked up eight awards, including three first place prizes, while Ward’s AutoWorld magazine was honored with three.

In the Internet News Story or Subject-Related Series category, Ward’s took the top three spots.

Cliff Banks and Steve Miller won first place for the story they broke on the boycott of Ford Motor Co. by the American Family Association.

“This story that broke the news of Ford’s deal with the American Family Association is the kind of story enterprising reporters live for,” the judges said of the piece, “Ford Averts Potential Boycott.”

“The reporters were on top of a situation that had slipped under other publications’ radar and were able to come up with news that shook Ford’s efforts to smooth over AFA’s objections to Ford’s advertising in and support of gay publications,” the judges continued. “The writing is clear and accessible, and the story rocks.”

Taking second place in the same category was the story on auto makers’ efforts to market their vehicles in unorthodox ways, “New Age Marketing,” written by Christie Schweinsberg, Drew Winter, Kevin Kelly and John Stoll.

Alisa Priddle placed third with her examination of Volkswagen AG’s woes, “What Will it Take to Fix Volkswagen?”

Ward’s also took the top spot in the Internet Editorial category for Barbara McClellan’s commentary on the boycott of Ford by the AFA, “Ford Avoids Pressure Group Boycott But at What Cost?”

“This editorial relates the relatively narrow world of auto companies to the wider society and to political issues that involve all sectors,” said the judges. “With clear, crisp writing, the piece raises questions and draws lessons that apply, broadly.”

Taking second in the Internet Editorial category was Dave Zoia’s “Use It or Lose It” commentary, which focused on General Motors Corp.

Priddle received an honorable mention in the category for her take on Mazda Motor Corp.’s changing of the Miata name to MX-5, titled, “A Miata By Any Other Name.”

Tom Murphy’s review of Honda Motor Co. Ltd.’s first-ever pickup truck took top honors in the Internet Product Review category.

The judges said, “Compact Ridgeline Has Fullsize Ambition” is “readable and appealing, entertaining at the same time it is highly informative.”

Bill Visnic’s review of the ’06 BMW M5, “Be Afraid,” took second place in the Internet Product Review category.

Ward’s AutoWorld won second place in the General Interest Magazine/Special Interest Publication Product Review category for Schweinsberg’s review of the new Lexus IS, “Ready to Duel.”

Visnic won third prize in the category for his review of the IS’ chief competitor, the BMW 3-Series, titled “Still the Best.”

Winter received an honorable mention for his editorial, “Appliances Get Angry,” in the General Interest Magazine/Special Interest Publication Editorial/Column category.