Honda’s next-generation electric car, the Honda e, and CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP superbike have been inducted into the historic Red Dot Design Museum, one of the world’s most significant exhibitions of contemporary design. The Honda e also takes centre stage in the special “Milestones in Contemporary Design” exhibition, as one of the 76 best products of 2020 and a current marker in international product design.

Honda’s highly acclaimed Honda e compact electric vehicle was recently awarded the ‘Red Dot: Best of the Best 2020’ award for ground-breaking product design. This is the highest honour in the internationally renowned Red Dot Award: Product Design and is reserved for the best products in each category. The Honda e also received the Red Dot 2020 accolade in the meta-category ‘Smart Products’, whilst the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP was awarded a Red Dot for outstanding design in the motorcycle category.

Both vehicles are an essential part of the 2020/21 special exhibition in the internationally renowned Red Dot Design Museum, Essen, Germany.

Peter Zec, CEO and founder of the Red Dot Design Award said: “The Honda e is not just a car – it is much more. The Honda e was awarded the Red Dot: Best of the Best because the jury was amazed by the car at first sight. There was no doubt it was worthy of the award from the beginning.

Honda is facing the challenges [of urban mobility] through fantastic research and development work to find the right solution for the future. I think the Honda e stands for a kind of paradigm shift: we are not just talking about e-mobility, we are talking about new solutions in the digital world and Honda e fits perfectly into this scenery. It connects your home with mobility, it is a real smart product and it goes far beyond our imagination. I don’t know any other car that can achieve this at the moment.”

From the unique concave black panels and signature front and rear LED light combinations, to the clean lines and flush features that optimise aerodynamic efficiency and refinement, the Honda e reimagines the identity of a small Honda for the next era of urban mobility. Further emphasising the car’s exacting design philosophy is a Side Camera Mirror System that replaces conventional side view mirrors – a first in the compact segment.

Makoto Iwaki, the Executive Creative Director for Honda e, added: “Honda e was designed to create a new relationship between people, society and the car, whilst incorporating Honda’s future vision. We will continue to do our best to realise the vision through Honda Design. I’m delighted to receive this prestigious award, and at the same time extremally proud that it’s in the Red Dot Design Museum for the world to appreciate and enjoy. Thank you to everyone, thank you very much.”

The new Honda e is the brand’s first production battery electric vehicle for the European market. The model is a key part of Honda’s commitment to see all its car model ranges in Europe electrified by 2022.

The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, which won the Red Dot 2020 award in the motorcycle category, is the latest two-wheeled machine to carry the legendary Fireblade nameplate. The new 2020 model was developed under the tagline ‘Born to Race’, with an unwavering focus on circuit performance and a radical new design.

The Red Dot judges put the superbike through its paces over several days to test its performance, in addition to assessing its functionality and design.

Peter Zec commented: “If I’m thinking about Honda, the first thing that comes to mind is motorbikes. The Fireblade deserves the Red Dot because the jury liked it very much – and we have really crazy judges that challenged the bike, including a professional racing bike rider. It’s not just good design – it has perfect performance too, which is the main reason why it received the Red Dot.”

In its assessment, the judging panel commended the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP for its racing-inspired design, well balanced lines and aerodynamic styling. Judges also praised the fun experience it delivered and outstanding performance when tested. Its minimalist frontal area, aggressively angled side fairings and extended lower fairings – plus a variety of apertures, slits and air-channelling shapes – combine to create a best-in-class drag coefficient. Aerodynamic ‘winglets’ as used on Honda’s MotoGP RC213V racing bike combine eye-catching form with uncompromising function, hugely increasing downforce and stability for ultimate control of the most powerful inline four-cylinder engine Honda has ever made.

Satoshi Kawawa, General Manager, Motorcycle Design Division, added: “The CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP was developed to win races in any category – from club racing to international competition. Its design and styling are led by that philosophy – with every part and every detail designed with speed, performance and aerodynamic efficiency in mind. We’re honoured that it has been recognised with such a prestigious award.”


The annual Red Dot Award: Product Design honours excellence in product design from international businesses. The winning products are chosen by a judging panel comprised of 40 international experts who test, evaluate and discuss each entry. The Red Dot Design museum hosts the world’s largest exhibition of contemporary design in the former boiler house of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein, which was once a coal mine complex.

In June, two new special exhibitions, “Milestones in Contemporary Design” and “Design on Stage”, present this year’s winning products of the Red Dot Award: Product Design, including the Honda e and CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP. All exhibits have extraordinary design qualities and represent the Red Dot winners of 2020.

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