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Industry Digest 35: Tying Up Lose Ends

Awards shows, a new Autoworks challenge, and promising creators show a possibly brighter future for the RAI as Carblox digests the news for you one last time.
Photo Credits: Carblox
 

Letter from the Editor

I'd like to extend a congratulations to the winners of this year's Wheelys, alongside urging all nominees to pat themselves on the back. This year marks the final major Carblox release, the long overdue Industry Digest 35. Reason for that delay is a combination of poor memory, lackluster motivation, and a busy life, alongside a litany of other projects I'm trying to take up.


But rather than explain myself, let's round up the news one last time, for all the developments of early May. Also note there is no Industry Updated because I wrote two stories for it, but I fear I cooked so hard that they were basically full stories in their own right. Let me pat myself on the back one last time, eh?

 

Release Radar

Image Credits: hackerkm (Gallus)

Now, onto the news!

 

Ceinder Teases Their Revival

Image Credits: lookitswierdo (Ceinder)

Ceinder is back with a vengeance as the no-longer-young automaker takes a dramatic leap forward, as they dropped this photo of a model that is a distinct shift from the design of their most popular models: the Vaike and Moethus. Pairing a lot more polygons with a more sculpted design, we know literally nothing about it, and the Neifon has been MIA for a while. But if there's anything we do know, it's that Ceinder may just be getting back into the driver seat.


This follows a trend with many CSG brands leaping forward in recent times, as their build quality begins catching up with their Blender-built contemporaries. With this, Ceinder has retaken the attention that it had during it's most active years of late 2021 to early 2023, and here's to hoping that this unnamed coupe drives as well as it looks.

 

Aura Announces Deios Preorders Come June

Speaking of Blender automobiles, while everyone knows the young brand for it's nomination for Bust of the Year at the 2024 Wheely Awards, it seems the company is unfettered by the somewhat unflattering award. Owner Danielismyboiiii dropped the below photo with an announcement for a June preorder release for their debut electric sedan, the Aura Deios.

Image Credits: Danielismyboiiii (Aura)

This comes at a somewhat weird time, because as brick builders set the stage and steal the show with bold new Blender-based designs such as the Shogun Athens or Zoflr Zeanon, the Aura Deios is, to put it bluntly, following the Elektrisk formula to a tee, which has been the downfall of similar brands such as MOZA. The car, which has been in a delayed state of development since late summer and early fall of 2023, fails to grab eyeballs or attention as it clones the 2022 Elektrisk Pluto's homework, of which even the newer model strays from.

But preorders are one of the best ways to build hype as eager owners anticipate their own customised version of the upcoming auto. As we all know, the order-based release strategy is truly what gave PIO the exclusivity that expanded it's relevance. But it's left to be seen if the Deios will be able to forge a new path for itself amidst the "Bust of the Year" nomination due to it's current vapourware status, or will it succumb to the industry's desire for differentiation as other young ambitious Blender-built brands have before. Either way, b8ta should take notes, and aim to avoid the same shortcomings that were revolutionary when they were introduced in 2021 by the Elektrisk team, but nowadays are as commonplace as electric cars from Swedish companies.

 

2024 Wheely Award Winners, and What's Next

Image Credits: Adinsapo

Let's start with the thing everyone's wondering: winners, nominees, losers. Well, have no fear, because this year we're releasing it now! We'll dive into more news and information afterwards, but let's get the real reason you're on Carblox's site out of the way first. (Side note, Wix Blogs loves adding features that look great but work horribly and break the whole site. I've saved this article more often than usual during the writing process in response.)


We had a total of 47, smashing the 38 from last year. Note that nominees are not listed from most popular to least popular, aside from the winner and runner up.


Design Awards


Exterior CSG Auto Design

Winner: 2023 Volattolo Stradagna by colfedu_911

Runner Up: 2025 Atai Yasmin by Adinsapo

Nominee: 2016 Alkazar Worldstar by KASH1R0

Nominee: 2011 Raffine 616 by chanyeon600

Nominee: 2023 Xennon Eviona by TheJellyNinja_XD13

Interior CSG Auto Design

Exterior Mesh Auto Design

Interior Mesh Auto Design

Body Class Awards


Luxury Automobile

Winner: 2024 Vector RS5 by rdSVFSh2 (AreDee)

Runner Up: 2023 Saregati Valioso by QWERTY123qwerty

Mainstream Car

Mainstream SUV

Compact Vehicle

Sports Automobile

High Performance Automobile

Classic Car

Utility Vehicle

Concept/Anticipated Vehicle

Unique Bodystyle

Debut Automobile of the Year

Bust of the Year

Brand Awards


Automaker of the Year

Winner: Montt by losotros01

Runner Up: Vector by rdSVFSh2

Nominee: McCormick by mlritc01

Nominee: Atai by Adinsapo

Nominee: Ciazzi by Eromax156

Young Brand of the Year

Best Presented Brand

Creator Awards


Creator of the Year

Winner: KASH1R0 (Alkazar, Portocello, Shogun, DeBarge)

Nominee: veratech (Zanic, Norasu, Proton)

Nominee: lilswaggjr (Ömis-Stuttgart, Ebisu)

Nominee: Adinsapo

Nominee: Subpartikel

Most Improved

Community Impact

Editorial Awards


Editor's Choice Automobile

Winner: 2016 Alkazar Worldstar by KASH1R0

Editor's Choice Brand of the Year

Under the Radar


 

Now that we've gotten our winners announced and revealed, let's move onto the next part of the article: what's next? With Carblox closing down this year, what happens to the Wheelys? Well, I'd like to announce that the Wheely Awards will in fact be returning next year for 2025! After listening to your feedback and insights, me and the Wheelys Team decided to bring it back once more for a chance to continue improving the presentation, because as beautiful as the venues by BlindedEpisode, Adinsapo, and hackerkm are, my public speaking skills are slacking, making the actual award part the low. So we will be back once more, and I can't wait to see what you all create!


But the most exciting part is the Wheelys are now going to accept title sponsors, since for the past two, it's been Carblox-presented. Expect a lot of changes for next year, especially as we try to move the date around, alongside try to prevent the lack of nominees who actually showed up, which hampered the mood this year when the likes of Hipas_Account and Ono_Three skipped the ceremony, if they knew about it at all.


More information will be given out later this year!

 

The Digest on Carblox

Originally I was planning on having someone interview me for a final SPECIAL REPORT, but quite literally it slipped my mind. Oh well!


Well, this is it, enough delaying. Carblox officially closes once this goes live. I won't be taking the site down (it makes for excellent addition to my portfolio), and I guess that'll be that. Now, question is, is there a chance Carblox returns? Totally! For all I know, a young journalist joins this server, asks to join Carblox, and takes on the role of Editor-in-Chief.


But can I just say, it has been an honour to report on all of your creations, brands, and events. As the old guard pass on the torch, I have more confidence in the future of ro-automotive than I've ever had before.

Image Credits: Adinsapo

I'd like to thank you all for the interesting 3 years of Carblox, and I'd like to say one last time...

Consider it Covered.

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