The Autostyle Design Competition returns for its 22nd edition, scheduled for 9 October 2026, in San Benedetto Po, Mantova, Italy. The majestic setting of the Polirone Monastic Complex, one of the Italian most prestigious historical sites and the perfect venue where design, creativity, and innovation come together and feature the leading figures from the most important international automotive design centres.
Created and promoted by automotive parts manufacturers Berman, Autostyle has established is status as a major international meeting point bridging automotive design, industry, education, and project culture, bringing together designers, design centre chiefs, students, journalists, and industry professionals.
“Over the years, the event has created a direct dialogue between those who envision the car of the future, those who design it, and those who tell the story of its evolution,” commented Roberto Artioli, founder Autostyle.
The historical core of Autostyle is the Design Competition, dedicated to students from prestigious international universities and design schools.
Young designers are challenged to interpret the car of the future through projects capable of combining creativity, innovation, new forms of mobility, and visionary thinking.
The entries will be evaluated by an international jury composed of representatives from leading automotive design centres and authoritative figures from specialised automotive and design press.
For the 2026 edition, the program features jury members from Aston Martin, Bentley, CaseNewHolland (CNH), Ducati, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz AMG, and Toyota ED2, alongside representatives from international publications such as Auto & Design, Motor, Fleet Publications, RAMP.space, and Virtual Car.
Alongside the competition, one of the most anticipated highlights of Autostyle is traditionally the session dedicated to the Design Centres.
The leaders of international automotive design will take the stage to share experiences, projects, and visions, detailing the creative journey that leads from an initial intuition to the final vehicle: from stylistic research and development of shapes to materials, technologies and new mobility demands.
A privileged opportunity to discover what normally goes on behind the scenes in the creation of a car and to hear directly from the designers who shape its identity and character.
For this, presentations of new models are scheduled by Aston Martin, CNH, Ducati, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota.
Design will then step off the stage to become the focus in the outdoor spaces.
The cars presented during the sessions will be displayed in the evocative Piazza Matilde di Canossa, in the heart of San Benedetto Po, transforming a space of immense historical and architectural value into an exhibition dedicated to contemporary automotive design. The Auto Expo will therefore offer guests the opportunity to closely examine the models and
explore the relationship between idea, project, and final product, creating a striking dialogue between heritage and innovation, architecture and automotive design.
The event will kick off on Thursday, October 8, with the official opening of the event and the presentation of partners and the students competing in the Design Competition. Friday, 9 October, will be the main day of Autostyle, dedicated to the Design Competition, meetings with the Design Centres, new model presentations, and the Auto Expo.
“With this 22nd edition, Autostyle renews its mission: to create a meeting place between the generations shaping the future of design and the professionals who lead it today, fostering the exchange of ideas, experiences, and visions for the future of the automobile,” concluded Roberto.
The event is not open to the public; attendance is by invitation only and subject to a limited capacity.
