EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University senior and car enthusiast Eric Tingwall, of Novi, may have spent less than a week at an auto show in Germany, but the experience will last a lifetime. 

The mechanical engineering and journalism student arrived in Germany on Sept. 10 to attend the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show for four days as a correspondent for Edmunds’ www.insideline.com, a high-speed automotive online magazine. Tingwall won the trip after he crafted a 500-word essay for a contest posted on the site.  

Editorial executives such as Kevin Smith, Edmunds’ editorial director, and Scott Oldham, Inside Line’s editor-in-chief, reviewed eligible entries and looked for essays with persuasive arguments and clarity of expression. The contest was part of the Saturn Astra’s marketing campaign on Edmunds’ Web sites.

“Eric’s (essay) was found to be well-written, clever and enthusiastic,” said Jeannine Fallon, executive director of corporate communications at Edmunds Inc. “His tone fit with that of Edmunds’ Inside Line, the site where his reports from Frankfurt have been published.” 

Tingwall, the son of John and Carol Tingwall, said he gained a new perspective on automotive journalism. 

“It was a great, real-life experience,” he said. “I was working side-by-side with professionals from not only top U.S. automotive magazines but international magazines and media.” 

Tingwall was responsible to correspond for the site’s blog, Straight Line, at the auto show where many automobile manufacturers unveiled future automotive models.  

He also had the opportunity to interview Saturn’s General Manager Jill Lajdziak. 

“We talked a lot about Saturn’s turnaround and future plans for new products,” he said. “As an automotive enthusiast, and someone interested in the new products Saturn will be offering, it was great to get information about the company’s plans to offer greener vehicles and continue to tap into GM’s European resources.” 

The highlight of the trip, Tingwall said, was test driving the Saturn Astra and writing a review about the car the last day he was there. 

“Before leaving for Germany I was on the edge between mechanical engineering and journalism,” he said. “But now I might be leaning more toward automotive journalism. I really liked the people and the work. It’s all fast-paced and really fun.” 

Since his first year at MSU, the 2004 Novi High School graduate also has been involved with the Triathlon Club, which consists of competition in swimming, biking and running.  

“This experience was a perfect example of how our local automakers have had to become competitive globally by building markets in different regions with cars and platforms that can be sold anywhere,” Tingwall said.  

To review Tingwall’s blogs on Straight Line, visit http://blogs.edmunds.com/Straightline/category/cat.SaturnAstra-FrankfurtShowContest. 

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