College Exhibition: Coventry University Design Degree Show 2005

John Buckingham's Lagonda project was one of several Aston Martin projects featured this year. This is a front-engined limousine in the style of the 1976 Bill Towns Lagonda with a compact cabin, shallow DLO and a very long, high tail combined with a much more 'delicate' aesthetic than existing full-size limousines. Unusual features include a shark nosed form with concave sculpted fenders inspired by the DB3R and a full-width light bar visor contained in an inverted Aston grille.

Rollo Dixon's 'Nu Luxury' project took a different approach for a four door Aston. The mid-engined hatchback concept aims to provide a unique luxury experience not achieved with conventional limousines, such as a Maybach or Bentley. The lack of a front engine also aims to simplify meeting pedestrian safety legislation while keeping a very low hood profile. The proportions are shifted to a very cab-forward look and the concept includes an interior that looks at material honesty and innovation to give a new luxury ambience.

A further mid-engined Aston by Vaaibhav Desai aims to explore a new form language using flowing surfaces held together by taut, controlled graphics - for instance the taillamp at the rear echoes the Aston Martin front grille. The hunched profile is somewhat reminiscent of a Bugatti Veyron, with a marked break in body form around the door shutline. Vaaibhav will complete his studies next year by joining London's RCA postgraduate course.

Other sporting concepts included one from Bulgarian student Miroslav Dimitrov, who showed a striking model celebrating BMW's Motorsport heritage and success. The T1 Motorsport concept tries to embrace all the values from BMW's F1 and other winning competition models. The 1/4 scale model was finished in BMW's racing livery of white with M-sport stripes.

A different proposal for a sporting BMW was from Krzysztof Szews whose Momentum GT concept uses a front mid-mounted V10 boxer engine. The 2+2 GT is seen as BMW's answer to Aston's V8 Vantage - smaller and more sporting than a 6-Series. It aims to explore BMW's new form language in a more aggressive, yet sophisticated way and the high quality of modelling finish was evidence of the direct collaboration with BMW Group Design in Munich.

Matt Humphries showed an interesting new roadster for Morgan, in the style of a '50's Bonneville land speed racer. The project aims to showcase the craft skills still employed by the company yet appeal to a much younger customer base and employs real wood on the fender tips and beltline to achieve this. The target customer is seen as Hollywood film stars, in the way that, say, a Talbot Lago was pre-war: "Imagine this on 5th Avenue" says Matt. The 21 year old designer has already proved his skills with the company in the form of the Aeromax Showcar displayed at Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. He'll also return to work with Morgan, so there's a chance this concept may yet see the light of day. Watch this space...

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