Michelin Challenge Design 2009

As the 2009 Michelin Challenge Design - focusing on the search for ‘America's Next Iconic Vehicle' - drew to a close at the NAIAS in Detroit, culminating in a press preview and an exhibition of scale models, the theme for next year's competition was announced: ‘Electrifying! Beautiful, Innovative and Radiant'.

While it may sound like a slogan for a new line of women's cosmetics, this theme does in fact center on the increasingly relevant field of electric vehicle (EV) design; or more specifically the need to combine sustainable powertrains with attractive, well executed design. Participants will be asked to create environmentally friendly concepts equipped with new technologies, materials and electronic systems, and that are packaged in innovative new forms that will appeal to the buyer of tomorrow.

The 2010 awards ceremony (now in its tenth year) will as always take place at the Detroit Auto show next January.

Here are the 16 winning entrants from 2009 (seven of which had scale models on display):

Scale model winners:
Colin Pan, China - ‘Nebula'
Gabor Magyari, Hungary - ‘SunTruck'
David Roger Frem, Lebanon - ‘Frem F1'
Eric Seung-Hun Beak, USA - ‘Metro Cell Vehicle'
Zsolt Tarnok, Hungary - ‘Concept SsS'
Fernando Gomez, Uruguay - ‘Packard'
David Goncalves & Niels Iversen, UK - ‘Phoenix'

Rendering winners:
Oliver May, Germany - ‘White Vapor'
Alex Protsenko, USA - ‘Rebel'
Luis Pinheiro de Lima, Brazil - ‘Bio Top'
Jongpil Shia, South Korea - ‘Mutation'
Robert Marvin, USA - ‘Mohawk MCV'
Jeremy Richards, Canada - ‘Stretch'

Michelin/CCS Competition winners:
Dong Tran, USA - ‘Baja 1000 Buggy'
Filip Bosevski, Mecedonia - ‘NASA Walk'
James Tabujara, Canada - ‘Commuter'

Related website:
Michelin Challenge Design

By Euan Sey