Michelin Challenge Design 2009 preview

The Michelin Challenge Design exhibit at the 2009 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) will feature 11 scale models and 24 two-dimensional drawings  selected by a jury of top automotive designers. In the weeks leading up to NAIAS, Michelin Challenge Design will be profiling some of the selected participants and their work.

One such participant is Zsolt Tarnok, whose 'Concept SsS' represents a new icon for America, combining design cues and traditions from the past with ultra-modern technology. Tarnok, 26, was born in Budapest, Hungary. He received his first Masters Degree in Product Design and Engineering in 2006 at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. He continued his studies with another Masters Course at the Scuola Politecnica di Design in Milan, Italy, where he completed the Car and Transportation Design course. After finishing his studies he teamed up with former classmate and friend, Gabor Magyari, to open 'Virtual Design' studio in Budapest.

The overall volume of the car is similar to those of iconic vehicles of the past, including a long hood, a setback cabin position and a short tail. Tarnok describes his surface treatment as "really clean", adding that the overall shape was achieved with very few lines running along the car. The lines serve to divide the body into surfaces and different materials.  Key characteristics of his design include a wedge-shaped nose with lower air intake, an engine air intake on the hood, a widened body and large shoulder over the rear wheels, and huge exhaust pipes at the rear. 

Colin Pan, 20, is a third-year student of vehicle engineering at Wuhan University of Technology in China. Pan is pursuing additional studies in the field of transportation design to gain a better understanding of design flow and marketing, and entered the Michelin Challenge Design competition to further develop his own design style.

His scale model, ‘Nebula', is designed to appeal to upscale consumers looking to travel long distances in luxury. Pan's design pays homage to America's classic cars and cultural heritage. Key features of the Nebula include large wheels to help reduce vibration and improve fuel efficiency, and a luggage area positioned at the front of the vehicle to give it a longer buffer area as well as a more aggressive stance and proportions.

Gabor Magyari's ‘SunTruck' concept, meanwhile, represents a new generation of transatlantic highway cruiser. During the ideation phase, Magyari focused on creating an exterior design that would establish a new kind of king of the road, one that would look friendly as well as safe. Magyari, 27, graduated from the University of Technology and Economics in Budapest, Hungary, in 2007, specializing in Industrial and Product Design. After completing his degree, he established 'Virtual Design', a design studio in Budapest with his former classmate (and another 2009 Michelin Challenge Design participant), Zsolt Tarnok. In addition to vehicle design, the studio specializes in home and office interiors.
 

Complete information on Michelin Challenge Design is available at: www.michelinchallengedesign.com

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