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Michelin Challenge Design - Deadline for entries April 16

You Can Design America's Next Iconic Vehicle Michelin Challenge Design - the global transportation design competition in its ninth year - is looking for America's next iconic vehicle.  Submissions for the 2009 program will be accepted through April 16, 2008. The winning designs will be evaluated for their uniqueness, emotional appeal, design courage and technical execution by a jury of automotive design professionals and receive prominent display in the MCD exhibit at the 2009 North American International Auto Show. See the video (left) for more information, including interviews with the previous winners and jurors.

Architects design extravagant portable EVs solar-charging pavilion

Architects Synthetic Design + Architecture has designed a portable, solar-charging pavilion for electric vehicles using integrated photovoltaic cells. A beautiful, flowing form made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) mesh fabric incorporating the photovoltaic panels, allowing the pavilion to act as a charger. Designed to combine structure, form and performance, carbon rods are twisted into curves by the digitally-designed mesh contours.

MINI Roadster Concept revealed

MINI has revealed the MINI Roadster Concept at Frankfurt Just like the MINI Coupe. the MINI Roadster gets a chopped – but open in this case – top with a tilted back windscreen, although from the waist down the Roadster is pure MINI. But the Roadster is promising better handling with the roll over bar shifted forward to just beahind the front seats (there are no back seats) which should make the Roadster more rigid.