Autocar Hot Hatch 2020 Design Competition

Autocar magazine in partnership with Ford and Hot Wheels has started the Hot Hatch 2020 Design Competition, which asks participants to create a sustainable hot hatchback for the year 2020.

The competition comprises two categories: ‘Junior’ for those under 17, and ‘Senior’ for 17s and over.

Junior entrants are challenged to make a 3D scale model of

Mitsubishi Double Shotz by Gary Ragle (Mitsubishi) - winner of the
Hot Wheels Designer Challenge (2007)

their hot hatch using a set of low-profile wheels from leading die-cast vehicle brand, Hot Wheels. Senior entrants will sketch their design or use CAD software to visualise it.

The category winners will receive prizes galore, invitations to the Autocar Awards 2009, and in the Senior winner’s case, will see a professional quality scale model of their design built by Ford.

“To be in with a chance of winning the competition, the hot hatch design must be original, imaginative, fit-for-purpose and sustainable. It must emit no more than 120g/km of CO2, seat four occupants, and still be capable of the kind of performance and driver thrills that customers expect. We are really looking forward to seeing some original thinking,” said Chas Hallett, editor of Autocar.

Gangster Grin by Steve Gilmore (Ford) - submitted to the
Hot Wheels Designer Challenge (2007)

Prizes will be given to runners-up and the overall winners in both competition categories. Runners up in the ‘under 17s’ will receive £100 of Hot Wheels cars and track-sets each.

The winner will get two tickets to the Autocar Awards 2009, two tickets to a Silverstone race meeting plus a VIP tour of the circuit, and a boot-load of Hot Wheels toys, replica vehicles and track-sets (up to a maximum value of £650).

Senior runners-up will each win a track drive in the new Ford Focus RS. In addition to that drive, the winner will get the chance to meet a Ford Design Executive, to visit the Ford Technical Centre at Dunton and see a scale model of their hot hatch created, and to come to the Autocar Awards 2009 to see it unveiled.

Stefan Lamm, the man behind the look of the new Focus RS, provided the following suggestions for entrants: “Be brave. Remember that form follows function. Think hard about making good use of materials and making those materials a feature of your design. And make sure your hot hatchback design is thorough and holistic.”

Further details of the competition, including how to apply for a starter kit, can be found at http://competitions.autocar.co.uk or in the Jan 7th issue of Autocar.

(Source: Autocar)

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Lincoln MKS

Based on the Ford Taurus / Mercury Sable that was announced earlier this year at the Chicago Auto Show, the MKS was previewed by MKS concept car seen at the Detroit Auto Show in 2006

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Ariel Atom 3

The Ariel Motor Company have released the third generation of the Atom, called the Atom 3. Though this model is still as minimalist as previous iterations, there have been numerous detail changes culminating in the new car.

Visually the Atom 3 is immediately identifiable by new diagonal side rails in the chassis and the return to a twin outlet exhaust, but these are only the surface details that identify some of the changes to the Atom 3. Nearly every panel on the car has been slightly modified and there is a new simple deflector option to reduce pressure on the head when driving at speed. Inside, occupants benefit from a new lower seating position designed to improve comfort at speed and lower the center of gravity.

Beneath the surface, the Atom 3 sports a new chassis, which has increased overall width by 60mm, enhancing elbow room in the passenger compartment by 100mm. The track and overall width of the car remains the same. The latest version of Honda's 2-liter iVTEC Type R engine resides aft of the cockpit, while newly available Bilstein 10-way adjustable dampers improve the vehicle's dynamics on-road as well as on track.

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Dodge Journey

Dodge claims to have answered the needs of the global passenger car market with a new family crossover vehicle the carmaker will unveil at the Frankfurt Motor Show in two weeks time. Called the Journey, the seven-seat vehicle is said to combine the space and practicality of an MPV with the style of an SUV and the ride, handling and fuel efficiency of a family sedan.

The Dodge Journey is built on the company's global D-segment platform and has been designed as an alternative to the sedate looks of traditional people-carriers; incorporating certain styling cues found in the Nitro SUV and Avenger sedan.

Inside, the Journey features the availability of seven seats and a flexible seating arrangement. Storage combinations include storage bins, hidden in the floor and under the front passenger seat cushion.
Source: cardesignnews

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Mini Clubman

Mini has finally revealed the new Clubman - based on the 'Shooting Brake' concept first shown at Frankfurt Motor Show in 2005 - after having teased us with numerous previews of the car in Tokyo and Geneva over the last two years.

A modern interpretation of the Morris Mini Traveller and the Mini Clubman Estate from the 1960s, this latest addition to the Mini line-up retains the current Mini's design language: short body overhangs, wide track, long wheelbase and a high shoulder line rising towards the rear. But the new Clubman is 24cm longer than the Hatch, benefitting rear legroom and providing seating for five. Trunk space has increased to 260 liters with the seats in place; 100 liters more than the Hatch. This extra space is accessed via split rear doors and the 'Clubdoor' on the right-hand side, similar to those found on Mazda's RX-8.

Mini is planning three versions of the Clubman, which are identical to the current body structure up to the B-pillar and retain the familiar hexagonal radiator grille and round headlights. The C-pillars and rear bumper are exclusive to the Clubman and will be painted either silver or black. The rear door hinges are a particular design, wrapping around new rear light clusters, while the exhaust outlets on S models have been moved to either side of the bumper.

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Castagna Aznom

Milan-based coachbuilder Castagna recently revealed a new sports car based on a Corvette Z06 platform. The bespoke bodied Aznom has been heavily influenced by classic Harley Earl design cues from the 1950s, with the most noticeable elements being the egg-crate grille nestled in the front end and the chiseled body panels that pay homage to the 1953 Corvette. The traditional teardrop shape is finished in contrasting colors and is replete with side insets that function as air intakes.

With vertical head lamps and elongated LED tail lamps that follow the curve of the rear haunch, the design is a modern interpretation of the performance musclecar and features crescent shaped vents in both the front and rear fascias. A carbon fiber roof transforms the car from coupe to targa and collapsible rearview mirrors adorn the hood. A large rear spoiler is claimed to improve performance both at speed and under braking while the quad exhaust outlets above the rear diffuser are mounted high and centered to dissipate heat.

Building on what is already a high performance platform, the Aznom has been developed as a pure-bred race car and features structural carbon fiber components to decrease weight and a high door sill to improve rigidity and torsion resistance. The 7-liter powerplant has also been fitted with two centrifugal turbochargers to boost horsepower north of the 800 mark.

Source: cardesignnews

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Ginetta G50

Ginetta Sports Cars has released images of its new G50 racer scheduled for production by 2008. The G50 marks 50 years of British sports car manufacturing by the company and has been designed in-house at LNT Automotive's new purpose-built factory in Leeds.

The Ginetta G50 Cup Car (pictured) has been designed to bridge the gap between single-make sports car racing - such as the current Ginetta G20 championship - and GT cars such as the new GT4 Championship, GT3 and GT2 racing, according to the company.

Weighing in at a little over 800kg, the Ginetta G50 is a rear-wheel drive car powered by a front-mid mounted Ford 3.5-liter V6 engine mated to a five-speed sequential gearbox.

Lawrence Tomlinson, Chairman of LNT Automotive said: "We've designed the G50 as a stepping stone for GT drivers. Production of the first 30 cars is well under way with a mixture of cup, road and GT4 cars available from early 2008."

Source: cardesignnews

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ZAP electric car

California-based ZAP has completed the initial concept phase for a new electric vehicle claimed to hit a top speed in excess of 100 mph with a range of 100 miles per charge.

"With ZAP's experience over the past 12 years and the groundwork we have already laid, we know that electricity is the future of the auto industry," said ZAP CEO Steve Schneider. "At the same time, we believe we have a design that will serve a niche no other manufacturer in the auto industry is seeking to fill."

More details of the car will become available at the end of the month.

Source: cardesignnews

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