If nothing else, 2020 has proven that disseminating and consuming information in digital form is the way forward. Or perhaps not. Time will tell. It is, however, the first time that ArtCenter College of Design has presented its annual Spring show – one of three annual events – in digital format. The university even built a specific website to showcase the work of all of the graduating students, including the projects of the 13 recent graduates from the Transportation Design program. Here is a selection of their work.
Mercedes-AMG REDSUN Concept
Wayne Jung
The REDSUN concept by Wayne Jung is a single passenger racecar with an unmistakable DRG. It’s also solar-powered, sourcing energy from colored solar panels that cover the entirety of the vehicle’s surface areas. The colored non-reflective acrylic panels are not only more aesthetically appealing than conventional solar panels, but they’re also more durable as they don’t absorb as much heat. Jung says he was inspired by the shape of a UFO in creating the low-slung, lightweight concept car, which measures 5400mm long and 2120mm wide but stands just 1000mm tall. Jung also created an interior, which features a hovering single seat attached to the center structure. See the full project on Jung’s website.
GAC C-Home Concept
Shijie Yu
Shijie Yu looked at some of the issues of commuting and parking in urban environments. Big cities simply don’t have space for personal transportation to sit unused. Yu’s GAC C–Home project proposes an interesting solution where the car becomes an integrated part of the home and office. He also devised a shared interior space for the dwellings that are paired with the car. It’s a very clever solution. See the full project on Yu’s website.
Range Rover Nouvel Concept
Shijie Yu
The Range Rover Nouvel isn’t the most groundbreaking of concepts – it’s a plausible take on a near-future Range Rover design with an electric powertrain and a revised graphical treatment of the front and rear lamps. Once you get past the suicide doors, however, the interior of the concept features an array of clever storage solutions to enhance the luxury off-roader’s appeal. And Yu’s sketches are exceptional.
2060 BMW Vision 10
Abel Gonzales
Inspired by Syd Mead’s work and Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture, Abel Gonzales’ 2060 Vision 10 concept is “stately, sumptuous, and serene,” says the designer. The four-passenger autonomous vehicle’s long wheelbase enhances legroom for rear occupants, who also benefit from lounge-style seating. Gonzales envisions high-tech features such as jet propulsion to power the very large super luxury vehicle. He also showed an off-road SUV proposal for Mercedes-Benz called the XLC, intended for 2030, and an advanced interior project for Kia. Visit Gonzales’ website to see those.
Audi Avenir Concept
Leyang Bai
Leyang Bai’s goal with his Audi Avenir thesis project was to create an electric vehicle that uniquely reinterprets Audi’s brand identity — specifically that of the RS Avant models – for the new electric era. “Many automakers are focused on spraying their legacy models with a fresh coat of electric paint,” Bai says. “They are simultaneously appearing to lose much of their original identity in order to sport the ‘electric look’.” Keen to avoid this, Bai combined the technology of the e-tron PPE platform with design elements of the RS Avant wagon segment to create a “unique sleeper wagon” with a modern electric powertrain. The animation Bai created (above) is top-notch. See the full project on Bai’s website.
Mercedes-Benz Vision EQg
Yitian Chen
Yitian Chen’s Mercedes-Benz Vision EQg concept is a future vision of a highly sustainable and intelligent SUV lifestyle vehicle intended for the year 2035. Loaded with technology and fuelled by hydrogen, the concept proposes an open interior space in which users can relax and absorb their surroundings. According to Chen, the ‘g’ in the concept’s name stands for ‘good-living’. To that end, there are some features within that focus on the well-being of the occupants, such as a small waterfall within the center console, which adds a feeling of zen. It’s also an interesting play on the hydrogen power source, which only emits water. The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQg concept was modeled in Alias and rendered in VRED. Visit Chen’s website for the full project.
Bugatti Resonner
Sang Won Lee
With talk that a Ferrari SUV is currently in the works, it seems natural to think that a certain ultra-luxury French brand would seek to enter the space as well. Sang Won Lee‘s Resonner concept is a four-seat crossover-GT that introduces the SUV typology to Bugatti’s lineup. It’s a large car, measuring 5430mm in length, 2050mm wide and 1690mm tall. While Lee says hydroplanes inspired the concept’s form language, the design features are typical of a Bugatti, such as the C-shaped side profile, which harnesses Bugatti’s luxury heritage. The roof and integrated wraparound windscreen lift to ease entry into the cabin. Visit Lee’s website for more.
Maserati IEX concept
Li Ding
Li Ding’s Maserati IEX is a next-generation electric crossover intended for the year 2025. According to Ding, the IEX crossover concept features an elegant GT aesthetic paired with, supercar-matching performance and interior space akin to that of a limo. Besides this near-term proposal for the classic Italian brand, Ding also showed two other projects: A brand-identity experiment for supercar manufacturer Lamborghini, and a future mobility research project for German premium brand Audi. See more of his projects on his website.
Porsche Vision E
Hyungmin Lee
Hyungmin Lee created a three-seat off-road electric vehicle for Porsche called the Vision E. The cabin features a central driving position, similar to that found in the limited-edition McLaren Speedtail and P1, but the passenger seats are placed much further rearward. Measuring in at 3890mm long, 1997mm wide and 1690mm tall, the all-terrain vehicle features glazing in the door that descends all the way down to the sill, for a more immersive driving experience. See more of Lee’s work on his website.
Circle Mobility
Aziz Alobaid
Aziz Alobaid decided to create a range of products and services for the overlooked handicap market, which represents 38% of the global population. But he didn’t just create a design. He built a full-scale mock-up and started a company: Circle Mobility. If all goes according to plan, we’ll see the project come to fruition in 2023.
Next Generation HMMWV
Hays Bushman
As the title says, Hays Bushman elected to design an advanced version of the iconic HMMWV military vehicle. Intended for use by the Army, Navy and Air Force, the vehicle could be used in many different scenarios and deployed anywhere in the world. Standing 4140mm long, 2300mm wide and 1945mm tall, Bushman incorporated a robot (modeled after Boston Robotics’ robot, ‘Spot’), a series of cameras, and looked at ways to enhance the vehicle’s physical functional aspect. Check out the project on his website.
BMW Vision Z Thrill
Sam Lopez
The BMW Vision Z Thrill concept is a two-passenger, rear-wheel-drive electric roadster designed for the enthusiast driver. Poised to compete against the Audi TT and Porsche Boxster, the 4440mm long, 1980mm wide and 1171mm tall Vision Z Thrill concept’s exterior design is exemplified by what Lopez calls ‘Kinetic Tautness’ inspired by the work of Russian-born French sculptor and painter Antoine Pevsner. Visit Lopez’s website for more details.
