Art Center College of Design Spring Show 2002

The Senior show highlights the best of Art Center’s graduating students work. Students prepare for this one night show throughout their time at Art Center. Each student curates his or her own show and in some cases also correspond their own design theme to that of their classmates. Walls are painted, signs and posters and hung, display cases and pedestals are built to complete the high standard of presentation of the student's work.

Students give out business cards and promotional materials to the public, their classmates, and future employers. The show is exceptional and all who come to the show recognize and understand a little bit more about the intensity and devotion of students at Art Center College of Design.

In the senior project each student researches a company, and targeted buyer, to see if a new vehicle is needed or if a vehicle on the market needs to be improved.

The graduate’s work displayed was successful visually as well as conceptually. Graduating students projects were based on a variety of companies, concepts and designs. BMW’s and Alfa Romeo’s were created and re-designed, the Audi A4 became more sporty, an image car for Opel was developed, a new Lotus emerged, an ultimate gentleman’s super car for Aston Martin appeared, and hybrid technologies were used to create a new Toyota.

Alfa Romeo GT Sedan 'Elessa'   Tom Matsumoto

Tom Matsumoto designed an Alfa Romeo GT Sedan 'Elessa' for the year 2010. Alfa Romeo is reappearing in the US market in 2003with a newly designed Spider and 166. These are not strong enough for US customers to fully understand Alfa Romeo design heritage. Through the research, it seemed some type of 'image car' is needed in order for them to be successful in the competitive U.S. market. The concept is to complement the 'image car', which is not a super sports car with a high priced badge.

Matsumoto proposed a GT sedan, which would have a strong impact as well as make profitable sales. The targeted buyer group is between the ages of 40 to 50. These people are sophisticated, fashionable with high disposable income. The 'Elessa' is beautifully proportioned, with a fluid and sculptural form. A triangular grill, character line on the body side and a thin long tail lamp signal that this is unmistakenably Alfa Romeo, nothing else.

Aston Martin    Richard Duff

Richard Duff has designed the ultimate gentleman’s super car, a mid-engined Aston Martin for the year 2005. The super car market is growing, and there is an opportunity for a car to be above the vanquish which capitalizes on Aston Martin’s Lemans history. The goal was to create a forward thrusting proportioned vehicle, with an exposed engine at the center. The famous Aston grill is divided into three sections, as on the early DB1 and DB2, but the grill shape runs through the design becoming the body shape theme. The fenders rise up to grasp the tires and give it an animalistic stance. The name is DBR5 to continue the line of Rale-winning Aston’s.

BMW X2    Kihyun Jung

Kihyun Jung designed a BMW X2 as an entry-level crossover vehicle for BMW. As part of a goal to create an entry-level crossover vehicle, the platform of the 3-Series is used, and the engine will be a familiar 3 liter in-line six. Many of the key hardware components will also be shared with the X3 and X 5. Jung's design seats five passengers and has a 3rd door. Generation X is the target market, as they are the customers who want to buy SUV’s as their next vehicle.

Toyota 'N-Ark'   Sung-Jae Lee

Toyota has one of the most advanced technologies for an alternative power train. Since the Prius is on the market and expanding their sales, Sung-Jae Lee saw the interest and possibility for different types of cars using a similar technology. Lee’s Toyota ‘N-Ark’ uses Toyota’s hybrid format in his design to recognize the Toyota technology.

Lee created a vehicle to appeal to buyers in their 20s who are interested in extreme sports, taking the idea of a hybrid, not only into the powertrain but also into the design itself. It’s a crossover vehicle between a sports pick-up and an MPV. The structure is built like an old boat where the center bar is the strongest part of the vehicle and the body is built around it. The rear part of the roof is made out of a flexible material and the rear body panel can slide into the center bar, which turns the vehicle into a pick-up truck.

Alfa Romeo GT ‘Xapher’   Jae Shin

In order to compete in the US Market, Jae Shin feels Alfa Romeo needs a front engined, rear wheel drive, two seater. Shin's goal was to make a one of a kind car, just like the Viper and the TT. These vehicles had a big impact on the market. Shins Alfa Romeo GT ‘Xaphers’ front design is very aggressive and the overall design is very romantic which hints at the flavor of Italy. Shin feels younger buyers and baby boomers will be attracted to this aggressive and romantic design. The general image person would be like Brad Pitt, he is very aggressive yet very romantic.

The inspiration of this car comes from Italian furniture and fashion. There are very many design influences from the Italian disciplines. The model and the actual design process were all done digitally. From the abstract plan view, which has a lot of freedom for designing to the 3D wax print sketch model and finally, the model was milled using a CNC machine at Art Center.

There is maximum visibility due to the center post and a transparent fabric on top for light weight. The center post and the windshield creates a very contrasting and exciting flavor blend. The entire car is done with out offending buyers in any niche market, but the car is catering to the baby boomers.