Dec 2, 2005 - The Los Angeles Auto Show has revealed entries for the second annual Design Challenge, part of the 'Design Los Angeles' automobile designers conference. Now in its second year, the conference bridges designers interests by providing workshops, leading design speakers and the opportunity to address common issues. More than 400 designers attended last year's inaugural event. Chris Bangle, BMW Group chief of design, will provide a thought-provoking look into the world of design as the opening speaker for the 2006 conference.

The Los Angeles area is home to 14 automobile manufacturer design studios, which have again been invited to to explore ideas without the restriction of production disciplines. This year's competition theme is 'An LA Adventure', which is a reflection of the myriad of lifestyle, sporting and cultural activities that are inherent to the Southern California landscape. The competition has designers creating renderings of vehicles that best interpret their chosen adventure, whatever that activity might be. The ten studio submissions are:

Audi Nero
Volkswagen/Audi Design Center California

The Audi Nero concept is an evolution of the 1930s streamlined record-breaking Auto Union racers. The aerodynamic surfaces, covered wheels and low ground clearance create a stealthy modern interpretation of its inspirational ancestors. The carbon black color reflects the LA mood, while its strong silhouette is punctuated with compelling technical details. The aggressive front end is followed by a translucent hood that showcases its powerful engine. The Nero super coupe is an expression of pure power, speed and style that turns any LA night into an adventure. Designers: Jess Harder, Raul Cenan.

GMC PAD
GM West Coast Advanced Design Studio

Why commute? Adapt. That's the thinking behind the GMC PAD, which offers an innovative look at an urban loft with mobility. It's a home ownership concept that enables cultural and geographic freedom for the modern city dweller. The PAD features a diesel-electric hybrid system for propulsion while in DriveMode, and serves as a generator for the onboard power grid for LifeMode. The media-rich environment comes with an endless variety of entertainment, information and security options. With the GMC PAD, home is where you want it, and commuting is what other people do. Designers: Steve Anderson, Senon B. Franco III, Jay Bernard, Phil Tanioka, Sidney Levy, Brian Horton, Alessandro Zezza, Christine Ebner, Frank Saucedo.

Honda LA Rolling Film Festival
Honda Research & Development

The designers at Honda, in honor of LA's movie persona, created vignettes of vehicles and lifestyles for several of the cultures, lifestyles and images of LA. And they designed them with the imaginative consideration of the second most important characteristic of LA - living on roadways. For the fitness crowd there's 'The Running Bus', an ingenious human-powered hybrid that features 10 stationary runners inside the bus for power; or the 'Jacarzzi', a sleek sports car that doubles as a hot tub. And, the vehicles are presented in the best language of Los Angeles - the Movie Poster. Designers: Honda Research & Development.

Hyundai Greenspeed Gator
Hyundai Kia America Design Center

What happens when drag racing moves beyond internal combustion and nitrous oxide? The Hyundai Greenspeed Gator, which pushes the boundaries of design and fuel cell performance. Inspired by the top fuel racers of the 60s, this alien shape is rooted in pure function. The overall design consists of a main fuselage with integrated roll protection and 'seat sling' that hangs underneath, tied together by a center spine chassis with integral fuel cells. The giant hood blisters house the hydrogen storage tanks, and the rear wheels house gargantuan electric motors. Designer: Eric M. Stoddard.

Kia Sidewinder
Hyundai Kia America Design Center

This Kia is a two-seat, lean, mean, drifting machine! The Sidewinder's power comes from a compressed natural gas turbine, which feeds electricity to a series of in-wheel, high torque, electric motors. This environmentally-responsible vehicle would surely grab the most attention while carving lines sideways through the race course. Kia chose drift racing as its theme for the 'LA Adventure', because Los Angeles was the scene of the first officially-sanctioned American drifting event. Designer: Marc Mainville.

Maybach California Gourmet Tourer
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America

The Maybach California Gourmet Tourer is the ultimate machine to enjoy a culinary adventure. Fully automated, the Maybach is safely chauffeured by software using GPS guidance. Offering panorama style windows to enjoy the scenery, it comes fully equipped with every onboard feature imaginable to store and prepare food and wine. It features refrigeration, espresso machine, microwave, wine rack, food preparation area, recycler, foldout tables and other accessories to make any picnic an unforgettable adventure. Designer: Andre Frey.

Mercedes-Benz Mojave Runner
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America

The gas-electric hybrid Mojave Runner is designed to thrive in extreme heat, rough terrain or unpredictable weather. It features night vision, sandstorm radar and GPS sensors and is equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell generator to provide electrical power for tools and rescue equipment. The strong, lightweight exoskeleton frame is a combination of carbon-fiber and pressurized aluminum tubing that stores air for pneumatic power tools. Its off- and on-road capability is optimized by intelligent adaptive tires that automatically changes tread depth for top performance. Designer: John Gill.

Mitsubishi Roadster Konzept
Mitsubishi Research & Design of North America

The Mitsubishi Roadster Konzept (MRK) is a sporty hybrid compact that combines LA's hip stylish image with a sophisticated look. Environmentally-responsible, all four wheels are equipped with Mitsubishi's AWD in-wheel electric motor technology. In-wheel motors combined with the rear-mounted engine brings an impressive 360 hp to zip around congested freeways. The MRK has two front sport seats, plus rear rumble seats, which allows for two rear passengers or extra cargo space for Southern California adventures. Designer: Mark Kim.

Scion Exile
Calty Design Research

The Scion Exile is designed to whisk its individualistic occupants to the snowy slopes, sandy beaches and hip nightlife all in the same day. To appeal to the upscale/sport crowd, the cab-forward Exile is proportioned similar to that of more expensive and impractical exotic sports cars, yet with a go anywhere attitude. A clever trunk doubles as a moveable cargo pod that can be extended, lowered and wheeled as a portable mobile storage locker. With so many activities to choose from in a single day, the Scion Exile accommodates all LA has to offer. Designer: Matt Sperling.

Smart Rescue Vehicle
Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America

From Smart comes the ideal cruiser for crowded Southern California beaches. The Smart Rescue Vehicle is designed for the adventures and tasks that a lifeguard endures on a daily basis, such as first aid, beach patrol, safety and water rescues. The driver sits high in a personal water craft-styled seating position, and can accommodate four passengers. Its mid-engined 800cc turbo Smart engine sits between the front and rear foam seats and can do double duty by powering the jet pump when in amphibious mode. Designer: Hubert Lee

This year's Design Challenge winner will be selected on how well the design interprets the theme, its appropriateness to Southern California and its unique design characteristics. Three esteemed transportation design educators will judge the design submissions: Imre Molnar (College for Creative Studies), Tom Matano (Academy of Art University), and Stewart Reed (Art Center College of Design). The winner will be announced at Design Los Angeles on Jan 5, 2006.

The Los Angeles region, long hailed as a leader of creativity and consumer trends, is home to the world's largest concentration of manufacturer design studios representing automakers from North America, Europe and Asia. It is also the home of Art Center College of Design, one of the world's foremost transportation design institutions where many of today's leading designers began their careers.

The Design Los Angeles conference is unique in that automobile designers are playing an integral role in its ongoing development. Six prominent designers participate on an advisory board to identify issues that are of interest to designers and to help establish the framework for the long-term development of the conference.

LA Auto Show website: www.laautoshow.com

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