Michelin Challenge Design Powers Up an Electric Car Competition

In addition to its affinity for high-quality and innovative products, Michelin has shown the unique ability to envelop conceptual arenas not often associated with automotive products into its marketing plan. Once again, those forward thinking Michelin execs have charged up their innovative marketing juices to relaunch the Michelin Challenge Design competition. This inventive competition solicits designers from around the world to stretch the limits of their imagination to create solutions to automotive challenges.

This year’s throw down: ‘Electrifying! Beautiful, Innovative, and Radiant.’ The new theme recognizes there are a number of innovative technologies emerging within the technical and design communities to support the electrification of vehicles, as well as the renewed importance of an aesthetically and functionally beautiful execution.

To kick off the competition, Michelin recently invited a number of the hand-picked finalists to meet in Pasadena, California to display and discuss their entries. Design contestants were required to have submitted models in scale and full size form, concepts in two dimensions and sketched, computer generated renderings, and engineering drawings in order to be considered.

The heads of all of the major California-based design groups, independent design studio heads, and individual designers constituted the jury that reviewed and helped determine the finalists. With a virtual 'Who’s Who' of the most creative and established designers in the world, Michelin has invested considerable assets to ensure this year’s Challenge Design creates truly breakthrough design concepts.

In this competition, Michelin offers a challenge to designers around the world, both individuals and those working at small and large companies, to enthusiastically create and display “significant design work that would normally not have an opportunity to be shown at a major auto show.” Winners of this year’s Michelin Challenge Design 2010 will be announced at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit on January 10-24, 2010, with the winning designs on display.