‘Back to the ‘60s’ One of Themes of Opel/Vauxhall Design Contest

Innovative concepts and exciting discussions at social media contest

Rüsselsheim. Student designers have impressed the professionals and provoked lively conversations among both entrants and judges in a unique interactive design competition from Car Design News and Opel/Vauxhall.

“Wow! Fantastic and brilliant presentation! Love the theme ‘Open your eyes’" said Liz Wetzel, Director of Interior Design at Opel/Vauxhall, to contestant Jadir Minutti in a comment on his initial entry to the competition. Minutti is studying transportation design at the Istituto d’Arte Applicata e Design (IAAD) in Italy.

“Are you nostalgic for the ‘60s?” asked Anne Asensio, Vice President of Design Experience at Dassault Systemes, of ‘Markus’, who is studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw, Poland after he had uploaded images of rooms from another era.

“Curious to see how the iconic Eames chair and oversized beanbag will translate into the development of your concept,” added Car Design News Editor Eric Gallina, who, along with Wetzel and Asensio, is judging the contest.

Step-by-step development in the virtual community

Opel’s brief for the competition asks, “What do you think is our lounge style?” Students have been submitting mood boards and themes, and are now developing them into interior designs for a car with the Opel or Vauxhall brand. They are making progressive uploads of their ideas to the competition website, where they can be viewed and commented upon by other entrants and by anyone who visits as an observer, as well as by the judges who offer guidance and support. More than 250 student designers in 23 countries have signed up to enter or make a comment so far.

“The Opel/Vauxhall interior design team pays a lot of attention to the tactile experience in the car by giving a refined, sophisticated feel to everything touched by drivers and passengers. Understanding customers’ behavior is crucial and helps us identify the relevant areas to address so I was impressed to see that from the very start of the competition, several of the students identified the target customers and their lifestyle. I’m looking forward to seeing the final submissions during the coming weeks,” said Mark Adams, Vice President Design at Opel/Vauxhall.

Winner to receive paid internship at Opel/Vauxhall Design Center

The first phase of the competition closes on December 10. The competition is open to full time students enrolled in a design course – of any discipline – at a college in Europe. Judges will select three finalists and then a single winner, who will be awarded a paid internship at the Opel/Vauxhall Design Center in Rüsselsheim, Germany.

The second phase of the competition, focused on the car exterior, kicks off in the New Year. The work of the finalists for each phase will be on display at the Geneva Motor Show in March, when the announcement of the winners of each phase will be made.

See www.cardesigncontest.com for details of the competition and to register to enter. The competition is supported by CAD software provider Dassault Systèmes and by ecological microfiber Dinamica by Miko.