Green (and luxurious and sporty) with envi.Chrysler's B-segment concept--the Dodge Hornet--debuted at the Geneva Geneva, canton and city, Switzerland Geneva (jənē`və), Fr. Genève, canton (1990 pop. 373,019), 109 sq mi (282 sq km), SW Switzerland, surrounding the southwest tip of the Lake of Geneva. Motor Show in March. Mere months after its debut, Chrysler Design's summer internship participants were given the job of developing a B-segment brand tailored to the tastes of the youth market. Called "Envi"--a word created from the first four letters of the words "envious," "envision," and "environment"--it is a lineup built around a common architecture and off-the-shelf componentry. Is Chrysler planning an assault on this segment with a raft of vehicles that share the same 59.8-in. Front and rear tracks, 68.8-in. width, and--in all but one case--a 105-in. wheelbase? Probably not, though the project has allowed it to gather ideas from designers who are the same age as the target buyer. PROJECT GREEN Designer: Taryn Dyle, University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati is a coeducational public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ranked as one of America’s top 25 public research universities and in the top 50 of all American research universities,[2] Engineer: Luke Beno, Michigan Technological University Michigan Technological University (abbr. Michigan Tech or MTU) is an American public university with a range of degree offerings. Michigan Tech's main campus is in Houghton, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula. Vehicle: An environmentally conscious urban commuter with an integrated wheel/suspension/electric drive unit at each corner powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. Flexible conduits and integrated wire paths allow easy interior customization. Despite its 158-in. length, it has the interior room of a C-segment car. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PROJECT LUXE Designer: Casey Swanseger, Cleveland Institute of Art The Cleveland Institute of Art is a private college of art and design located in University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women. From 1891 until 1948 it was named Cleveland School of Art. Engineer: Andy Stewart, Michigan State University Michigan State University, at East Lansing; land-grant and state supported; coeducational; chartered 1855. It opened in 1857 as Michigan Agricultural College, the first state agricultural college. Vehicle: Described as "a definition of luxury for a new generation," the Luxe sports a panoramic roof that travels from the hood to rear window and has a coating that goes from clear to opaque in the presence of an electric current. The variable-geometry turbo-diesel engine comes from the European model of the Caliber and drives the rear wheels of this BMW 1 Series The BMW 1 Series (code name E87) is a Small-luxury car / small family car produced by the German automaker BMW since 2004. Designed to compete against the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf, the 1 Series is the only vehicle in its class featuring rear-wheel drive and a competitor. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PROJECT PERFORMANCE Designer: Winnie Cheung, Art Center College of Design Art Center built its reputation as a vocational school, essentially, preparing returning GIs for work in the commercial arts fields. It has traditionally maintained a strong "real-world" focus, emphasizing craftsmanship, technique, and professionalism while somewhat de-emphasizing theory. Engineer: Nick Kohut, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Early years: 1867-1880 The Morrill Act of 1862 granted each state in the United States a portion of land on which to establish a major public state university, one which could teach agriculture, mechanic arts, and military training, "without excluding other scientific Vehicle: It looks like a miniature version of the Chrysler Firepower concept, and had the designers at Chrysler intrigued. The 99-in. wheelbase makes this rear-drive two-seater more nimble, the E85-capable Caliber SRT-4 powertrain keeps it green, and the Viper-based front suspension and steering are probably overkill. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PROJECT ROADTRIPPER Designer: Inhoe (Sean) Kim, Art Center College of Design Engineer: Adam Zemke, Michigan State University Vehicle: This is a vehicle designed for maximum interior space and a minimal footprint. A thermo-electric exhaust header wrap produces electricity, while a converging nozzle under the hood is used to accelerate air to 100 mph and drive an 87% efficient turbine. Both are used to power the accessories and recharge the hybrid drive's ultra-capacitors. A storage rack folds out from under the rear bumper when needed. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
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