Art Center Students Design Future Lamborghinis

S. Kim’s Lamborghini Trequartista

Last Tuesday, Art Center College of Design graduated another class of transportation designers. But as much as the senior show is a rite of passage for the future car designers, they have to pass through eight grueling semesters, or terms in Art Center parlance, to prove their worth. This feature focuses on another milestone: the fourth term presentation.

Half-way through the program students are put on an even playing field in terms of brand and color, dictated by instructors Dennis Campbell and Bumsuk Lim. They are tasked with designing their version of a future car (ten years out) for that brand. The type of vehicle and its purpose are completely up to the students. The class is designed to reinforce core Art Center values: traditional, manual sketch and rendering techniques, an deep understanding of light and surface, traditional clay modeling and perhaps most importantly creative passion.

The students spend the first seven weeks (out of fourteen) sketching and developing their designs. The following six weeks are spent modeling the design in clay, designing their presentation boards and producing final renderings. They are usually enrolled in four other classes, simultaneously. Yes, it’s a lot of work. When Week 14 rolls around, they present their projects for classmates, instructors, the Transportation Design program Chair, Stewart Reed and typically graduates, now designers, from local studios who are encouraged to participate in the critiques. The crits can be brutal, one student being told four times (!) that his work seemed lazy.

This is the culmination of the fourth term, Fall 2014 class’ efforts in designing and modeling their vision for an orange 2023 Lamborghini. Following are the students (in alphabetical order) and their results.

 
Tarek Ashour: His Vasito proposal is inspired by rally racing and is designed for two occupants. Strong rear fenders speak to its mid-mounted V10, powering the rear wheels.

 Alice Bruderer: A design intended to appeal to those with an interest in falconing and with a private army at their disposal, the Avvoltoio has seating for four: a driver, two bodyguards, and a principal. This design features a Volkswagen derived, diesel W16 powering all six wheels.

 Johnny Cho: This two-seater features separate cockpits and a layered design with accelerating gesture. Powered by a hybrid V12 mounted amidships. The multiple vents and paths for moving air speak to extreme speed.

 Gary Chu: Chu’s proposal recalls Lamborghini’s original car, the 350GT. Accordingly, this car nods to the past by standing firm with a traditional drivetrain– a front-mounted V16, rear wheel drive and no alternative power supply. We’d love to see Lamborghini build a big, new grand tourer.

 Jacob Cobos: Inspired by aircraft and featuring removable canopies, the Indiavolato is intended to provide a tight fit for an intimate cabin experience. This is a car that makes no compromises or apologies and is designed to fit like a glove.

 Chase Davis: Davis’ Mostro recalls Lamborghini’s industrial heritage convincingly. It features a slow, upright, industrial windshield appropriate for a truck, but a very fast character line that moves your eye into large, aggressive intakes that speak to massive power.

 Ying He: This vehicle was conceived as an evolution of the Aventador and inspired by fighter aircraft. Its most interesting aspect (besides its attractive appearance) is that its layout is 1+2, like the McLaren F1. Why bring your wife when you can bring your wife and mistress?

 Cindy Juette: Inspired by the Miura (it’s more evident in the earlier sketches), this is a radical 2+2 concept intended for active lifestyles. In spite of its size, the graphics break up the front nicely as do the black wheel surrounds.

 Junghan Kim: Sort of a Porsche Panamera approach for Lamborghini, this proper four-seater really came to life in the model. It features a mid-engine, all-wheel drive powertrain.

 Soo Kim: Focused on the driver, the Trequartista (“Playmaker”) is a wide-shouldered exploration of a 1+1 Lamborghini with a gorgeous plan view. The buttresses terminating in the rear fenders are a nice touch and we wonder if there is any functionality designed into them?

 Jayden Lee: The Belmonte was conceived as a family racer which features 2+1 seating: adults on either side and a small, central seat for a baby or small child. While this purpose is not immediately obvious simply by looking at the car, the Lambo does look like a credible stablemate of the Aventador’s.

 Alvin Tseng: By using the Espada moniker, Tseng invited immediate comparison to the original. Fortunately, this FR V12-powered shooting brake is a believable proposal. While maintaining a clear front-engined proportion, the large rear overhang speaks to the extra passenger volume.

 Edward Tseng: Pure fantasy is an apt description for what is an aggressive, exuberant Lamborghini proposal. Looking more like a combat aircraft than car, this is a dual purpose track/off-road vehicle. Featuring a divided cockpit, the plan view is this vehicle’s most elegant angle.

 Weilun Wang: The Aerogetto is powered by two turbines for extreme speed and inspired by the experimental YF-23. It appropriately recalls land-speed cars and has seating for only one between the front wheels.

Take a good look, you may see some of these cues on cars in about six or seven years…