Design competition

04th October 2007

Could these be the Fiats of the future? The UK’s young automotive designers certainly think so – and the Italian car maker agrees!

Bosses of Fiat Group Auto­mob­iles chose the two models – which were styled by students at the Cov­entry School of Art and Design – as the most outstanding from an enormous selection submitted for the recent international ‘Design the Ital­ian Way’ competition.

Open to eight of the world’s lead­ing design schools and entered by 200 youngsters from 12 different nations, the contest was divided into three groups – one for each of the Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands. The finalists were then announced at a special gala presentation event in the new Group Automobiles’ Style Centre at Fiat’s Turin headquarters.

The winners will now participate in a programme providing hands-on experience, thanks to a grant covering five months’ training in the Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo Style Centres.

The shortlisted designs from the Coventry School of Art and Design included the Alfa Romeo Pulsione sports car. Created by Philip Allen, David Eburah and Alex Innes, it is painted in traditional Alfa red. There was also the Fiat Panda 2010, designed by Philip Crewe, Terrance Craven and Jack Watson. It features a new 500-style nose.