FCA US Product Design Office Searches for Next Automotive Design Star

Seventh Annual Drive for Design Contest Challenges High School Students to Draw the Ultimate Status Vehicle

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Feb 19, 2019, 08:00 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The FCA Product Design Team is challenging U.S. high school students to sketch the ultimate status vehicle using any FCA brand.

Drive for Design contest is open to U.S. high school students in grades 10-12
Three winners selected from the entries
Prizes include an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour and mentoring time with leading designers at the FCA US Product Design studios, a scholarship to attend College for Creative Studies' Summer Experience Transportation Design program and serving as Junior Judge at the prestigious EyesOn Design Car Show
Entries due by April 27, 2019, via www.FCAdrivefordesign.com
Writer and Artist Josh Welton joins this year's judging panel as special guest
FCA Design Heads Mark Trostle (Dodge/Performance) and Mark Allen (Jeep®) take your questions in an "Ask Me Anything" Facebook Live event on February 20 at 7 p.m. Eastern
Follow Drive for Design via social media: Drive for Design Facebook page, the FCA US Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram using #DriveForDesign

Without a nudge from an art teacher, a visit to an art school or just plain luck, some of the world's top automotive designers may never have made their mark on history.

Mark Trostle, Head of Performance, Passenger Car and Utility Vehicle Design for FCA – North America, wants to change that. Seven years ago, he revived a contest he won as a high school student that helped drive him to where he is today, leading the design efforts for some of the most desired vehicles on the road.

The 2019 Drive for Design contest challenges U.S. high school students in grades 10-12 to design the ultimate status vehicle using any FCA brand. Just like in the professional world, there is a level of urgency – entries are due by April 27, 2019. Three students will be named winners from all valid entries received.

"Today's automotive designers not only sketch cars, they create some of the most advanced user experience systems available, work with 3D technology, research color trends and create interior spaces that are multifunctional and beautiful," said Trostle. "As the field of automotive design grows, it's vital that we increase awareness and educate students and parents about the good-paying opportunities available. Many of today's designers had no idea that automotive design could be a career option and we want to change that."

Artist Josh Welton Joins Judging Panel
This year, the FCA US design team adds guest judge Josh Welton, writer, artist and owner of Brown Dog Welding LLC fabrication and art studio in Detroit. Welton is an accomplished welder, fabricator, teacher, artist, writer, social media influencer, podcast host, entrepreneur and automotive enthusiast. He writes for a variety of outlets, including DodgeGarage.com, and shares his artistic creations on social media. Welton will help review submitted sketches and select this year's winners.

Facebook LIVE "Ask Me Anything" on Wednesday, February 20
To kick off this year's competition, Trostle and Head of Jeep® Exterior Design Mark Allen will participate in an "Ask Me Anything" Facebook LIVE broadcast on Wednesday, February 20 at 7 p.m. Eastern, hosted by Josh Welton. Viewers can submit questions now through the live event via the Drive for Design Facebook page (Facebook.com/DriveForDesign), the FCA US Facebook page, the FCA US Twitter (@FiatChrysler_NA) and FCA US Instagram (@FiatChrysler_NA) handles using #DriveForDesign.

Drive for Design Contest Details
Three winners receive an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the FCA US Product Design studios in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with leading automotive designers.

The winners also receive a scholarship to attend the Precollege Summer Experience Transportation Design program at College for Creative Studies, a leading art and design college in Detroit. The summer program curriculum includes the fundamentals of gestural sketching, perspective for both interior and exterior automotive concepts and how to translate designs into 3D models.

The FCA US Product Design Office is again partnering with EyesOn Design, which focuses on the automotive community and students coming together to commemorate, reflect and appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of classic and modern vehicle design. Drive for Design winners receive their awards on Friday, June 14 at EyesOn Design's "Vision Honored" Black Tie and Silent Auction and will serve as junior judges at the prestigious EyesOn Design Car Show, held every Father's Day weekend at the historic Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan.

For detailed contest rules and information on how to submit sketches, visit www.FCAdrivefordesign.com. Students and parents can also follow the FCA North America social channels for regular posts to educate and inform followers about careers in automotive design. Weekly updates will be posted on the Drive for Design Facebook page (Facebook.com/DriveForDesign), the FCA US Facebook page, the FCA US Twitter (@FiatChrysler_NA) and FCA US Instagram (@FiatChrysler_NA) handles using the hashtag #DriveForDesign.

About Drive for Design
Launched in 2013, the FCA US Product Design Office created its Drive for Design contest as an innovative way to educate young artists about careers in automotive design. Starting locally in Detroit, Drive for Design has grown to become a national contest that awards talented students with prizes and unique opportunities to further develop their design skills.

About CCS
The College for Creative Studies (CCS) is a nonprofit, private college authorized by the Michigan Education Department to grant bachelor's and master's degrees. CCS, located in midtown Detroit, strives to provide students with the tools needed for successful careers in the dynamic and growing creative industries.

Founded in 1906 as the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts, CCS plays a key role in Detroit's cultural and educational communities. A private, fully accredited college, CCS enrolls more than 1,400 students, pursuing Master of Fine Arts degrees in Color and Materials Design, Interaction Design, Integrated Design and Transportation Design and Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Advertising Design, Art Education, Crafts, Entertainment Arts, Fashion Accessories Design, Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interior Design, Photography, Product Design and Transportation Design.

About EyesOn Design
A benefit for the Detroit Institute of Ophthalmology (DIO), a not-for-profit corporation, EyesOn Design is a major source of revenue for the DIO's research, education and support group programs for the visually impaired. The DIO is a division of the Department of Ophthalmology of the Henry Ford Health System.

SOURCE FCA US LLC