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An annual competition to uncover new young talent has just begun, with big prizes and a potential tie to the local makers on the line. The task is to design a car for 2020.
It can be done as a computer image, a sketch, a scale model or even a story - but the objective is just the same, and it has the backing of the VACC. The industry body is putting up substantial prizes as high as $3000 for the student and their school.
"What will the cars of the future look like? How will they be powered? What safety features will they have and how environmentally friendly will they be?," asks David Russell of the VACC. "If you know the answers to these questions, and you are a secondary or tertiary student, you should enter VACC’s Target 2020 competition."
The contest is in its fifth year but, for the first time, is not linked to the Melbourne Motor Show. The tie-up will resume next year, when the all-new Australian International Motor Show comes to Victoria in July, but for now the VACC is going alone.
"We do this to encourage students to think about the future of the automotive industry and the prospects of an automotive career. Not everyone will beocme a car designer, but those with an interest might become motor mechanics or panels beaters or take on other jobs in the industry," Russell says. "It's also to encourage those with a talent to use that talent. They could be a car designer of the future."
The first entries have already landed at the VACC and as many as 500 are expected. There are three categories - model making, drawing and design, and essay - with a secondary and tertiary winner in each category. The prizes for the first two categories are $3000 for the student and another $3000 for their school, TAFE college or university, with the essay winners earning $500 for themselves and another $500 for their school.
“Previous winners of Target 2020 have gone on to have successful careers in the automotive design industry. We know of students who have worked for Holden and Ford as a direct result of entering this industry recognised event. It is a great opportunity for the next generation of designers to show-case their talent," Russell says.
But there is another big challenge facing the Target 2020 organisers. They will have to shift the goalposts soon to continue the relevance of the competition. "Every year we are bowled over by how good the concepts are. The imagination is impressive, as is the attention to detail.
"But we have to move it forward pretty soon. 2020 is coming up fast and car companies are already working on that timetable. We think 2050 might be a nice round number for the future of the competition," Russell says.
For details on the competition, including entry details, go to: www.target2020.com.au
