Weekly Winners and Submissions for FFR-GRM Design Contest Open to Comments

[crackedcornish]

thanks

lets bring it over here so we can see 'em all

[Thanas_4]

I am a design student in a industrial design university, Konstantinos is a professional. However we both have worked with Korres engineering in Greece which is going to present a really impressive vehicle soon (it is being developed for 7 years now).

Anyway about the week 5 winner, I would like to see more sketches so I can judge. I don't like it a lot in the side because all those R8 like designs will always be worst than the original. I like the idea for the front bumper but it certainly needs work.

[Steve91T]

What's with the hood scoop? Week 5 winner looks like a front engine car.

Steve

[crackedcornish]

what's with that weak angle of view on week 5?....It could very well be an El Camino/Ranchero from what you can see from that angle.

we were doing so well, this seems like a step or two back

[2KWIK4U]

Narcis Mares, week 5 - Its difficult to comment on this design, as its so difficult to 'see' what it looks like. All I've got to go on is the Iron Man inspired nose (think comic book, not triathalon) with hood scoop, and some sort of external rollbar looking thing going up the outside of the body.

I'd prefer a 3/4 front view from a higher angle. This view looks like I'm sitting on the floor or something. Hoping for more views so effective comments can be supplied.

I have to agree, it's a very hard angle to see the overall concept.

[Mad Dog]

Leonardo Castilho - Week 6 Co-Winner for April 8

[CooperD]

I'm feelin' it. Very nice!

[Stavros]

Looks cool, but where is the rollover protection? No tracks would let me near them with this car.

[PhyrraM]

Week 6 is nice. A bit of 350/370Z convertable flavor in there.

[Gearsmith]

Leonardo Castilho - Week 6 Winner for April 8

Lovin' this one. Maybe add a side scoop in front of the rear wheel and definitely some kind of roll protection like Stavros mentioned. The rear fender flare is just too damn sexy. This one's on my list! More views, please.

[Olimk2]

I agree with Gearsmith, still looks like a front engine car...but it's nice. Xabier's and "Team Greece" still my favorite so far...WHAT!? Only Europeans??

[Slaughter]

Only add side scoops if they are functional. In that note ... only add things that ARE functional

[2KWIK4U]

I like that but I have to agree, it needs rear vents and some brain protection bars.

Nice design

[Xelerator]

Front radiator hood vent of a 2010 Audi R8 GT3

[mn_vette]

Leonardo Castilho - Week 6 Winner for April 8

The profile reminds me alot of the Mitsubishi Elipse Spyder. Which I think is also a very nice looking car.

[PhyrraM]

Why do so many designs seem to get the 'large haunch' look. I know the 'modified wedge' shape is in style currently, but on a car this small I'm wondering if it will work...

Maybe it's not so much the rear, but the mid-section. Every design seems to have a very high window line, which carries to the ungainly rumpus rump. OEMs need side protection, we will only get what FFR puts in the frame, so why still have the high waistline?

[Mad Dog]

Sam Pourbehi - Week 6 Co-Winner for April 8

[phenotyp]

Why do so many designs seem to get the 'large haunch' look. I know the 'modified wedge' shape is in style currently, but on a car this small I'm wondering if it will work...

Maybe it's not so much the rear, but the mid-section. Every design seems to have a very high window line, which carries to the ungainly rumpus rump. OEMs need side protection, we will only get what FFR puts in the frame, so why still have the high waistline?

It's largely a result of the bizarre package-- the driver and engine are way too far back to allow for a graceful mid-engined design. If you want to have the driver sitting that high, then pile rollbars on behind him, and hang the engine that far back, you're going to get a really strange-looking thing unless you really, really force it.

[Olimk2]

PhyrraM you should be happy with my first entry then...Just wait one week!

[PhyrraM]

Cool, looking forward to it.

[sub322]

Now, if you can put the rear end of week six on the week four winner I would love to see what that looks like. The front of week six looks to busy with all of the open area.

[Oppenheimer]

Haven't seen it mentioned anywhere yet, but it appears the week 6 co-winner (Sam Pourbehi - post #57) nose is supposed to pay homage to the 2004+ Subaru grill. I like that in concept, but it does appear to be a little over the top in how huge the opening is. Like there is a gas turbine engine in there or something, going to suck up pets and small children.

I like this design, but I can't help feeling that it looks too much like a kit. The totally flat rear needs more refinement, and the rest of the car, something about the lines, the shape, looks incomplete. Like a pro designers first (or second) sketch, before he got serious and turned it into something great. I feel bad saying this, because it looks like Sam put a lot of thought and effort into it. It IS a great outline, but something still needs work, it needs to lose the kit feel.

The other week 6 design, Leonardo Castilho , post #46, I like this too. I like that it looks like it could be a real production car (though I think the 818 should look like an outragious production car), but I'm not crazy about the 'jagged tilde' body line on the door looks. Just looks unecessary and out of place.

[Olimk2]

OPPENHEIMER, i agree with your point of view, Sam's design could be refined a bit more with strong lines.
The front is razor sharp (forget it with pedestrian security), the overall car is purposeful but lacks this little something that's make all the difference and stand out of the lot...

[PhyrraM]

The colored version of Week 6 winner (Lenardo Castilho) is posted on the GRM winners page. It looks a lot like the colored versions of Xabier's entry. I like the distinctive lines of Xabier's nose better. Also Xabier added some side vents into the basic design that would need working into Lenardo's.

Over all, pretty close in concept to each other.

[Olimk2]

Still nothing for week 7, arrgghh...

[crackedcornish]

week 6 was a little tame for me, I want something with a little more curb appeal than that

[Olimk2]

Week 6 colored...

[armstrom]

Week 6 colored...

Give me even the most BASIC provision for a roof (cloth roof and plexi rear window or something similar) and I'd drive the hell outa that Nice job!
-Matt

[mn_vette]

So has anybody come up with a design that has no air inlet in the front? Dave said that he might find a way to do a rear radiator if the design was cool enough. Why not take out the front air inlet all together and see how it looks. I would think we could have a very low nose/hood position without worring about the radiator.

[crackedcornish]

So has anybody come up with a design that has no air inlet in the front? Dave said that he might find a way to do a rear radiator if the design was cool enough. Why not take out the front air inlet all together and see how it looks. I would think we could have a very low nose/hood position without worring about the radiator.

you mean sorta' like this?

pic taken from the web...not mine

[PhyrraM]

So has anybody come up with a design that has no air inlet in the front? Dave said that he might find a way to do a rear radiator if the design was cool enough. Why not take out the front air inlet all together and see how it looks. I would think we could have a very low nose/hood position without worring about the radiator.

I think there are a few reasons most seem to have a front radiator......

Many of the more popular designs (so far) seem to be from members not in the USA. I know in Europe noses that low are not allowed anymore because of very real pedestrian safety laws. I cannot say how a 'kit car' is effected though.

Even in the USA, headlight height is a big concern. IIRC, 22" to the center of the light is the lowest for any state's standards. Many are 24".

I also think that many probable entrants are purposely re-using WRX and/or common parts (like the radiator) in an effort to increase thier chances of winning. I, personally, don't think this will work as well as intended because Dave (and others) have said the designs shouldn't be restricted to the *assumed* current format. That being said, if I could draw I would also work within the confines of the WRX partsbook. For me working within the stated project goal would be part of the challange - because my $5000 would just be given back to FFR for credit on the kit.

[Xelerator]

Roll cage integration, Spyker C8 Spyder GT2R



More pictures

[mn_vette]

I think there are a few reasons most seem to have a front radiator......

Many of the more popular designs (so far) seem to be from members not in the USA. I know in Europe noses that low are not allowed anymore because of very real pedestrian safety laws. I cannot say how a 'kit car' is effected though.

Even in the USA, headlight height is a big concern. IIRC, 22" to the center of the light is the lowest for any state's standards. Many are 24".

I also think that many probable entrants are purposely re-using WRX and/or common parts (like the radiator) in an effort to increase thier chances of winning. I, personally, don't think this will work as well as intended because Dave (and others) have said the designs shouldn't be restricted to the *assumed* current format. That being said, if I could draw I would also work within the confines of the WRX partsbook. For me working within the stated project goal would be part of the challange - because my $5000 would just be given back to FFR for credit on the kit.

Hopefully more people start thinking like Designers and not engineers. Dave and his team can make the design fit with some teaks here and there, but its the design they are looking for now. Time for some people to start thinking out of the box and pull out some radically cool designs.

Notice there are several design weekly winners that don't use the template, but they just design what they think looks good.

[Mad Dog]

Tim Brewster - Week 7 Winner for April 15



Alessio Minchella - Week 7 Co-Winner for April 15

[crackedcornish]

Tim Brewster - Week 7 Winner for April 15

I think I have a new favorite now......

[Cooluser23]

I'm glad to see more designs, but it seems that most recent submissions look remarkably similar. Are there more exotic designs being submitted as well?

I like the style of the week 4 winner, but wish we were pushing the envelope a bit.

[Wilky]

I'm really liking the designs....this is still more then a year away and I am dreaming about the build and driving it.

[D2W]

I'm glad to see more designs, but it seems that most recent submissions look remarkably similar. Are there more exotic designs being submitted as well?

I like the style of the week 4 winner, but wish we were pushing the envelope a bit.

I agree that a lot of the designs are similiar, and I think it's because people are trying to design to the template that FFR provided. In the beginning I thought more information about the chassis and layout were important, but now I see that the submissions are all very similiar. I'd like to see people going off on their own, moving the driver forward/down, keeping everything super low. A lot of the designs have an ugly bulbous top because of the driver position.

[Cooluser23]

I thought this is a "design" stage, and not final construction. Maybe Factory Five could make a blog post/release explaining that the engineering/frame design can be altered to adapt to the design. Maybe then we will see more designs that push the envelope a bit.

[D2W]

I thought this is a "design" stage, and not final construction. Maybe Factory Five could make a blog post/release explaining that the engineering/frame design can be altered to adapt to the design. Maybe then we will see more designs that push the envelope a bit.

They have, multiple times. People just seem unable to accept it.
I find it interesting that what I consider to be the best looking designs are the ones that ignore some of the basic dimensions of the template like driver location and height and draw whatever they want. How well these designs could be transferred into reality is another matter.