Project 818 Design Contest Winners

[mske390]

That pic looks alot better than the one they used to announce the winners!

I agree

[mske390]

Hi Guys,

Here's another view of the winner's entry:

Do you have any front pics?

[BipDBo]

I agree with the judges on one thing; the winner is a sharp looking car. It has very nice lines. I am nonetheless a little dissapointed about the pick for the following reasons. The rollbar was a serious design parameter that I devoted a long time to working around. The winning submission, however, just took the roll bar out. I'm speaking a little bit out of my expertise here, but although this design offers some roll protection, I don't think that's it's race compliant. Also, Dave originally compared this to a Lotus 211 or an Aerial Atom with a bit more of a body for driving comfort on the highway. This, along with the target weight and price really drove me to a design without doors or a windsheild. Door seams can be removed, but the rear of the winning design, aerodynamically, neccessitates the windshield, which will weigh more and necessitate frame modifications, wipers, wiper fluid, etc. Also, with the profile laid over the template posted by kach22i, it looks like it may need modification just to fit over the frame. Re-incorporating the rollbar, for example, will substantially alter the look of the car. Furthermore, it looks to incorporate custom head and tail lights, which look very nice, but also expensive. I fear that Factory 5 may have bitten off a little more than they can chew to make this work with the current frame and the weight and cost targets. I will say, though, that it is difficult to analyze such matters with tracing paper. Perhaps I treated this too much as a design competition rather than a concept competition. Some modifications will likely need to be done, and it will be interesting to follow how it finally shapes up.

[Niburu]

keep in mind they don't have to use any of the designs

the final result will probably look similar to the winning design but it'll certainly won't be exactly the same

[Cooluser23]

keep in mind they don't have to use any of the designs

the final result will probably look similar to the winning design but it'll certainly won't be exactly the same

or it could use the best elements from several designs combined.

[bromikl]

keep in mind they don't have to use any of the designs

(Dave Smith paraphrased - from the "Project 818 Design Contest Winners" thread) ...but "it's my company and I can do what I like"

I hope he does Xabier's design, and a couple others. Scotty B's would be a good one - and MAN! I can't get over Marrio Morra's budget - smashing entry.

[Reload]

Everybody's confused and a little frustrated. Well, yeah, we enthusiasts who wanted to design our own car are confused by the outcome, even more confused by the pictures shown. I entered this contest because my work buddy was the engineer behind the GTM's Mendeolla tranny. So I personally sunk 250-300 hours of my life into this (in between taking care of the new baby in the house) thinking I might have a chance since FFR didn't want those LM designer guys. They wanted real enthusiasts. Feeling frustrated, I have invested a few more hours trying to resolve this and I think I know how this went down.

First off, hat's off to Dave, Tim Suddard, and the rest of the FFR/GRM crew for running a contest with great intentions for the enthusiast community.

The 1st place winner was an industrial designer. He won because he created a body shape that was attractive and had clear British car styling cues (remember the Lotus 7 and 2-eleven comments). I am guessing FFR posted the drawings and didn't post the beautiful renderings out of respect to us enthusiasts. FFR and GRM had intended this to be an enthusiasts competition. In the end, an industrial designer with clear 3D rendering skills won. Should we be that surprised? Probably not as 4 of the judges are highly respected designers.

All us enthusiasts should take Xabier's 3rd place win as a win for ourselves. He clearly took an enthusiast approach with his Subaru headlights and Hella taillights. My guess is that FFR/GRM judges recognized this putting him tops on their list, but they were 3 of 9 judges.

Takeaway, 4 designer judges outweighed 3 enthusiast judges.

If they don't post this, I'll chalk it up to me being somewhat right with my theories. :-)

[Sergio]

Everybody's confused and a little frustrated. Well, yeah, we enthusiasts who wanted to design our own car are confused by the outcome, even more confused by the pictures shown. I entered this contest because my work buddy was the engineer behind the GTM's Mendeolla tranny. So I personally sunk 250-300 hours of my life into this (in between taking care of the new baby in the house) thinking I might have a chance since FFR didn't want those LM designer guys. They wanted real enthusiasts. Feeling frustrated, I have invested a few more hours trying to resolve this and I think I know how this went down.

First off, hat's off to Dave, Tim Suddard, and the rest of the FFR/GRM crew for running a contest with great intentions for the enthusiast community.

The 1st place winner was an industrial designer. He won because he created a body shape that was attractive and had clear British car styling cues (remember the Lotus 7 and 2-eleven comments). I am guessing FFR posted the drawings and didn't post the beautiful renderings out of respect to us enthusiasts. FFR and GRM had intended this to be an enthusiasts competition. In the end, an industrial designer with clear 3D rendering skills won. Should we be that surprised? Probably not as 4 of the judges are highly respected designers.

All us enthusiasts should take Xabier's 3rd place win as a win for ourselves. He clearly took an enthusiast approach with his Subaru headlights and Hella taillights. My guess is that FFR/GRM judges recognized this putting him tops on their list, but they were 3 of 9 judges.

Takeaway, 4 designer judges outweighed 3 enthusiast judges.

If they don't post this, I'll chalk it up to me being somewhat right with my theories. :-)

I agree with what you say. that's why I did not participated in the design contest, I knew it would be a waste of my time.

Hope the final product looks a lot like the K1 ATTACK, something exotic looking and not like a Kia Optima.

[keys2heaven]

Everybody's confused and a little frustrated. Well, yeah, we enthusiasts who wanted to design our own car are confused by the outcome, even more confused by the pictures shown. I entered this contest because my work buddy was the engineer behind the GTM's Mendeolla tranny. So I personally sunk 250-300 hours of my life into this (in between taking care of the new baby in the house) thinking I might have a chance since FFR didn't want those LM designer guys. They wanted real enthusiasts. Feeling frustrated, I have invested a few more hours trying to resolve this and I think I know how this went down.

First off, hat's off to Dave, Tim Suddard, and the rest of the FFR/GRM crew for running a contest with great intentions for the enthusiast community.

The 1st place winner was an industrial designer. He won because he created a body shape that was attractive and had clear British car styling cues (remember the Lotus 7 and 2-eleven comments). I am guessing FFR posted the drawings and didn't post the beautiful renderings out of respect to us enthusiasts. FFR and GRM had intended this to be an enthusiasts competition. In the end, an industrial designer with clear 3D rendering skills won. Should we be that surprised? Probably not as 4 of the judges are highly respected designers.

All us enthusiasts should take Xabier's 3rd place win as a win for ourselves. He clearly took an enthusiast approach with his Subaru headlights and Hella taillights. My guess is that FFR/GRM judges recognized this putting him tops on their list, but they were 3 of 9 judges.

Takeaway, 4 designer judges outweighed 3 enthusiast judges.

If they don't post this, I'll chalk it up to me being somewhat right with my theories. :-)

Why are so you insistent that the winning design is what ONE of the bodies will look like? Seems to me you've missed quite a bit from not reading the threads post competition.

I don't know exactly how FFR intends to take these submissions and whittle them down into THREE bodies, but they will. And I'm almost positive Xabier's concept will play heavily into ONE of these. Read the posts and you'll see why I say this.

Frankly, I'm getting rather bored reading the same thing over and over. This was an OPEN design competition, so amateurs and pro's alike could enter. And there were A LOT of good ideas from non-pro submissions, but you have to admit most of the ooo's and ah's were from those with design experience.

Let's give everyone a little time to recover from the competition and see how FFR will approach this. Come on, you know Dave isn't going to keep us in the dark.

The cat is out of the bag and tearing up R&D in Wareham.

[Olimk2]

WITH 700 PROJECTS, there are a lot of ideas to choose from...DAVE CLEARLY SAID IS THE BOSS AND WILL DECIDE IN THE END THE LOOK OF THE CAR(S)!!
I agree with Xabier's design beeing one option to start with, easy to convert in a nice scale one car for SEMA.

[Fuddmenace]

Congratulations to the chosen ones and to all those who had put in their time, effort and all the creativity and skill they could muster into their submission. Winners all.

IMHO, as being a potential 818 owner, the winning entry, while beautifully rendered and refined , seems a bit soulless in design and a bit generic for my taste, lacking the Factory Five flavor, so to speak. I would just have to wait and see what the Factory Five designers will come up with in regards to the final body design. Here's hoping to a see a design with the emphasis on light weight, fun to drive, modular performance and oozing with Factory Five Racing character. Either modern Porsche 718 RSK or modern boxer-powered MR Lotus 7

Eagerly waiting to see the rest of the submissions. People's choice, anyone?

[2KWIK4U]

Why are so you insistent that the winning design is what ONE of the bodies will look like? Seems to me you've missed quite a bit from not reading the threads post competition.

I don't know exactly how FFR intends to take these submissions and whittle them down into THREE bodies, but they will. And I'm almost positive Xabier's concept will play heavily into ONE of these. Read the posts and you'll see why I say this.

Frankly, I'm getting rather bored reading the same thing over and over. This was an OPEN design competition, so amateurs and pro's alike could enter. And there were A LOT of good ideas from non-pro submissions, but you have to admit most of the ooo's and ah's were from those with design experience.

Let's give everyone a little time to recover from the competition and see how FFR will approach this. Come on, you know Dave isn't going to keep us in the dark.

The cat is out of the bag and tearing up R&D in Wareham.

I agree with Keys,
We all had picked our favorites of the designs and I am sorry we will never all have the same tastes.

FFR's cars and customer service with my roadster build have always been top notch and I have confidence in them to make another great design. Bottom line, if we don't like the design we won't buy it and remember this is suppose to be a "world" car and appeal to a vast clientele.

[keys2heaven]

I agree with Keys,
We all had picked our favorites of the designs and I am sorry we will never all have the same tastes.

FFR's cars and customer service with my roadster build have always been top notch and I have confidence in them to make another great design. Bottom line, if we don't like the design we won't buy it and remember this is suppose to be a "world" car and appeal to a vast clientele.

Good thing you'll have three designs to choose from!

[mekeys]

Everyone is referring to these pics. http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...818-Submission

At least with eight different concepts in the two pictures submitted,FF5 shouldn't have any trouble coming up with one good design to build.

[Texan_GTM]

The more I look at this, the more i want it in black and white.

[Cr8tr]

Factory Five, Grass Root Motor, SolidWorks, the Judges and all of the forum community, thank you very much for this opportunity in this contest. I must say I am really surprised and thrilled for receiving the award. The fact that this award is presented to me by Factory Five, GRM, SolidWorks, and the judges is an added honor. Many talented individuals here was an inspiration to me and to many others. We all worked hard and had fun with this contest, in the end I we all are winners.

In conclusion, it has been a lot of fun and it has been very rewarding for me to be able to create something unique and take to heart from all of the great comments and ideas what the enthusiasts want from the 818. Thank you very much.

[Mad Dog]

Here's one more photo of Nouphone's design in a variety of colors.

[Dave Smith]

I guess I'm just in love with Xabiers track car. I want to make three body shapes for three distinct purposes. I am the boss, but in the end Jim and Jesper, with the STRONG feedback of the community will select the body designs. I could type all day here on this, but the truth is that I am counting on partners to help us with the body shaping stages, to GREATLY reduce the time to mold and involving ALL you guys is going to be the next step before shaping starts.

I have to get the congrats letters and trophies all mailed today (and cash!). This is the most exciting project we've done and I truly appreciate the professional and respectful way everyone has communicated with each other. This project involves a ton of emotion and passionate feelings. Harnessing those ideas and discussions into a productive path was told to me by everyone that it would be impossible. I am please to be right in this case. Jim is out at races til next week, and we will have more spelled out shortly! People (NOT us) will write textbooks about this process in years to come as the 818 will break alot of new ground!


Xabier's 818R side view


Rear view of Nouphone's Design

[riptide motorsport]

Yeah xabiers track car is great.

[Dave Smith]

It does show the need for multiple designs on this GREAT chassis/drivetrain that we have.

[crackedcornish]

Here's one more photo of Nouphone's design in a variety of colors.

Dear Dave,

sorry, but as much as I want to like this car...I just don't

there's nothing exciting or sexy about this design, it may as well be a Hyundai...way too bland, no matter what the color

perhaps if I hadn't seen at a least a half dozen more sensual designs submitted for the contest then maybe, just maybe, I would have been interested in this one, but alas, I did see them

[Dave Smith]

Yeah, but the winner does not mean that is the car/(s) we are making. Ive said this many times that the reason the design parameters were fairly open was to get alot of vaired designs. We may take one, elements of one, elements of many, all in combination. I agree with you in that there were at least 35-50 really great designs. The judges picked winners and it wouldnt have been a contest without judges, winners and prize money, but still the winners are not the definitive designs. Even more importantly, there is a huge difference between a photo and the real shape. A 1/4 scale model will get us closer, but still I can promise you that the design will light your hair on fire. It HAS to. The car HAS to be a shape/look that makes you willing to sell your children to buy it. Xabiers track car makes me feel that way. His street car with some heavy mods may also do that. Nouphones design may be a brain-sizzler in real life. I think it is amazing but needs some radical elements added to put it above a great oem car look.

[crackedcornish]

Yeah, but the winner does not mean that is the car/(s) we are making. Ive said this many times that the reason the design parameters were fairly open was to get alot of vaired designs. We may take one, elements of one, elements of many, all in combination. I agree with you in that there were at least 35-50 really great designs. The judges picked winners and it wouldnt have been a contest without judges, winners and prize money, but still the winners are not the definitive designs. Even more importantly, there is a huge difference between a photo and the real shape. A 1/4 scale model will get us closer, but still I can promise you that the design will light your hair on fire. It HAS to. The car HAS to be a shape/look that makes you willing to sell your children to buy it. Xabiers track car makes me feel that way. His street car with some heavy mods may also do that. Nouphones design may be a brain-sizzler in real life. I think it is amazing but needs some radical elements added to put it above a great oem car look.

thanks for reassuring me that you will build us a great looking car, as well as great performing one

[Steve91T]

I have no doubts that FFR is going to produce an amazing car.

[Oppenheimer]

Excited on what is to come. Humbled at being able to participate.

Many seem to like the Xabier track car (myself included). Many also liked his street car (myself included). Yet there aren't many differences between the two (paint, wing, truncated windshield).

That got me thinking, perhaps there could be some variations within the three bodies? A track car based on the Xabier, but also offered with options for a full windshield, wing delete, and targa top (mix and match). Another body, street car, based on one of the others, but also offered with a few track-like options. A commuter, but also offered with options, etc.

So with three basic body designs, there could be quite a few more actual end results. You could build the commuter, stripped down as your track car. Or the track car, optioned up for your street car, etc.

[VTX]

I like Xabier's track car a lot. I think it would be perfect for a track version of the 818.

I think the winning design is nice and the guy who did it obviously has talent, but I'm personally hoping for something more exotic and aggressive looking for the street version.

So, please make something that looks similar to Marrio Morra's!

[riptide motorsport]

IT seems for the most part everyone here is basically in agreement.

[Ramarryo]

Hi there!
I’m a little late (been quite busy) but I really want to say thanks, first of all to Factory Five, and then to all of you. Honestly I didn’t expect to win any prize, yet I hoped to….. So when I realized my concept was one of the judges’ picks I thought: - well, 3 months of work not completely thrown away! -
Just kiddin'…. Even before the judges’ verdict I’ve had such positive feedback from you guys on the forum, that it was like having already won the prize….

I have to congratulate with all the other winners, especially the “cash winners” Nouphone Bansasi, Rodney O. and Xabier…. I really like their projects very much.
I read on this forum about the “conflict” between pros and enthusiasts, but I think everyone of us could be both…. As an example I could define myself a semi-pro, cause I am an architect (so I’m a designer, but in a different field) whom has a true passion for cars. As someone of you have already noticed, maybe it’s because I’m italian: gasoline runs in our veins.

So last thing I want to say is that I’m ready to offer my little contribution (if FF needs it, of course) to the next phase, which is probably the hardest, but even the most exciting one…. I started this adventure as a design competition, but now I feel part of a community and I’m really looking forward to see the birth of a new sportscar. So I’m going to appear on this threads again.

Well, for now I'm only goin’ home for dinner! (as I said before I’m Italian, so you’ll understand….)

Mario

[kach22i]

I guess I'm just in love with Xabiers track car. I want to make three body shapes for three distinct purposes.

What I do like about X's design is perhaps best expressed by a quote I read today in another forum.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-t...k-porsche.html

My 911 is a beautiful car......it's body style is the result of stretching sheet metal over the mechanicals underneath..........."

Xabiers track car design seems to do the same thing, not a lot of excess material hanging around. I'm sure there are other designs embracing similar values for the contest, they just have not been posted in this forum. It would be nice to see some of those designs in the process of bringing this project to maturity.

Hey Mario, I'm an architect too (see my homepage). I wonder how many of us who entered the contest are?

[xabier]

Thank you very much guys I am glad you like my design, and special thanks to Dave Smith, it means a lot for me to hear that from you.

When I started preparing my design for the competition I didn´t expect to win any prizes, you know, I am a 20 years old industrial design student and I knew a lot of professional people or at least more experienced ones were going to take part on it. I want to become a car designer one day and I take part in every car design competition I can, and thankfully they all went well for me, but this one had something special, from this competition a real car was going to be created, and that was a very interesting thing.
It make us be part of the process, we all, in some way contributed to it and and will be really proud to see it become a reality, I can´t wait to see it! Apart from that, thanks to this competition I have been able to know such a fantastic company as Factory Five, which, living in Europe I didn´t knew it existed..

So, all this said, thanks a lot guys, I wish you all the best and hope this fantastic project goes as good as we all expect!

Xabier Albizu

[Someday I Suppose]

Xabier, time to stop saying you want to become a car designer and to start saying that you are a car designer. Maybe not you're full time job just yet, but you are most certainly a designer and a talented one at that.

_Scott

Thank you very much guys I am glad you like my design, and special thanks to Dave Smith, it means a lot for me to hear that from you.

When I started preparing my design for the competition I didn´t expect to win any prizes, you know, I am a 20 years old industrial design student and I knew a lot of professional people or at least more experienced ones were going to take part on it. I want to become a car designer one day and I take part in every car design competition I can, and thankfully they all went well for me, but this one had something special, from this competition a real car was going to be created, and that was a very interesting thing.
It make us be part of the process, we all, in some way contributed to it and and will be really proud to see it become a reality, I can´t wait to see it! Apart from that, thanks to this competition I have been able to know such a fantastic company as Factory Five, which, living in Europe I didn´t knew it existed..

So, all this said, thanks a lot from guys, I wish you all the best and hope this fantastic project goes as good as we all expect!

Xabier Albizu

[Benji]

Dave, build Xabier's car in all forms:

Street car
Track car
? car

You can share large sections of the bodywork between them, do more mass production, save money and hit that $9900 target (or maybe less! ) and quicker development of each of the bodies to the market.

Come on, you know it makes sense

[blueafro]

Congratulations to Cr8tr/Nouphone for putting together a presentation that the judges liked.

For my part, however . . .

there's nothing exciting or sexy about this design, it may as well be a Hyundai...way too bland, no matter what the color

Agreed. This one doesn't tug any strings for me at all.

[ScottKoschwitz]

I agree with crackedcornish about Cr8tr's design. It's nice enough, but it's a little tame. It looks like what I think Hyundai would design for a sporty convertible: definitely better looking than an average car, but not too aggressive or outlandish so as not to potentially turn off the intended buyer. I'm no designer, but it has the same problem the current Mazda MX5 has, which is a little too much bulk around the hood and the fenders sitting a little too high. That same sense of bulk carries through the sides to the rear, and is accentuate by the farings. Like the front, the rear also has too much bulk sitting a little too high.

Xabier's design is more "athletic" so to speak. It's bulky or muscular where it counts, looks lean in the right places, and has some nice curves to it. It appears both lower and longer than Cr8tr's design, more lithe. I like the fact that he incorporated the Subaru headlights into the design; a lot of the face of a car is determined by the size and shape of the headlights. I understand how some people see a catfish mouth, but I think that could be easily remedied.

Another plus is that of all the designs I have seen, Xabier's appears to be most amenable to different body styles. I can see a street roadster hitting the $10,000 kit price, a more expensive version with a full windshield and targa top, and a dedicated track/race version.

[bromikl]

We have Xabier's track car and Moria's design as the targa-optional street version. We just need a super-economical body. Good thing is, people who go for that thing (like me) exalt function over form.

[Fuddmenace]

Any word on when Dave and crew will be posting the rest of the submissions?

Can't wait to see the rest of 'em.

[Dave Smith]

There really is no way we can post all 700+ entries. Some of them were lovingly done and obvipously from kids, so I have to find a way to say thanks to EVERYONE who participated without exposing a good-hearted and excited 8 year old boy to criticism. I was thinking we would make a call on perhaps the 30-40 really great entries and throw them up for public debate here. As long as it is respectful of the efforts and passions involved, it will be a great excercise. We have tried SO HARD to be respectful, confidential (where asked), and appreciative thru this whole process. I guess I just want to make sure that all of our work together and everything we do ends up delivering a body shape that lives up to the chasiss and performance of the design. I WILL NOT accept mediocrity in this design. All FFR shapes are beautiful and extreme and dramatic... this one will be no exception and I can only promise one thing... When it drives down the road it will not EVER be msiatken for an OEM Hyundai.

[rschoeni]

The open-top 818R would get my vote, if it were delivered as a coupe (ala cayman) and with front aero re-work. To my eye, the front looks susceptible to drag from all the radiator/cooler (?)openings.

Coupe, cage, front splitter, and space for a standard 15 gallon fuel cell, and I'd be building a reasonably-priced track car, capable of opening a can of whup-a#& on the GT3RS's!

[BipDBo]

Well, I don't understand the claims that the winning submission looks tame. It is not a cartoonish concept, but rather a very nice looking sports car with nice looking, international lines and good aerodynamics. It's elegant, but not overstated. It looks good as a rendering and I'm sure could look much better in real life. It reminds me much less of a Hyundai, and much more of an Aston Martin.

I have noticed a commonality to many designs on these forums that have received praise for their "aggressive" look; large front air intakes. This is seen on the designs from Xabier, Sam Pourbehi and Chris Mahoney, all of which have far too much frontal air intake area. While people may like the "big mouth" look, it is hardly functional. Look at the much smaller air intake areas on the GTM and the Daytona coupe, which serve radiators for large V8s. Not much intake area is needed. Manufacturers play tricks to give a car the look of a large opening, while minimizing the actual intake area. Look at any production car with a big grill, and notice that most of the grill is blanked off, or like Ford or Mercedes, they use very wide grill bars. I find that kind of cheesy. A large opening just creates drag like a parachute, and in my opinion, likens the car to a catfish. The air intake should be minimally sized so that air is diverted over the hood of the car for minimal drag and maximum downforce.

[Colvindesign]

It would be great to see the chassis used on a variety of designs.

I would hope that this would then open up the possibility of using the other FFR chassis' for other designs as well.