Themed Design Challenge [REVIEWS ARE OUT]

Welcome to the first Themed Design Challenge

So, what are the rules?

Think of it as a CSC-adjacent challenge, but without having to follow a company's design language - your submission can look however you please, as long it follows the theme and rules set out by the host.

Each challenge will, as the name suggests, have a theme. Themes are not meant to restrict freedom in design. An example of a bad theme would be "No Split Headlights", or "No Quirky Proportions".

A good theme poses a challenge to contestants, while also giving them enough freedom to design whatever they want. Examples of good themes are "Minimalist surfacing", or "Turbine Cars".

Hosts also ought to provide hard, quantifiable design constraints which submissions must follow. Examples are: - Wheelbase, - Length, -Engine placement, etc. You are NOT, however, to set out engineering goals such as power, 0-60, comfort etc. How stringent or lenient you are going to be with design specifications is up to each host to decide.

Scoring is to be carried out across several key aspects of your design. Hosts can choose which criteria they will be ranking submissions by, however this round will be judging a car's:
-PROPORTIONS
-SURFACING
-ADHERANCE TO THE THEME
-DETAILING
*please note that interiors will not be taken into account this round

With that in mind, the theme of this challenge is

BAUHAUS IN 2024

Rules

- The trim and variant years are to be set to 2020
- Wheelbases from 2.6m to 3m are allowed
- The body type I am looking for is a 2 or 4-seat coupe
- The engine must be placed in the front
- The vehicle should have a premium look
- The vehicle must be production-ready
- Design measurements will be taken from the designer, NOT the specs tab!
- Drivetrain type is not restricted, but do make your design realistic with regards to whether it's an EV, or ICE-powered vehicle

Quick background on Bauhaus and design examples:

Bauhaus design principles stem from post-war Germany. Simple, uninterrupted geometric shapes, clean surfaces and high visual contrast between design elements make up the fundamentals of Bauhaus.

In car design, it was practiced mostly during the beginning years of the naughties (think 1st generation Audi TT). You are tasked with designing a MODERN car with MODERN take on Bauhaus automotive design.








Submissions and deadline

Rule deliberation and concept clarification will last until November 8th.
Submissions are to be sent to my FORUM DMs and not on Discord.
Submission deadline is December 4th.
Model and Family names should follow the naming convention of [TDC] - yourname. Trim and Variant names are up to you.
An ad is REQUIRED!

Link to the CSC I hosted

24 Likes

Shouldn’t these be communicated in the brief, sorta like priorities in other challenges?
Or maybe part of the challenge is to anticipate them based on the theme and brief?

Does the design have to be production-ready?

And are the rules relating to the actual body and stats in-game or the final design and visuals; ie could we do things like a custom wheelbase, remove doors, move the engine, etc?

3 Likes

Bauhaus styling for 2020+ AD? A good start to the TDC for sure, as far as themes go.

They should and I will address that shortly.

It does, however this does not mean you should not experiment with your design.

I should have perhaps been clearer on this - design measurements will be taken from the designer with a ruler, not by what the game tells me.

3 Likes

There is a host for this challenge, no need to take up unnecessary space in this chat by trying to do their job for them.

  • Kind Regards, everyone on the forums
18 Likes

Rule deliberation has ended, submissions are now open until the 4th of December.

4 Likes

TWO WORLDS, ONE GOAL

DELPHINIDA HESTIA HYBRID


Combining both a 6-cylinder engine and a three-electric motor system, the Hestia directs 536 horsepowers to its rear wheels, propelling its aluminum self from 0-60 mph in just above 4 seconds and gets your body hairs standing straight in no time. Its body was designed to optimize aerodynamics and downforce while also maintaining a sleek, clean look without needing active components. Its suspensions, though, does have active adjustments to match the drivers’ needs. Its interior, comfortable and ergonomic in spirit of its namesake goddess of the hearth and the home, was made out of recycled plastics and wood from sustainable sources as Delphinida’s commitment to the environment.

17 Likes

The Lord of the Skies, likewise on the road.

| Nastoure Motorworks |

AGILA


By the Philippine Eagle, armed with a 4.0L Naturally Aspirated V8 creating 450hp and 500nm, delivered to all four wheels by Nastoure's Tetrad AWD System.

Ignoring the sheer size and weight of this beast, it can go 0-60 in 3.2 seconds. Being able to beat supercars whilst being able to go get groceries from your nearest market.


Gallery

Specifications

ENGINE

3996 cc DOHC 5 90° V8

450hp, 550nm

NATURALLY ASPIRATED


DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 2.63m

Length: 4.43m

Width: 1.94m


Weight: 1450kg

Drivetrain: Front Longitudinal AWD Advanced Semi Space Frame

7 Spd Adv. Automatic, 6 Spd Manual available

10 Likes

The 2024 TruffleMotors H-Me⁎

Our First Hybrid is ready to hit the road.

Powered by a 200HP independent, three phase, six pole, internal permanent magnet motor at each wheel to give the power you love.
The body is made from recycled plastic infused with fiberglass keeps the weight down.
The chassis is also 70% recycled Aluminium.

This is an effort at reducing waste materials while giving our customers one of the best cars we’ve ever produced.





We use a Hydrogen engine to Generate the power to supply the engines.
As Hydrogen isn’t readily available in all areas we also have a plug for hyper-charging at most stations.
The car has a Co-efficient drag of 0.23 allows you to maximize your experience on the way to a top speed of 180MPH.




The HUD system allows you to keep you eyes on the road at all times.
Our infotainment system allows you to check all systems and modes at your leisure.
Don’t think we gave up the driving experience because in spirit mode you can drive like it is a manual 6 speed with selectable ratio on the CVT including a simulated clutch pedal.





Available for 80,000

Specs
5,570LBS
Combined 800HP
0-62MPH 2.7sec
115 MPGe
50/50 balance
1.1 G on 20M radius test

Available at most TruffleMotors dealers.
Come Drive the future.*

Part of our clean entitative program to reduce pollution and our carbon foot print. This is the first of planned 6 models to feature out H-Me⁎ power system and recycled material body platform by 2034

1 WEEK UNTIL DEADLINE! Please don’t forget to submit an ad!

1 Like

OBELISK PHANTOM H2

HYDROGEN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLE

3.7 Liter Twin-Turbocharged Hydrogen
V8 Motor [ 726hp @7100rpm | 855Nm/631ft-lb ]
‘ElektroBox’ | 8-Speed Automatic Transmission w/ integrated electric motor [ 112kW ]
Active smart-managed All-Wheel-Drive system w/ electric locking differentials
VMAX: 407.9km/h

OBELISK ACTIVE DUTY VEHICLE SAFETY MANAGEMENT [OADVS]
→ Advanced Driver Assistance systems [ Lane Departure, AEB, 
 ]
→ LEVEL 3-4 Autonomous Driving Capability [ LEVEL 4 is only unlocked in certain regions, standard conditions apply ]
→ Active 4-wheel Brake+Suspension Control [ poni Active-Levelling Smart Struts ]

6 Likes

Ooooo, i might give this a shot

2024 ARC ESL 420 PHEV



The ARC ESL redefines the luxury grand-touring coupĂ© for the 21st century – available with both fully electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains, which propel it to impressive speeds with incredible ease. Four occupants sit in total luxury, with a modern, tech-heavy and high-quality interior, supported by a fully active air suspension system.



15 Likes

Today is the final day of submissions! Please get your ads up and .car files sent!

2 Likes

What time do entries close? I’d like to throw something together.

2024 ELEQ E-TEKNIQ: True performance. With an electric motor at each corner with 800 hp total, four-wheel steering, and fully active suspension, all connecting to the driver in way that will surge your senses, this is a true instrument of precision and exhilaration for generations beyond.













20 Likes

Submissions close today at midnight CET. Expect reviews and finals by this weekend.

6 Likes

SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED (as of 9 hours ago). Expect reciews by this weekend.

6 Likes

THE REVIEWS


ELEQ E-TEKNIQ - @ChilPollins

Proportions
Wow, I say. Starting from the side view, it looks remarkably long and slender. Especially when you take into account that it’s an EV, it looks almost unfathomably low (I would have expected bulkier and taller sills to fit the batteries). Putting aside production concerns, it looks fantastic. The long hood and defined trunk remind me of more traditionally beautiful coupes. Moving to the front, again I see a lot of 60s Americana in it. Since it’s relatively simple, I don’t have much to comment on in this section. I will say, however, that the way the white splitter is treated is masterful. Both at the front and rear, the white bar changes in thickness to help even out the visual height (dropping down at the front, and raising at the back).
The rear is very much the same case as the front, only physically taller.

Surfacing
It’s relatively inobtrusive. This isn’t to be taken as critique, though. Try harder and you’ll find plenty of light catchers and needle-thin extrusions, but they work. The treatment of the surfaces is so flawless that you can hardly imagine the body being used to design anything else. The design is so wonderfully executed that it almost disappears in front of you. You really have to try to notice all the intricacies, and that’s extremely hard to do. I particularly like the indentations around the upper fascia and the subtly flared wheel arches.

Detailing/Bauhaus
Unusually, I’d like to start with the wheels. One of the core principles of Bauhaus is the utilization of raw materials, and, apart from being very chunky and simple in design, the rims are covered in an anisotropic metal finish, which looks very nice. The front end consists of mostly primitive shapes, but again, it works. Even the brightly colored and somewhat intrusive indicator housings look nice and add a sense of purpose and function-over-form to the design. On the side, the floating roof and brightwork on the rocker panels are unique—definitely a nice change from blacking stuff out—and yet they accomplish the exact same task. Again, the rear is basically a CitroĂ«n Ami situation, where the rear mirrors the front almost verbatim. If I had any gripes with the design of the car, it would be that. Overall, though, I am thoroughly impressed.


ARC ESL420 - @the-chowi

Proportions
Definitely a more contemporary approach. The taller side profile, raked hood, and sloping fastback body shape mirror a new-age, traditionally efficient design. I think nothing stands out to me, apart from the fact that it looks a bit too tall. The chassis has a 3-meter wheelbase, and the rims are 24 inches in diameter, yet it looks like a compact. My question is: why so tall? It’s not a full EV—you don’t need the underbody space to fit batteries. The front upper fascia is, in my opinion, slightly too high up on the car, making it look a little awkward; however, the rear fascia is fine. I appreciate the attempt to make it look longer by extending the C-pillar further back to increase the visual length, but unfortunately, it just wasn’t enough.

Surfacing
The surfacing follows Bauhaus principles, and for the most part, looks pretty nice. I do have one complaint, though: the dissonance between sharp and dull molding and surface highlighting can be jarring at times. Take, for example, the rear diffuser and rocker panels. The rear diffuser has literally no rounding in its edges—it’s just an angle at a point—while the rocker panels are very smooth and have no sharp angles whatsoever.

Detailing/Bauhaus
Unfortunately, there isn’t much actual detail going on. The car looks nice from a distance, but there’s nothing to keep you looking up close. I like the air curtain intakes on the front grille, as well as the subtle splash of body color on the rear diffuser, but that’s about it. The interior is very nice and incorporates video cameras for mirrors, but unfortunately, interiors aren’t being judged this round. That’s pretty much all I can say. The design definitely adheres to Bauhaus principles, but it loses some of its charm up close.


TRUFFLE MOTORS H-ME⁎ - @PhirmEggplant

Proportions
It’s very cab-forward, that’s for sure. So cab-forward, in fact, that I considered eliminating it from the competition because of how much it resembles a mid/rear-engined car. Nevertheless, I am assured that it’s a front-engined design, so we’ll press on. The side profile reminds me of a 90s supercar with its short, low hood and roofline that tapers off relatively quickly at the back. As for the front, I’m puzzled as to why everything except the grille is so low down. It somewhat feels like a satirical attempt to emulate the clichĂ©s of modern car design, seemingly spearheaded by nothing but r/cars’ opinions on “what’s gone wrong with modern cars.” The grille is big and, although some other entrants have a big grille, this one is completely disproportionate to the rest of the front design. By that I mean, there’s nothing to balance out the gaping hole in the middle of the car. The same goes for the rear, although I feel like your idea of blending round headlights with a more angular shape could be executed much better if you tried.

Surfacing
There isn’t much of it, this time for real. I do appreciate the attempts to add some depth to this admittedly dull and infuriatingly difficult-to-work-on body, but they’re somewhat misguided. The Testarossa intake streaks paired with a triangular vent on the quarter panel and a rectangular cutout for the exhaust don’t work together to create a harmonious and cohesive design.

Detailing/Bauhaus
I see glimpses of unfulfilled ideas strewn throughout the design. Going without pronounced headlights could definitely be pulled off, and I appreciate you trying to make it production-ready by stuffing the optics inside of the grille, but I’m still not entirely sure about that. My favorite view is actually the rear three-quarter, although honestly, it’s not terrific either. The spoiler feels about two decades out of fashion, as does the side vent and the weird carbon-fiber cutout at the center of it all (still not quite sure what that’s supposed to be). Does it look “Bauhaus-y” though? Well, honestly, no. The primitive shapes need to work together instead of being strewn about the car. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to say that this thing missed the brief.


DELPHINIDA HESTIA HYBRID - @azkaalfafa

Proportions
I sense more than one image of a Porsche 959 was used when making the side profile of the Hestia. It’s extremely long, thanks to a blocky tail extension, making it look almost a touch rear-heavy. The front is a standard low-nose sports car treatment: everything is where it should be and, in turn, looks classically correct. As for the rear, I can see what you were going for. It seems like a trend nowadays to hide every semblance of rear-end design from the side view (and by that, I mean nesting it all behind side edges), and I think you did that pretty well. The design doesn’t look too narrow or squished, although the large body-color bar running across makes it look a tad tall.

Surfacing
It’s well done, not much else I could add to that. I like the vent on the doors and the rear long-tail extension, although it does get excessive in places. I don’t like the way the front and rear number plate holders are molded, and the vent on the rear is very questionable. Why do you need an air intake at the back if the car is front-engined?

Detailing/Bauhaus
This is where things get tricky. I’m not entirely sure about how the rocker panels are designed, with that abrupt kink at the rear. And also, I again don’t like the dissonance between round and sharp shapes. The detailing at the rear is what leaves the most to be desired. It’s awkward, and even though I like how it’s proportioned, it sort of looks like parts from three different cars were used. The round-ish brake lights, the extremely straight brake and indicator bars, the round-ish plate holder, and the rounded-square exhaust pipes make it difficult to make sense of. Is it Bauhaus, though? I would say so, in places. There are definitely things about this design that separate it from traditional Bauhaus (like the side surfacing), but the front and rear somewhat make up for it.


AGILA - @Nastoure

Proportions
It’s classically proportioned—nice defined hood, sloping roofline. It’s also pretty bulky. Naturally, one would expect that with bulky proportions comes bulky design, and yes, that very much is the case. The front end is very big-looking. The headlights are massive, almost as large as the already ginormous grille. By contrast, the lower vent assembly is more tame and definitely more pleasing to look at. At the back, the design follows the standard Polestar body lines, which ensures a pleasing balance to the proportions. I don’t really have much else to say. Most of the design is, regrettably, unwilling to take strides in experimenting with proportions. The upshot of this is that the end product looks “correctly-proportioned,” but a bit bland. Also, the wheels are a bit too big, and the offset is a bit wonky.

Surfacing
Again, there isn’t much of it, outside of the pre-packaged Polestar body lines. There are flashes of brilliance in how beautifully simple the lower vents are in their design and shaping, but outside of that, I’m honestly not impressed. This thing could’ve been so much better if there had just been a little bit more emphasis on surfacing. Shame.

Detailing/Bauhaus
There are some notable intricacies, like the front lights and rear active spoiler, but that’s about it. The rear diffuser also has the right idea, but it’s executed poorly. I really wish you hadn’t tried to make it fully 3D because it just doesn’t do anything for the car. You could’ve made it look just as good, if not better, by using a couple of 2D fixtures. Rule of thumb: do not use 3D unless you’re certain you can make it look better than 2D. Is it Bauhaus? Judging by the shape of it, yes. However, I’d say that’s mostly because of the body choice and not the design itself.


OBELISK PHANTOM H2 - @Speeeed_D3m0n

Proportions
Another Polestar build. This one is more slender and lower than the Agila. I have no strong opinions on the side profile—it’s inoffensive, but maybe a bit uninspired. At the front, there’s a lot going on. Breaking it all down into several reads of the eye, you’re left with a somewhat convoluted jumble of straight lines, broken up by curvy molding. I think there truly was a lot of potential here; it’s just that there should’ve been more empty space
 like there is at the back. By contrast, it’s almost Spartan. The only major design elements are the twin light bars and tiny, but aggressive, diffuser. I like it more than the front, for sure. There’s a lot more space for the design to breathe and it echoes the Bauhaus theme better.

Surfacing
I like that there’s considerably more of it here than on the Agila. Also, the body color chosen shows off the surfacing well. What I really, really don’t like is the two-tone finish. It’s so poorly done and so off-putting, in fact, that I knocked this thing down a place on the scoreboard. I cannot overstate how much better this thing would have looked if it had just been fitted with a normal (or even floating) roof. I still think the front end is too busy, and there’s too much space used up in the design, but at least it’s surfaced relatively well.

Detailing/Bauhaus
There’s barely any detailing here to speak of, aside from the admittedly cool, but out-of-place, rear diffuser. Everything is mostly pre-made fixtures. In places where custom fixtures were used, everything’s just too sharp—round those edges a little! It also doesn’t much resemble a Bauhaus design: it looks like just another modern coupe concept. There were barely any primitive shapes here. And when they are used, they’re just out of place. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to say that this thing missed the brief, though less so than the Agila.


RANKINGS

@ChilPollins - 1st
@azkaalfafa - 2nd
@the-chowi - 3rd
@Speeeed_D3m0n - 4th
@Nastoure - 5th
@PhirmEggplant - 6th


Congratulations to ChillPollins for winning the 1st round of TDC!

The winner has the right to either pass on the rights the host the next round of TDC, or do it themselves.

14 Likes

I liked the simple, readable formatting from this round of reviews. You don’t need anything fancy all the time, and this shows that well.

Looking forward to watching/participating in future TDC rounds!

1 Like