Tao Ni’s winning entry, Infiniti Le Mans 2030
The global ‘Le Mans 2030’ 2017 Michelin Challenge Design has been won by Tao Ni of Wuhu, China, for his entry Infiniti Le Mans 2030.
The RCA MA Vehicle Design student has already been decorated for previous automotive concepts, and his future Le Mans car combines the pinnacle of driver skill for during the daylight hours, and computer controlled automation – to test the limits of its engineering – during the night stages.
Graphene technology, smart batteries, cutting edge aerodynamics, the concept is loaded with technology as Ni looks to wrestle the title of most advanced racing from F1 and return it to the prestige 24 hour contest.
The winning designs, seven finalists and 10 honorable mentions were chosen from more than 1,600 registrants representing 80 countries, and over its 16 years, Michelin Challenge Design has received a total of 9,901 entries from 123 countries.
“The winners of our 2017 Michelin Challenge Design presented numerous highly innovative features for the Le Mans race in the year 2030 and the quality of work from this year’s entries was truly outstanding,” said Thom Roach, VP of original-equipment marketing for Michelin North America.
“We congratulate the winners for their thought-provoking, visually captivating designs for the world’s greatest endurance race, Le Mans 24 Hours.”
Michelin announced the theme for the 2018 Michelin Challenge Design as “Mobility/Utility/Flexibility: Designing for the Next Global Revolution.”
“Open bedded vehicles, or pickups, are a growing and increasingly diverse part of the global mobility mix,” said Roach.
“Pickups have been the top selling vehicles in the U.S. for many years and we are seeing a greater variety of vehicle designs as well as manufacturers entering this category for the first time. In some ways, it is reminiscent of the emergence of SUVs in the marketplace.”
Entries can be submitted now, here.
