Student’s design project encourages us to show our cars a little love

A final year Automotive Design student from Coventry University has created an imaginative final year Degree Show project aiming to make your car a member of the family.

Michael Edenborough, 22, from Chichester, created his project to explore whether people could develop a strong emotional attachment to their car – making it into something that is not simply replaced after just a few years.

The Concept Rapture car is designed to evoke driving enjoyment and the restoration of the ‘golden age of motoring’, and does not come at the expense of the environment. Michael’s design incorporates a hybrid drive train which combines the clean energy of an electric motor with the power of the internal combustion engine, resulting in lower emissions.

Michael used the influences of film, television and motorsports to build up an image of the Concept Rapture car and devise a driving experience that goes beyond the conventions of an everyday vehicle. He also made use of research that shows the future of the car is not just about technology, but is part of a much more inherent and basic desire to have an enjoyable experience.

Michael said:

I was keen to take on a challenge for my final project that I really believed in and, along with all I have leant at Coventry University, could help get me the job I want in the automotive industry. I really wanted to create a car that someone would want not only to keep, but to cherish.

This project also links in with the University’s Grand Challenge Initiative in Low Carbon Vehicles – one of six key global themes that have been identified as areas where Coventry University’s expertise and applied research capabilities can have a significant impact.

Michael’s design will be on display at the Industrial Design Degree Show, which will be held on campus in the Maurice Foss Building on Cox Street, Coventry city centre. Entry is free and will be open to public from 2nd – 10th June 2012.