Photo: KEVIN A. WILSON, Autoweek
Recently, Ford Motor Company sponsored a contest with the goal of modernizing the iconic Model T, a car which revolutionized motorized transportation the world over. The winner of the competition, a 24-year-old junior at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit named Dong Trang, came up with an electric crossover of sorts. That's fitting, according to Peter Horbury, head of design for Ford in the Americas, because Henry Ford's original Model T sat high off the ground and had a modular design, capable of hauling people and their stuff at the same time.
What the modern-day designs don't share with their forebear is retro looks. Each of the modern T adaptations features fairly sleek styling and alternative power that goes along with our modern-day energy and emissions problems.
Trang's design is rather unique, featuring solar panels on the vehicle along with an energy-capturing suspension design that would help recharge the on-board batteries. Those batteries are also removable to provide power outside the vehicle. The seating arrangement is modular, allowing for up to four occupants or offering increased storage capacity. The rear hatch is also capable of folding away to offer a small pickup bed. Click past the break for some videos of Trang talking about his design.
[Source: Detroit Free Press, Autoweek]
Videos:
James Garner recovering from mild stroke
VIDEO: God's ringtone is a V10-powered Audi R8
IIHS releases official results on the smart fortwo
Tragedy at LeMons: Send love and a little bit more
Officially Official: New Ferrari California exposed!
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang
Future Classic: 1984 Chrysler Minivans
Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy
First Drive: 2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen
Project Track Slut, Part One: Pick a weapon on the cheap
_thumbnail.jpg "Lamborghini Reventon unboxed in Las Vegas")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Sam Minnitti @ May 2nd 2008 4:08PM
Poor Henry
Torrent @ May 2nd 2008 4:12PM
Ah! A timeless classic. Ruined by this nerd.
Yeah I said it :0
This sucks.
geo.stewart @ May 3rd 2008 9:22AM
I think he got the T and the A mixed up. This is more along the lines of the Model A with being a little more modular though you could get teh T in roadster and 4 seat. The A first incorporated the trucklet I beleive.
However, I like it. minimalist weight by eliminating all that fender junk, just cover the engine and the cab. less parts, cheaper to manufacture. somewhat modular (sounds a little like the old nissan Pulsar). new motorvating source like the original
think outside the box dudes. good job
c36amg @ May 2nd 2008 4:13PM
thats ugly dong.
doesnt seem pratical to with all those open wheels. i know this is just a design but it suppose to be used for masses?! well maybe a mass lawn mower. How does someone sit for long periods of time designing such crap. i would start vomiting
amg @ May 2nd 2008 4:14PM
or maybe its for chinese market or something.
marz @ May 2nd 2008 4:19PM
Is this the new 4 wheel Aptera !?
Alison Wiley @ May 2nd 2008 4:26PM
I'm intrigued by a car design that uses solar panels in the hybrid context, because I think that hybrids in general are the only cars that can effectively evolve into the future. What would intrigue me the most is innovative technologies like these combined with behavior-change technologies as we deal with carbon constraints and, soon, with carbon cap and trade requirements. More at http://alison97215.wordpress.com/
best,
Alison in Portland, Oregon
CarbonBlack @ May 2nd 2008 4:57PM
I doubt people will allow carbon caps.
We are waking up to global warming:as in we are waking up to global warming, sky is falling, hoaxers.
http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=11548
http://newsbusters.org/node/12314
I am so happy Al gore is getting the coverage he deserves
-nick
Mallory @ May 2nd 2008 9:03PM
Yea, heartland.org and newsbusters.org are regular bastions of unbiased truth. Much more trustworthy than those fly-by-night operations like NASA, the EPA, the IPCC and the Royal Society (http://royalsociety.org/page.asp?id=6229).
You'd be better off trying to advance ideas that the earth is hollow or ruled by alien reptiles.
CarbonBlack @ May 3rd 2008 1:16AM
wait, the earth isn't hollow?
Seoultrain @ May 2nd 2008 4:35PM
Wow, great-looking toy for kids!
Oh, this is meant to be an actual car?
Seoultrain @ May 2nd 2008 4:37PM
awkward...
you morons @ May 2nd 2008 4:46PM
I love that everybody on Autoblog is an expert on how design contests are integrated with actual production. Maybe you clowns should get your education on before you go around opening your stupid mouths about how "ugly" this thing is.
Dumb and ugly is no way to go through life. You can hide one of those.
you morons @ May 2nd 2008 4:47PM
And the ones who think the Model-T is a "classic" have obviously never driven, worked on, or even touched one.
Pedro @ May 2nd 2008 4:56PM
if you don't like it... there are other websites that are kinder and gentler
john riley @ May 2nd 2008 4:58PM
It pretty much single handedly put Americans in cars. 15,000,000 million sold. If not classic, what?
you morons @ May 2nd 2008 5:53PM
"If not classic, then what?"
A cheap piece of garbage that everybody in America could afford. The first Japanese car.
Paul Murray @ May 2nd 2008 4:46PM
In a sense, a new Model T has already been done. It's called the Tata Nano.
john riley @ May 2nd 2008 4:52PM
That is along the lines of what I am thinking. Simple, cheap, and basic.
jayho25 @ May 2nd 2008 4:49PM
The name is Dong Tran, not Trang