What We’ll Drive in the Year 4000.

For French car manufacturer Peugeot’s Design Contest 2008 5th Edition, the call for entries this past spring was intriguing:

Young designers are invited to imagine the Peugeot for the world megalopoles – the Mega Cities – of the future. This concept car will be conceived to evolve within the heart of the great urban conurbations of the future, while retaining all the hallmark values of the 21st century. The projects, while remaining true to the style codes which define Peugeot, must also incorporate the four “dimensions” defined for this design competition: respect for the environment, social cohesion, interactive mobility, and economic effectiveness.

So, the demands were high, but so was the response: In its five competitions since 2000, the automaker has received over 12,600 entries from over 130 countries. For example, Carlos Arturo Torres Tovar of Colombia’s submission, “RD,” top, or 26-year-old Frenchman Yann Terrer’s foldable whip, “Seed,” right.

Why?

It could be Peugeot’s world class reputation, or the up to €10,000 the ten finalists will be awarded, or perhaps it’s the opportunity to see who’s the best among one’s design peers.

Or maybe it’s what the winner gets:

At the end of the competition, PEUGEOT will build a full size model of the winning vehicle, which will be exhibited at the Shanghai Motor Show in April 2009.

Say what?: A full-sized model of the winning car design?

Somebody at Peugeot needs to get promoted for just suggesting this: A contest by which some schlub with a warez copy of Autodesk might actually get to see their fantasy built at 1:1 scale.

I need to sit down. When I first heard about the Peugeot design-off, I was most excited about the startling creativity coming out of Norway, China, Turkey and other countries in the top 10. Now, though, I’m amazed that a corporation so imaginatively decided to raise the stakes on the cost of discovering real talent.

Dag: This lacerates win-the-show-and-get-a-record-deal promotions like whiplash. Go on witcha bad self, Peugeot.

[via luxuo.com]