More than 2,000 connoisseurs of past, present and future mobility gathered for ArtCenter College of Design’s annual Car Classic on October 20 under the theme “One of a Kind Vehicles That Stand Alone.”
The College’s alumni include many top automotive designers who return for this annual celebration to serve as judges, special guests and inspirational speakers. Car Classic fans mingled with these design rock stars while closely inspecting and enthusiastically admiring nearly 100 vehicles and motorcycles on the field ranging from vintage to futuristic, funky to eclectic.
Several panel discussions took place throughout the day. GM performance exterior designer Tom Peters waxed poetic about reimagining a classic to create the new Corvette C8 with automotive journalist Laura Burstein.
Designer and custom automotive builder Chip Foose captivated the crowd during a lively conversation with Sonari Glinton, NPR contributor and DeLite! Media founder.
Special guest and ArtCenter loyalist Jay Leno took a deep dive into the current state of electric cars with thought leaders Derek Jenkins, vice president of design at Lucid Motors, and Richard Kim, who heads up design at California startup Canoo. The “loft-inspired” Canoo prototype was one of the more popular designs of the day as was the Lucid Motors Air prototype.
Alumnus and cinematographer Jeff Zwart revealed how he films racecar action in a chat with Freeman Thomas, retired Ford Motor Co. advanced design team leader, and Ross LaManna, chair of ArtCenter’s undergraduate and graduate Film departments.
Geoff Wardle, executive director of ArtCenter’s Graduate Transportation Systems and Design department, lead a future forward discussion about mobility touching on urban planning, the shift away from traditional car usage and design for human needs relevant to modern contexts.
Offering alternative theories about the autonomously-driven automotive future were panel participants, including ArtCenter faculty members Marta Nowak, Richard Pelletier and Lucian Rosca; alumnus Calvin Ku; and students Kathrena Dakwar and Pallavi Gautam.
The event also serves as an informal “open house” with demos taking place in ArtCenter’s shops and technical labs and tours of the campus offered for all attendees. Family-friendly activities included a hands-on sketching workshop and a preview of ArtCenter Online, which recently piloted a six-week online course on the basics of professional car design.
The College is grateful for support for Car Classic 2019 from event partners Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Honda, Hyundai and Rusnak. Car Classic 2019 media partners were Arroyo magazine, 88.5 FM, 89.3 KPCC Southern California Public Radio, Los Angeles Weekly, Outlook Newspapers, Pasadena Magazine, Pasadena Now, Pasadena Weekly and Petrolicious.
Car Classic served as the culminating event of Connect Week, a series of independently organized seminars, workshops, and social activities coordinated by Innovate Pasadena to showcase the array of technology, design, science and entrepreneurial opportunities available in Pasadena
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ArtCenter’s Car Classic 2019 Judges Choices
Students’ Choice Award
Judges: Vahan Atanyan, Sudeep Kuriakose, Chris Lah, Timothy Song
Petersen Automotive Museum’s 1953 Bosley GT Mark I Coupe
First Impressions Award – Best front end, lights, personality
Judges: Marek Djordjevic, Jacques Flynn, Joann Jung, Richard Kim, Phillip Sarofim
Peiheng “Jackson” Zhang’s 1985 Austin Mini Cooper
Most Courageous Design Award
Judges: Marek Djordjevic, Jacques Flynn, Joann Jung, Richard Kim, Phillip Sarofim
Phillip Sarofim’s 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero
Best Paint/Finish Award
Judges: Brad Arnold, Calvin Luk, Kimberly Marte, Richard Pietruska, Jose Wyzsogrod
Crevier Classic Cars’ 1936 Packard LeBaron Convertible
Most Inspiring Design Award
Judges: Brad Arnold, Calvin Luk, Kimberly Marte, Richard Pietruska, Jose Wyzsogrod
Peter Mullin Automotive Museum Foundation’s 1937 Talbot Lago Type 150 CS Teardrop Coupe
Best Aerodynamic Design
Judges: Dennis Campbell, Alex Earl, Scott Robertson, Daniel Simon
Lance Stander’s 1965 Daytona Secret Weapon
Most Playful/Fun Design Award
Judges: Dennis Campbell, Alex Earl, Scott Robertson, Daniel Simon
Rudy Pock’s 1967 Ferves Ranger
Most Design Impact Award – Influence on designs that came after
Judges: Peter Brock, Derek Jenkins, Dave Marek, Stewart Reed, Freeman Thomas
Paul and Sherrill Colony’s 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 Gullwing
Best Interior Design Award
Judges: Jason Hill, Nubia Krikorian, Frank Saucedo, Mike Tsay, Jeff Zwart
Dennis Duesing’s 1969 Citroen Break ID 21F
Best German Design Award
Judges: Jason Hill, Nubia Krikorian, Frank Saucedo, Mike Tsay, Jeff Zwart
Joseph and Shella Salvo’s 1967 Porsche 911 S Soft Window Targa
Best American Design Award
Judges: Samuel Chuffart, T Jon Mayer, Jordan Meadows, Chuck Pelly, Geoff Wardle
Darwin & Patricia Ludi’s 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
Best Italian Design Award
Judges: Samuel Chuffart, T Jon Mayer, Jordan Meadows, Chuck Pelly, Geoff Wardle
Jonathan Segal’s 1951 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Ghia Supergioiello
People’s Choice Award presented by Petrolicious
Gary Wales’ 1917 La Bestioni “Beast” 14 Litre
Brand Heritage Award
Aaron Weiss’ 1937 Horch 853A
Spirit of California Award
David Martin’s 1931 Ford “A” Roadster
Craftsmanship Award
Harry Nicks’ 1929 Ford Hi-Boy Roadster
Michael Reese’s 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster Custom
Best Use of Material Award
AlphaLuxe Collection’s 1994 Bugatti EB 110SS by Dauer
President’s Award
Chip Foose’s 2006 Foose Design Hemisfear
Design Faculty Award
Stuart Parr’s 1958 Fiat Mirafiori Factory Shuttle
Design Faculty Award
Pat Lopez’s 1953 Cadillac 62 Series Kustom
About ArtCenter:
Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is an international leader in art and design education. ArtCenter offers 11 undergraduate and seven graduate degrees in a wide variety of industrial design disciplines, as well as visual and applied arts. In addition to its top-ranked academic programs, the College also serves members of the Greater Los Angeles region through a highly regarded series of year-round educational programs for all ages and levels of experience. Renowned for both its ties to industry and social impact initiatives, ArtCenter is the first design school to receive the United Nations’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status. Throughout the College’s long and storied history, ArtCenter alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live and important issues in our society.