Now in its 13th year, the competition invites eligible high school students across the United States to conceptualize and sketch their vision for a Chrysler vehicle of the future. The stakes are high: The grand-prize winner will earn a coveted summer internship at the Ram Truck design studio and a rare invitation to serve as a student judge at the esteemed EyesOn Design car show, held at the historic Ford House in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.
The initiative is the brainchild of Mark Trostle, senior vice president of design for Ram Truck and Mopar, who won an early iteration of the contest himself as a high school student in 1987. Trostle recalls how that experience fueled his passion for automotive design and helped launch his career.
“Even now, I find immense joy in drawing cars and trucks,” Trostle said. “This contest is about more than just sketching—it’s about igniting a passion in the next generation and showing them the incredible career paths that exist in automotive design.”
The Chrysler brand, which will mark its 100th anniversary in 2025, has long been synonymous with innovation and iconic design. As it embarks on its second century, the brand is looking to young creatives to help envision its future.
In addition to the prestigious internship, the grand-prize winner will receive an Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, as well as a featured post on Stellantis North America’s social media channels. The second- and third-place winners will also receive iPads, along with a virtual networking opportunity with the Stellantis design team and a scholarship to the College for Creative Studies’ three-week Precollege Summer Experience in Transportation Design in Detroit.
All entries must be submitted by midnight EDT on April 25, 2025. A panel of Stellantis designers will review the submissions, selecting one grand-prize winner and two finalists. Contest details, including official rules and submission guidelines, can be found at StellantisDriveForDesign.com.
Past winners of the Drive for Design contest have gone on to secure internships and full-time positions within the Stellantis design team, proving that early recognition can translate into real-world opportunity. Notable alumni include Rohan Seiber of Portola Valley, California, the 2024 winner and former intern, and Ben Treinen of Loveland, Ohio, a 2016 winner who now works in the Ram Truck Interior Design Studio.
Stellantis North America encourages students, educators, and parents to follow the contest on its social media platforms, where updates will be shared weekly using the hashtag #DriveForDesign. For those with a passion for car design, this competition represents more than just a contest—it’s an open door to the industry itself.