Center For Creative Studies Transportation Design Students, Sponsored by American Iron and Steel Institute Unveil Versatile New Concepts AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL INSTITUTE Student designers (left to right) Rudolf Gonzalez, Marc Senger, and David Tang unveiled their concept vehicles today at the 12th annual vehicle concept unveiling sponsored by American Iron and Steel Institute. (PRNewsFoto)[AG] SOUTHFIELD, MI USA 10/17/2000

17 October 2000

    General Motors HUMMER brand creates excitement and new lightweighting
              challenges for three prospective vehicle designers

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Oct. 17 Could the General Motors
HUMMER, colossal king of SUVs, breed offspring?
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20001017/DETU005 )
    Professional automotive designers, members of the media and faculty from
the Center for Creative Studies-College of Art and Design (CCS) found out this
afternoon, as three CCS students unveiled their concepts of HUMMER progeny.
    This year's 12th annual internship program, sponsored by American Iron and
Steel Institute (AISI), required students to explore the design possibilities
of an expanded HUMMER range with the potential for higher manufacturing
volume.  The students designed with steel in mind, incorporating the latest
advancements in high-strength steel, hydroforming and tailor welded blanks to
reduce weight, while maintaining the visual cues that define the HUMMER brand
heritage.  The students, Rudolf Gonzalez, of East Elmhurst, N.Y.; Marc Senger
of Leesburg, Va.; and David Tang, of Tenafly, N.J., designed HUMMER concepts
for an expanded product range including entry-level, mid-level and luxury
vehicles.  The students then executed their designs in 3/10 scale clay models.
    "The purchase of the HUMMER brand by GM gives these students a splendid
opportunity to create a high volume range comparable to the DaimlerChrysler
Jeep product range, but above in market position," said Carl Olsen, Chair of
Transportation Design at CCS.  "This should prove to be very valuable for GM."

    The Vigilante
    David Tang's entry-level concept implies performance, functionality and
industrial strength.  "My concept expresses fun on the road as well as off-
road activity.  Though passengers sit in a low, laid back position, the
vehicle retains 15 inches of ground clearance for true off-road ability," said
Tang.
    Interior room and spacing are unique elements of Tang's design.  "The
typical owner of this vehicle is looking for sports car-like handling with
roomy interior quarters," added Tang.  The entry-level design offers lean mass
efficiency by incorporating the latest in steel technology, such as an eye-
catching roll bar made of hydroformed tubing.

    The H4-Surveyor
    Gonzalez's Jeep Grand Cherokee competitor boasts unique proportions,
adding a more "designed" look to the originally "engineered" HUMMER aesthetic.
"A well-proportioned body with robust detailing is definitely the selling
point of this concept," said Gonzalez.  A strong, upright A-pillar adds just
enough balance to the design and opens the door for the incorporation of a
more modern flare, evident in the rear window positioning.  "Through the use
of tailor welded blanks in the doors and roof, I'm able to lightweight the
vehicle without sacrificing structural rigidity," he said.  Gonzalez
incorporates footsteps in the rear quarter roof surface to assist climbing
atop the vehicle.

    The Turbine
    Senger's concept stretches the limits of the imagination.  From the
turbine electric hybrid engine to the aircraft-inspired circular styling cues,
Senger's luxury vehicle design takes the HUMMER platform to an extreme.
"My concept symbolizes a move to make driving hybrid vehicles fun through
function," he said.
    The luxury-level HUMMER utilizes hydroforming and rigid, galvanized sheet
steel sections to reduce weight; exposed mechanical components for aesthetics;
and unpainted components that suggest ruggedness.  The luxury concept includes
dimensions larger than those of the current HUMMER and an additional two
inches of ground clearance.
    "The imagination of these students is not only promising, but also very
refreshing," said Darryl Martin, senior director, Automotive Applications,
AISI.  "The future of automotive design looks brighter with every new project,
and AISI is pleased to be a part of this on-going partnership with CCS and its
transportation design program."

    The Center for Creative Studies-College of Art and Design (CCS) is one of
the nation's leading arts education institutions.  A private, fully
accredited, four-year college, CCS offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in
animation and digital media, crafts, fine arts, communication design,
industrial design, interior design and photography.  The college also offers
non-credit courses in the visual arts through its continuing and community
education program.  CCS is located in Detroit's Cultural Center, where it
provides a challenging learning environment in which students explore issues
of art and design while preparing for careers in the professional world.
    The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) is a non-profit association
of North American companies engaged in the iron and steel industry.  The
Institute comprises 45 member companies, including integrated and electric
furnace steelmakers, and 158 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers
to or customers of the steel industry.  For more news about steel and its
applications, view American Iron and Steel Institute's website at
http://www.steel.org .
    The Automotive Applications Committee (AAC) is a subcommittee of the
Market Development Committee of AISI and focuses on advancing the use of steel
in the highly competitive automotive market.  With offices and staff located
in Detroit, cooperation between the automobile and steel industries has been
significant to its success.  This industry cooperation resulted in the
formation of the Auto/Steel Partnership, a consortium of DaimlerChrysler, Ford
and General Motors and the member companies of the AAC.

     American Iron and Steel Institute/Automotive Applications Committee:
                             AK Steel Corporation
                         Bethlehem Steel Corporation
                                 Dofasco Inc.
                              Ispat Inland, Inc.
                              LTV Steel Company
                          National Steel Corporation
                             Rouge Steel Company
                                 Stelco Inc.
                  US Steel Group, a unit of USX Corporation
                               WCI Steel, Inc.
                          Weirton Steel Corporation