UPV ’08 Degree Show

A few weeks before the ‘09 Show open its doors, it’s time to take a look to the last year projects and their authors. The students from the Transportation Design Master of the Polytechnical University of Valencia (Spain) traditionally have been considered among the most qualified Spanish students from the professional point of view. Under the direction of Antonio Garrido, one of the most prestigious theoreticians on Design, the future designers give the shape to their concepts, considering all the rigors of the process of industrialization.

The Master at the Polytecnical University of Valencia lasts two years, and the students present their projects to the public at the end of each one of them. The participants of the Second year are the following:

Juan García presented the TANCROSS, a 5 seats city SUV under the Lancia brand, trying to obtain the maker’s usual balance between elegance and sportiness. Emotions are important, as in other italian vehicles. He tried to catch the Lancia’s spirit, as well as the formal language, playing with the bicolor paintjob, the front grille and other formal elements, in a strong, stylish and dynamic design. García mentions the Lancia Ypsilon as the source for direct inspiration.

 

 

Ana G. Jaquete shows the PORSCHE SAVANNAH, a 4,60 meters long three doors compact, trying to bring Porsche to a cathegory unexplored by them, where it could compete with VW Golf and Audi A3.

 

 

 

 

Rubén Barrientos signed one of the most interesting projects of the Show. The SAAB KALEVALA is a four doors – four seats coupe, with the rear doors smaller than usual. In words of Barrientos, the body of the Kalevala has a bigger size than other saloon vehicles, in order to have enough room for the passengers head. Formal innovation is present in both front and rear ends, where symetrics re-interpretations of the Saab ideographic grille give the whole vehicle a modern look. The futuristic interior is really harmonised with the outside, reaching altogether a very high level of quality, not only in design, but also in presentation.

 

 

Mishel Alqudah Galván gives to the HUMMER brand a different approach. He proposes a five meters – four doors saloon, whose side view has a certain fluidity in its lines (being a Hummer). The front and rear ends show the strong Hummer image, which can be visualized even better because of the contrast of colors.

 

 

Juan Carlos Huerta Martínez tries to bring back the name of Alpine as the Renault sportcars sub-brand. His proposal is  a 4,26 meters long lightweight vehicle, not very powerful, but just enough to revive the excite and sportiness of the ’70s and ’80s Alpine branded cars. In words of Juan Carlos, the result is obtained when mixing the care for detail from Renault, with the austerity from Alpine.

 

 

 

The NISSAN ATSUGI from Hugo Tejada is a beautiful compact four seats sports car with a glass roof. Tejada thinks Nissan is not competent enough in the sports coupe segment of the market. The gullwing doors, and all the big glass surface keep the interior always visible. The front grille is very Nissan, but taken to the extreme in its concept. Although it can be considered an urban car, its lines and front lights are very dynamic and sporty. The name is a tribute to the Nissan Japan Design Center.

 

 

 

In the First year is not imperative for students to construct models, but some of them did it. Here are their interesting projects:

 

Enrique Represa displayed a clay model of a SEAT branded car, with a book showing all the construction process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Xuacu Pérez Quesada presented two different projects through individual panels: the LOTUS EXCITE and the HONDA RA-X.

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel García transplants the style from the DUCATI into an italian looking sportscar, but also shows another car, a SUV under the MASERATI brand, called VOLTA.

 

 

 

 

 

Raúl Cano, with his MITSUBISHI KABUTO was another modeled project, a two seats city car.

 

 

 

Josep Ferriol bets for VOLVO with his 018, ‘The Saint’s Car’.

 

 

 

 

 

David Alabau Raga invites the designers to find their inspirations in elements from nature with the FORD DNA.

 

 

 

Miguel Ángel Iranzo was the winner of the ’07 edition of the Autopista Design Contest, and now presents the SEAT BRISA and the SEAT DUNA, two variants of the same concept: a mediterranean very luminous car.

 

 

 

Julián Vergara Cortijo mixes in his KIA KIDE the american sport cars design with the urban style.

 

 

 

Jorge Martí Vidal was another first year student with two projects: the SAAB BÓREAS, a three doors sport car, and the DODGE NONIUS, a four doors pick-up.

 

 

 

Manuel Alcalá Cátedra evolves the elegance of the japanese sport cars in his TOYOTA SR 3000.

 

 

 

If you’re one of the students here mentioned, don’t forget that your updates are welcome. You can use our e-mail address portfolios@style4cars.com to send us any additional information, pics, vids, etc. you want to appear in Style4Cars.com, as well as better quality images than shown.