Judging a Car by Its Cover ... from the 'Inside Out'

American Iron and Steel Institute Unveils the College for Creative Studies and University of Michigan Summer Internship Concept Cars

DETROIT, Sept. 20 -- Three dynamic automotive forms. Inspired by exoskeletons. Designed "Inside Out." When cars look this good, you can't look away.

Design and engineering students from the College for Creative Studies (CCS) and University of Michigan (UM) unveiled their heart-pounding car designs yesterday at the 19th annual American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) summer automotive design internship event.

What you see on the outside of these cars hints at what's going on in the inside. A cocoon of steel provides safety, optimum handling, functional styling and superior automotive design.

"Inspiration comes in many forms, and each of these models prove that great things can happen with car design by incorporating advanced steel and safety technologies," said Ron Krupitzer, vice president of automotive applications for AISI. "Together the CCS and UM students collaborated on real world automotive challenges, developing three aggressively styled models, each on a distinct engineering platform."

The concept models that debuted at this year's AISI "Inside Out" summer internship event are:

  -- Dodge Dendro - a powerfully venomous sports car - designed by Nicolas
     Ren Stone, CCS, and engineered by Alok Pradhan, UM.
  -- Jeep(R) Roanoke - an aggressively styled off-road vehicle mindful of
     the economy and environment - designed by Tyler Mars, CCS, and
     engineered by Zoheb Kahn, UM.
  -- Pontiac Hematon - a sports car inspired by life, for the power elite
     who lead and never follow - designed by Timothy O'Donnell, CCS, and
     engineered by Jennifer Hoskins, UM.

Since 1989, the AISI summer internship program has challenged the students to design concept cars with visual appeal directed at a specific theme. The themes have varied widely, but whether creating concept cars from classic movies or from today's lifestyle challenges, the students have targeted one basic goal: using advanced steel technologies to design safe, affordable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible vehicles.

For more information on the summer internship program and to view the final concept models, please visit www.autosteel.org.

AISI serves as the voice of the North American steel industry in the public policy arena and advances the case for steel in the marketplace as the preferred material of choice. AISI also plays a lead role in the development and application of new steels and steelmaking technology. AISI is comprised of 32 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace steelmakers, and 125 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers to or customers of the steel industry. AISI's member companies represent more than 75 percent of both U.S. and North American steel capacity.

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 key to its success. This industry cooperation resulted in the formation of the Auto/Steel Partnership, a consortium of Chrysler LLC, Ford Motor Company and General Motors Corporation and the member companies of the AAC. For more news or information, view the American Iron and Steel Institute /Automotive Applications Committee's website at www.autosteel.org.

  American Iron and Steel Institute/Automotive Applications Committee:
  -- AK Steel Corporation
  -- ArceorMittal
  -- Dofasco Inc.
  -- Nucor Corporation
  -- Severstal North America Inc.
  -- United States Steel Corporation

CLICK HERE for more images of the concept models.