It's not uncommon for Detroiters to daydream about the perfect car, and now students across metro Detroit and the country have a chance to make those dreams become a reality.
It's part of the Stellantis Drive for Design contest, which gives high school students the opportunity to win prizes while learning about automotive design.
"Being able to like have a creative outlet and using that with a competition is just perfect for me," Rocco Morales, who is a previous winner, said.
I met Morales inside the "Design Dome" at Stellantis headquarters to talk about winning the contest not once, but twice.
"How has this contest been able to jump start your career?" I asked.
"Just being able to learn about the whole creative process, like starting from an idea on a paper to putting it on Photoshop and rendering it," he said.
His most recent design from 2023 was a truck centered around the concept of being social.
"They are know nfor being work horses, so I wanted them to, I just wanted to create a new idea of what it could be," he said.
Carly Edgemon, the design student relations coordinator for the contest, said the contest is to spread awareness of automotive design. This year, the contest is all about thinking ahead to the future.
"This year's competition the theme is to design their future dream vehicle for the year 2040 and they can get inspiration from any Stellantis vehicle," Edgemon said.
She tells me the first prize winner gets an opportunity to intern in the RAM Truck Design Studio.
"How big of a deal is that in the design world to be able to intern here?" I asked.
"That's a really big deal, I mean it gives them a leg up," she said. "When Rocco interned with us, he wasn't even in college yet, so for them to be able to be hear, learn from the design team, and be in this environment is really unique."
The top three places get an Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil and a scholarship to the College for Creative Studios in Detroit. That's where Rocco will attend in the fall.
"How excited are you about the future?" I asked.
"Very excited, I'm excited to learn so much more because there is so much to learn," he said.
Submissions are open through April 12.
