Date: 30th August 2001 Reference: PR/094/01 Pilkington Automotive chooses another design star of the future For the past thirteen years Pilkington Automotive's sponsorship of the Royal College of Art's Vehicle Design Awards has identified leading designers of the future. This year is no exception with a BMW motorcycle as never seen before winning the Pilkington Automotive Best Overall Design Project award for Tue Beijer from Sweden. The Best Overall Design Project award is presented to the student whose design best explores the limits of vehicle design, marrying the requirements of industry with the challenges of style. Pilkington Automotive, the world's leading automotive glazing manufacturer and part of the global Pilkington Group, presented Tue with a prize of £1,500. Tue explains: "My futuristic motorcycle is a design that comes straight from the heart and explores the use of rapid prototyping, a technique I am fascinated by. The desire for driving is a key aspect of the dynamic design language of BMW and I wanted to design a fun bike which makes everyone who sees it want to drive it." Alan Woodward, shaping technology manager at the Pilkington Technology Centre in Lathom, Lancashire and head of the judging panel, explains: "Teu’s design is both elegant and progressive, using many technical innovations which are unusual to see in student projects. His model was created with 3D software and produced by rapid prototyping to produce complex surfaces.” Jaguar's principal designer Keith Helfet, also a judge, comments: "The winning design is both novel and highly competent, moving motorbike design forwards. His creativity and skill is shown by the fact that he uses complex design processes and unusual materials. I'm sure he has a great future ahead of him as a vehicle designer." Teu’s experience in the automotive sector already includes an internship with BMW motorcycle design studio and an internship at the Saab design studio. Commendations also went to: Jochen Paesen for his back to basics sports car project, Andrew Woodman for his all terrain race car and Jeong Hoon Yu for his super luxury catamaran. Ends