You Could Design The 2018 MAZDA3

If you ever thought you could design a car, Mazda is giving you the opportunity. The "Mazda Desing Challenge" just launched at Facebook.com, where you can submit your own ideas for what the 2018 MAZDA3 should look like. The winner will work with Mazda designers at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

North America Mazda Design director Franz von Holzhausen and his team will join the winner to bring his or her concept to reality on stage at the show. Prospective designers are asked to submit a 150-word description fo their 2018 MAZDA3 and a sketch of the car, if possible. The design team will look each entry over, narrowing the field down to 10. The Facebook community will pick their five favorites, each of whom will work with a Mazda designer to fine tune the concept.

These five will again present to Facebook, whose users will pick the winner. The one caveat? You have to reside in the United States.

The chosen one gets a flight to L.A. where they will work with the Mazda designers during the ten-day auto show. In the end, a full-scale model will be produced to represent the winner's idea.

"Usually the design ideas come from inside our studio, but this is a rare opportunity for my team to look at design through our potential customers' eyes," von Holzhausen said in the release. "Never before has any other automaker built a concept car on the show stand, in full view of show attendees. The pressure's really going to be on all of us -- especially the contest winner -- to get it finished in time for the closing weekend of the show."

The winner will also get a hotel room, $1,000 in cash, and a MAZDA3 to use while they're in L.A. The Mazda's Design Challenge began this week, and ends November 7th at just before midnight. You must visit Facebook.com to enter.

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- It's the ultimate assignment:
tell Mazda what you think the 2018 MAZDA3 should look like. And better, if
your design is chosen, you'll have the chance to put your talent where your
mouth is at the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, where you'll work with Mazda
designers to bring your creation to life in front of more than a million
anxious show-goers.
The "Mazda Design Challenge," launched today on Facebook.com
(http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7602701619), will enlist help from
Facebook members across the United States to compete to design a future
MAZDA3, Mazda's best-selling car globally. For the first time ever in the
auto industry, the victor will work with Franz von Holzhausen, director of
Mazda Design in North America, and his team, to bring the concept to life,
live on stage at the 2007 Los Angeles International Auto Show.
To enter, contestants must submit a 150-word description of their
vision of the 2018 MAZDA3 including an optional sketch drawing. The Mazda
Design team will then judge each entry, choosing 10 semi-finalists. Five
finalists will be chosen by the Facebook community. Each of the five
finalists will be paired with a Mazda designer to hone their concept, which
will then be judged and voted on in a second round by fellow Facebook
members.
Voting will take place over the course of a week, with the winning
designer traveling to Los Angeles to hone their work with the Mazda Design
team. Over the course of the ten-day auto show, the winner will bring their
vision to fruition, ending with a full-scale model that represents their
view of what the 2018 MAZDA3 will be.
"The 'Mazda Design Challenge' is an exciting, interactive competition
that capitalizes on the power and influence of social networking," said
David Klan, director of marketing, MNAO. "By inviting young voices into the
highly classified and secretive design process, Mazda will prove it's a
company involved in an active partnership with its customers."
"Usually the design ideas come from inside our studio, but this is a
rare opportunity for my team to look at design through our potential
customers' eyes," added von Holzhausen. "Never before has any other
automaker built a concept car on the show stand, in full view of show
attendees. The pressure's really going to be on all of us -- especially the
contest winner -- to get it finished in time for the closing weekend of the
show."
Travel, accommodations, $1,000 spending cash and a new MAZDA3 to drive
during their stay awaits the winner. In addition, the winner will have the
opportunity to take the microphone to introduce the final concept at its
unveiling on the final day of the show.
The contest is open only to residents of the United States, and begins
on September 25 and ends on November 7, 2007 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Participants must enter by visiting Facebook.com.
Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations
oversees the sales, marketing, parts, accessories and customer service
support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada and Mexico through
nearly 900 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada Inc.,
located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in
Mexico City.