LOS ANGELES – Volkswagen of America, Inc. not only showed its vision for personal mobility in the year 2057 with the Slipstream concept but the vehicle also won the Design Challenge as part of the Design Los Angeles conference at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show. 

 

"We developed Slipstream to function as an advanced autonomous vehicle that adapts to minimize its footprint in the city and its drag coefficient on the highways," said Derek Jenkins, chief designer, Volkswagen of America. "Slipstream is a two-wheeled, teardrop shaped pod that transforms itself from an upright stance, which allows for more efficient urban transportation, to a horizontal orientation capable of 250 miles per hour."

 

In the upright position, Slipstream occupies one-fifth the space of a traditional vehicle helping to address the potential issue of urban over-crowding and dense roadway traffic. When driving in special freeway lanes, "Slipstreams", the vehicle moves to a horizontal orientation with high-speed stabilizing fins in the rear, which allow the vehicle to float like the tail section of an airplane. 

 

The exterior skin of the vehicle is made of hyper-efficient solar panels that provide power to the vehicle. 

Slipstream was designed in Volkswagen of America's Los Angeles Design Center by Derek Jenkins, Ian Hilton and Patrick Faulwetter.

 

The Design Challenge is part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers' conference that has evolved into an integral element of the Los Angeles Auto Show. Entering its fourth year, Design Los Angeles provides designers with leading design speakers and the opportunity to address common issues. More than 500 designers attended last year's event.

 

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan.  It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany.  Volkswagen is one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos, and Touareg through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers.  Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com.