Local Motors, the new automaker based in Wareham, Massachusetts, has announced the “Rally Fighter Light Bar” engineering Competition, which will be launched on July 8th, 2009.

The winner will earn $500 and a Solidworks Software seat provided by R&D Technologies. The winning entry will be actually built and the designer's name will be put on the production light bar.

Participation is open to everyone with CAD experience. The submission deadline is 20 July 2009. For more information visit local-motors.com.

In order to make this type of competition and crowdsourced development possible, Local Motors has made the top half of the Rally Fighter chassis data available for everyone to see.  Soon, all of the Rally Fighter chassis data will be public.

About the Rally Fighter project

Previously, the Local Motors community chose Sangho Kim’s “Rally Fighter” design for the first development and build project.  This was the start of their crowdsourced, community-developed effort. 

Next, a competition was hosted to design the Rally Fighter’s interior.  Mihai Panaitescu of Romania was voted winner and best interior design by the community; his design is currently being implemented. 

More recently, Local Motors hosted a design competition for the functional Rally Fighter side-vent; Raphael Laurent of Switzerland won that competition with a sleek, low-cost design.

"By opening design and engineering to a global community of talent, Local Motors anticipates the end result will be a better, more desirable Light Bar than could be created in-house."

Local Motors CEO Jay Rogers explains: “Crowdsourcing is a powerful thing.  Open, collaborative development is more fun for our community than private non-inclusive. 

"This method ensures that our community and customers are excited about the end product because they get to vote and choose the winning design.  There are not very many companies who make chassis data available, or develop vehicles openly. 

"The Rally Fighter has become a learning experience, and a reason for car enthusiasts to come together and have fun while competing in incremental challenges. 

"There are always cash awards, but the bigger prize is seeing your name on the finished vehicle.  The winner of the Rally Fighter Light Bar Competition will get their name put right on the Light Bar.” 

(Source: Local Motors)