Local Motors announces 3D printed car modification competition for 2015

Just a few weeks ago, we saw the first 3D printed car cruise down the streets of Chicago and New York. The crowdsourced design of the so-called Starti by Local Motors took less than two days to print and cost US$17 682.

Now, the automotive giant is looking to take it a few steps further with the announcement of the ModMen Challenge.

Just like you would craft and customise your rides in a video game like Need for Speed Underground, the challenge asks for car modders and hackers to submit their virtual design proposals online. Local Motors will then print their top 12 favourites.

Similar to how the Strati’s collaborative design process finalised last month, this new competition will culminate at SEMA 2015, where the 12 of the chosen modified cars will be presented and judged.

“From racing, to street, to show, car modification has always been the true soul of vehicle innovation,” said Local Motors Co-founder and CEO John B Rogers Jr.

“At Local Motors, our goal is to fuel the next great generation of ‘Hot Rodders’ by putting the newest technology in their hands, and the ModMen Challenge does exactly that,” says Rogers Jr. “These are not just 12 cars customized with aftermarket parts, but a peek into the future of automotive re-imagination. I cannot wait to see how this group pushes the boundary of 3D-printed cars.”

Interested? Entries can be submitted at the beginning of 2015. Those interested can sign-up here.