CROWDSOURCING? // LM RALLY FIGHTER

We posted about Caterham’s outsourced design movement, ‘Project Splitwheel’ about a week ago. Sounded like an interesting idea, outsource the design of your next automotive project to the blogosphere, allow readers to comment, debate and vote on design elements until they have a concise idea of what they (the collective) want. Simple enough, though we had reservations about trying to please the populous, while loosing sight of what is important. Well, a few days later, we received an email from Ariel Ferreira Cronk, Public Relations for Local Motors, which turned our attention away from Caterham’s pet project and onto what Local Motors is calling the LM Rally Fighter.

Utilizing the blogosphere, a network of forums and comments as well as user submitted designs, Local Motors has created a 1:4 scale model of their 'Rally Fighter.' According to Cronk, The LM Rally Fighter is “a coupe style design with the proportions of a truck, dual ride height with a kickin' clean diesel engine - it's a pretty far out idea, a mean jumper that also has smooth street chops. Using lightweight materials technology and a clean diesel, the Rally Fighter is on its way to being the most efficient vehicle in its class.” Local Motors has been operating for over six months, and the Rally Fighter is well on its way to becoming a reality. New to us, is the term ‘crowdsourced.’ Essentially utilizing popular opinion and polling to design and fabricate a product.... interesting. Click through for more info // 11.12.2008