Concept Cars

Narrator: The concept car-sleek, stylish. It's someone's idea of what they'd like to see in an automobile.

Car designer: Well my obvious choice is to build it the way it stands, but more often than not we grab the features that the public are really attracted to.

Narrator: Buick's entry, for example, the Lacrosse, features a heads up display for driver and passenger, video monitors in the seatbacks, and voice-activated turn signal lights, air-conditioning, and more. But some of the concepts actually get built. Take the PT cruiser from Daimler Chrysler. It's now for sale. And remember this one? This is the Prowler. It too went from concept car to production car because so many people liked the design. And that's what's going to happen to Chevy's new Avalanche. It's a ready-for- anything, go-anywhere truck-SUV whose interior can be converted to suit your needs.

Narrator: To Stu Fernandez, it's a real eye-popper.

Fernandez: Oh yeah, it is. I'm a Ford man, but I'll tell you what, this makes me want to convert.

Narrator: From a concept, this will be in production by next year. And in the future, these students from Valhalla High School hope one day to have their concept designs go into production as well.

Girl Student: Just being able to see something that you created be a reality is just incredible.

Narrator: Called the Imagine Project, this after-school club literally just got its motor running last December, but there could be a real pay-off.

Teacher: Most of the design centers are now moving towards California. You could have a job doing this.

Boy Student: Yeah, and that would be really good. If that would happen, it would be a lot of fun.

Narrator: Cool!

With photojournalist David Diego, Bob Loomis Ten News.

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