Content provided in partnership with

Cornell Tops at Formula SAE-Again

Perennial powerhouse Cornell University won the 2005 Formula SAE competition, repeating its victory of last year. For the Formula SAE competition, Society of Automotive Engineering student members representing their college chapters conceive, design, fabricate and compete with small formula-style racing cars.

A number of restrictions are placed on the car frame and engine so the knowledge, creativity and imagination of the students are challenged. The cars are built in a team effort over a period of about one year, and are taken to the annual competition for judging and comparison with vehicles from colleges and universities all over the world. Instructors from the institutions serve as coaches, and the teams seek corporate sponsors to provide resources.

Most Popular Articles in Autos: Service Slants; 2007 utility vehicle buyer's guide: Side-By-Sides are popular; here's who ...; Transmission considerations: beyond the manual gearbox; Buell Motorcycle engineering, innovation, & dedication: in an industry ...; 100 + 10: America's oldest automotive magazine celebrates its 110th year ...; More »

The cars are judged in the design and build categories: overall design, cost effectiveness and presentation. After safety inspections and dyno testing are completed, the cars are cleared to compete in the driving tests of acceleration, skid pad and autocross, plus endurance and economy, This year, the event stretched over five days at the Pontiac Silverdome, located in suburban Detroit.

For many years, DaimlerChrysler, Ford and General Motors have been the major sponsors of the event. In return, the automakers get a close look at the top automotive engineering students from around the globe and an opportunity to court the cream of the crop into employment.

More than 120 teams representing universities and colleges from 13 countries on five continents vied for honors in this year's competition. Teams from as far away as Australia, Venezuela, Finland and Japan converged on the Motor City to showcase their talents. In the end, Cornell University outdistanced its competition to win for the second year in a row. That's not unusual for Cornell, whose team has been a dominant force at Formula SAE for many years. In fact, Cornell has won the competition 10 of the last 20 years and placed in the top four an astounding 17 times!

Automotive Industry

Cornell Tops at Formula SAE-Again

Motor, Jul 2005 by Nash, Tom

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Sports

Most Popular Articles in Autos

Most Popular Publications in Autos