When David Bernhardt decided he wanted to study automotive design at Toronto's Humber Institute of Technology, he took matters into his own hands.
Rather than endure the traditional enrolment process, which includes the submission of a portfolio and a series of tests and interviews, the energetic Bernhardt hopped on a plane in his native Winnipeg and headed east to Toronto. With less than 12 hours to complete the mission, he sought out and found the course's program director at a design show. "I just walked right up to him and asked him if he had a few moments to look at my portfolio," explained Bernhardt. That portfolio consisted of a few ideas and sketches, but more importantly, it contained photos of his cars.
David Bernhardt's "Plan-C" concept car was recently on display at the Canadian International Auto Show. Bernhardt, above, is studying automotive design at Toronto's Humber Institute of Technology.
The director was obviously impressed with his work, and in less than a week Bernhardt was officially accepted into the program.
Now in his third year of the four-year bachelors degree program, the 26-year-old budding designer is one of only 15 students, and the only Manitoban, majoring in the course's relatively new transportation design option.
To many in the local car scene, it likely comes as no surprise that Bernhardt is well on his way to becoming an accredited automotive designer. At the tender age of 15, David and his twin brother, Dean, began working on cars on the street in front of their north Winnipeg home. Their first creation was a totally custom K-Car. The boys covered it in metal flake paint and wrapped the interior in an exotic jungle print. There was chrome as far as the eye could see, and a kicking sound system.
Thankfully, by age 18 the dynamic duo was onto a classic, a 1965 Dodge Monaco convertible to be specific. Dubbed "Hi-Rola", the car took the then-fledgling low-rider scene in Winnipeg by storm. It featured gold metal flake paint, a custom interior, 100 spoke knock-off wire wheels and a hydraulic suspension setup that allowed the car to jump and jive to newfound highs and lows.
"They were just kids and they were doing things to that car that had rarely been seen before in Winnipeg," recalls Greg Puddifant, the owner of Gotta-Go Auto on Jarvis Avenue. "We would let them use our shop and they would work on that car all night long."
"Plan-C" concept car
Other cars followed, including a 1975 Pontiac Grand Ville convertible that was among the first cars in Winnipeg to sport those big shiny 20-inch wheels that are now all the rage.
Nowadays, the Grand Ville is long gone, and the Monaco is in the care of his brother, Dean, who is now an adjustor with Manitoba Public Insurance. But rest assured, David still has cars on the brain.
He chose the Humber Institute of Technology because it is the only school in the country that offers automotive design. Graduates of this program can expect to find employment as a senior designer, product designer or client manager in the automotive field. Positions as a designer with a major automaker are rare; there are, however, numerous opportunities with manufacturing companies that supply the automotive industry with countless parts and accessories.
"It's a relatively new field in Canada, but there is a demand for designers and Humber is a very well-respected school," offered Bernhardt. "It has been an eye-opening experience."
In order to qualify for the automotive design option, Bernhardt first had to complete two years of industrial design studies. The first year of the course included the history of design, as well as an introduction to the many materials and tools utilized in the field. By year two, he was designing projects and constructing them out of metal, wood and a variety of composite materials. "We worked either solo or as groups and built things like lamps, houseware items and furniture," said Bernhardt. Following the second year of his studies, he moved into transportation design.
As a third-year student, Bernhardt is now finally getting the chance to play with cars again. His first project was featured at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto last month. The task sounded simple enough; build a quarter-scale concept car that is designed specifically for commuters in the greater Toronto area. The resulting car, named Plan-C, took more than 120 hours to complete.
Some of the interesting features of Bernhardt's concept include wheels that turn inward, not only to ease in parking, but also to allow the car to expand in width like an accordion for increased passenger and cargo space. The guidelines called for the car to be operational within the present infrastructure, meaning it had to be suitable for the present roadways without the aid of rails or special lanes. The car was subsequently made half as wide, meaning that if enough were built, they could theoretically travel side by side, or two per lane. The driver is alone up front, while the passenger sits in the rear like on a motorcycle. An electric motor allows the car to attain a speed of 70 km/h, with a range of 40 kilometres.
The car was constructed by first building a skeleton, then covering it in formed Styrofoam sheets that were glued together. A variety of sealers and finishes were utilized, along with a whole lot of sanding to get things smooth.
There was also a Winnipeg connection to the project; the owner of Inner-City Autobody donated the special Sherwin-Williams paint products that served as the car's final finish. Bernhardt also credits one of his professors, Bruce Thomson, a former designer with Ford Europe in Germany, with helping him see his design through from concept to completion.
Next year for his thesis, Bernhardt is already in the planning stages for the creation of an energy-efficient commercial utility truck he claims will be loaded with innovative features. "In the concept world, you can go way out there," added Bernhardt. "The sky really is the limit."
For a look at his portfolio, check out www.davidbernhardt.com
PREVIOUS
