Introducing the Chrysler Nimbus
by Laura Batt

A team of eigiht Maine South students won $5000 for the school by designing a car that was named a finalist in a Chrysler Corporation program.
The purpose of the "Build Your Own Dream Program," as Chrysler states, is to provide students with an opportunity to "work as part of a team, explore an interesting part of the world of work, combine academic knowledge and vocational skills, [and] design an environmentally safe futuristic vehicle.
Freshmen Melissa Gay and Katie Kobutcher, sophomores Matt Polley and Paul Salamondra, juniors Jeff Cabay and team leader Tum Tunthatakas, and seniors Paul Therens and Michio Murakishi proved their ability in all of these points in creating their dream vehicle.
Named for a cloud surrounding a god, person, or thing, the Nimbus boasts features such as "Back to the Future Delorian-type" doors and optional operation by electromechanical flywheel batteries. Team members considered not only looks when they designed a 3-D clay model of their car but also information obtained from surveys revealing their target market's preferences on safety features and environmental and ergonomic-related factors.