When kids design cars

The art of imagination is alive and well


Imagination is the thing of child’s play. Everyone can remember creating fabulous creatures, and adventurous scenarios that filled our minds and indeed, our days. Sometimes, we drew these wondrous creations that existed only inside our minds, making real – on paper, at least – the creatures, places and yes, cars, that we ourselves had invented.

In response to COVID-19 lockdown laws, British carmaker Rolls-Royce invited children to create their own fabulous cars. The brief called for “aspiring house-bound designers to design their dream Rolls-Royce of the future”.

The competition began in April and by the time entries closed in June, Roll-Royce had received over 5000 entries from children in 80 countries.

According to Rolls-Royce, “the competition aimed to stimulate design talent, inspire greatness and provide a welcome distraction for children living under COVID-19 self-isolation and social-distancing restrictions. Contestants were asked to design their dream Rolls-Royce of the future, incorporating bespoke features and capabilities they could conjure from their imagination”.

Eighty entries have been shortlisted for final judging, the overall winner, as judged by the Rolls-Royce design team, to receive a digital illustration of their creation.

We’ve curated a small selection of the 80 shortlisted submissions, enthralled by the sheer inventiveness and imagination that has gone into their creation.

From cars that can drive underwater, to vehicles based on dinosaurs, turtles and even ice cream sundaes, the art of imagination is alive and well in this generation of children.

Some of the rationales behind the creations are worth repeating here:


“My child's design is inspired by the turbine engine of an airplane, because a turbo engine can make a car go really fast and look really cool. So this concept car looks like an airplane. When the car is on the road, it is driven using a magnetic ball. When the car is on the sea or on the snow, it uses a sled.”


“He wanted to create a car that had super speed and could take you wherever you wanted to go in the world, even into space! He has thought of all the different features to allow this to happen and came up with the name, BOLT. This name emphasises its lightning speed and is incorporated into the paintwork. He took a lot of time considering his design and many drawings were done as he wanted to perfect it.”


“My child's design is all about luxury and performance. Staying true to Rolls-Royce standards, the 'Green Spirit' is a mid-engine, high performance coupe that features carbon fibre, the finest leather and precision styling.”


“The car designed by my son is inspired by the leaves of trees. It is a completely futuristic car, and also ecological as it is completely electric. Its focus is on being the most comfortable car in the world. What stands out the most is the interior, which is lined with a flexible drop-shaped screen that can show different backgrounds, such as a Caribbean beach, the Himalayas, the New York skyline or whatever you want.

“The car is always on autopilot, but just behind the wheel you can put it on manual, and immediately the background changes to show you what's going on outside through the cameras. Their seats are most comfortable and practical. Another thing is that it has gull-wing doors, which have facial recognition on their handles, so when you get close to the car, it recognises you and the door opens. It has space for only one seat, but you can order two."


“I wanted to see fish without going to the aquarium.”


“Our child's design sketch was inspired by nature. There are many species of sea turtles and land turtles, which he used as models. The turtle is a rare and precious animal, as are the Rolls-Royce car models.

“He also used the side part of his preferred concept car, the Rolls-Royce 103EX, in his sketches of the Turtle Car. In his drawing, he imagined a futuristic car that could be equipped with three main functions: to drive the Turtle Car on the road, then to transport passengers in the air using the airplane concept, and also on the seabed using the aqua concept, which would be the equivalent of a submarine.”


“My child's design is inspired by the discovery of a mammoth carcass that existed during the Ice Age. He had the idea of designing car to look like a metal elephant, using a steampunk style that can spray cool air all the time.”


“[My child’s] design is called 'The Sharko Cellerion', a shark-themed car which floats and looks to the future. It has two huge jet engines which replace the wheels and help it float. There is also a jet turbine in its tail. The main engine is behind the gills. The cockpit is in the head and the top fin also has mini turbines and engines.”


You can check out all 80 shortlisted entries at www.rolls-royceyoungdesignercompetition.com and let us know your favourite design in the comments below.

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Rob Margeit

Rob Margeit is an award-winning Australian motoring journalist and editor who has been writing about cars and motorsport for over 25 years. A former editor of Australian Auto Action, Rob’s work has also appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Wheels, Motor Magazine, Street Machine and Top Gear Australia. Rob’s current rides include a 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class and a 2000 Honda HR-V Sport.

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