Stellantis is Expanding its Design Contest to Younger Students as the Company Focuses on the Future of Ram, Dodge and Jeep

As automakers try to determine what the future will be for gas-powered and electric vehicles, one is expanding its contest to draw young people into vehicle design. Stellantis, the parent company of Ram, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep, is expanding its 2026 Drive for Design Contest to include students as young as kindergarteners. The company, known for its capable and fun Jeeps, powerful Dodge muscle cars and performance-based Ram trucks, for years, has encouraged students to enter the field of vehicle design. Contest founder, Mark Trostle, believes that the students can help manufacturers prepare for the automotive future. This year, Stellantis is asking students to imagine the next generation of Street and Racing Technology (SRT) vehicles. 

In addition to the original Drive for Design competition for U.S students in grades 10-12, the new Drive for Design Junior is now open for U.S. students from kindergarten to ninth grade.  Winners will be chosen from three age ranges: kindergarten-third grade, fourth-sixth grade and seventh-ninth grade. The idea is that young designers will help predict the future of the industry. 

This year’s theme, “Design the Future of Fast,” encourages students to design a next‑generation SRT vehicle using one of Stellantis’ iconic brands, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram, to show what fast, powerful and bold could look like in the future. 

Drive for Design Was Created by Award-Winning Designer

Mark Trostle, vice president of Ram Truck, Mopar and SRT exterior design, continues to serve as the driving force behind the Drive for Design contest. Trostle was a winner of an early version of the competition as a high school student and later went on to lead the SRT design team. With the return of the iconic SRT performance division, he is once again leading the design team, bringing his journey back to the program that helped launch his career. 

“Designing an SRT vehicle means unleashing a fearless mindset and dreaming up performance-driven ideas that look fast even when they’re standing still,” Trostle said. “We can’t wait to see how students of every age push the limits and redefine what fast, powerful and downright awesome can look like for the next generation.” 

Drive for Design Junior 

Students entering Drive for Design Junior will follow the same design brief and submission guidelines as the traditional Drive for Design contest, with one winner selected per age group. 

Drive for Design will award one grand-prize winner and two additional finalists from all valid entries. 

Stellantis describes the mission this way,

“Create the next evolution of an SRT (Street & Racing Technology) vehicle. SRT is all about speed, power and attitude. It’s the kind of performance that looks fast even when it’s standing still. SRT isn’t just a logo, it’s a way of thinking big, bold and fearless.

Now it’s your turn. In this year’s Drive for Design contest, we want you to imagine what SRT could become in the future. Using any Stellantis-brand vehicle, create your own vision of the next-generation SRT. Go wild. Push the limits. Break the rules. Redefine what fast, powerful and awesome looks like for the next generation. What does the future of SRT look like to you?”

For high school students, the prizes could be life changing. The winner may be eligible for a Summer Design Internship with the Ram and SRT Design Studio. They may also be awarded an Apple iPad Pro and Apple Pencil and be featured on Stellantis social media. 

For detailed contest rules, information on how to submit sketches, various prize packages and free resources for students of all ages, visit StellantisDriveForDesign.com.   

All student-created entries must be submitted by noon EDT on Thursday, April 23, 2026. 

Students, teachers and parents can follow contest updates on Stellantis North America’s Facebook and Instagram channels using #DriveForDesign.

Image provided by Stellantis

About the Author

Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin. Follow Mary at @MaryConwayMedia on X  and on Facebook, and send her car news tips for future stories. Mary Conway is an esteemed automotive and business reporter who was inducted into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame in 2019. Mary is a member of the Automotive Press Association, Rocky Mountain Automotive Press, Society of Professional Journalists, and NATAS.