In an unusual example of cross-industry cooperation, Australia’s three biggest (and most competitive) automakers have joined forces in supporting a new race formula.

Six teams of university and TAFE engineering students from Victoria and NSW have begun designing and building prototypes for the first Formula SAE event in Australia.

Initiated by the Society of Automotive Engineers-Australasia (SAE-A), the Formula SAE competition has attracted consortium sponsorship from Holden, Toyota and Ford.

Based on a similar and long-established U.S. competition, it is intended to give young engineers hands-on involvement in a meaningful project and assist in producing graduates familiar with the meaning of teamwork, cost-effective designs and the imperative of meeting deadlines.

Teams taking part in the inaugural Formula SAE competition are representing Deakin University and Gordon TAFE; University of Melbourne and Kangan Batman TAFE; Monash University; University of NSW and South Western Institute of Technology; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology; and Swinburne University of Technology and Swinburne TAFE. Entries from up to five international teams from the U.S. and Britain are also expected.

In line with competition rules, the student teams must produce a prototype car for a particular intended market: the non-professional weekend autocross racer.

Their Formula SAE vehicles must deliver high-performance acceleration, handling and braking qualities, and should be low in cost, reliable, and easy to maintain. Judges will award points in several different categories, including presentation, engineering design and cost analysis. The cars will also be put through their paces in skid pan, autocross, fuel economy and endurance track events.

Holden’s executive director of engineering and design, Tony Hyde, said Formula SAE was a worthwhile concept with the potential to offer major benefits to all participants.

"The future of the Australian automotive industry depends in large part on ensuring that young automotive engineers coming through the system are as highly qualified as we can make them - certainly to the point that they are capable of equalling and exceeding the standards of their international counterparts, " he said.

Ford Australia’s vice president of product development, Ian Vaughan, concurs. "The Formula SAE competition will play a significant role in developing the automotive engineers of the future," he said.

"If nothing else, it will introduce the students to the reality of the work they'll be doing every day. It's also great to see three of the premier automotive manufacturers in Australia working together with SAE to ensure the success of the program."

Ford will host the inaugural competition at the company's Proving Ground in the You Yangs on 9 and 10 December and provide staff members to act as judges and track and program administration officials.

"We're particularly impressed with the fact that Formula SAE actively encourages continuing interaction and dialogue between industry and academia," said SAE-A president Michael Case.