Students conceive 'Carma Chameleon'

The stunning Porsche you see here isn't the handiwork of the Zuffenhausen marque's finest stylists.

This design study was, in fact, created by four students -- yes, students -- from the Institute Superieur de Design in France.

The design objective for the Carma (as it is named) was to create a visually different and more aerodynamically efficient Porsche.

No drag coefficient numbers or any other figures pertaining to aero efficiency have been released, but there's no doubting the Carma's visual appeal.

The nose is smoother and sleeker than that of a 911 or Cayman, while the rounded derriere rekindles memories of the defunct V8-powered 928. There's even a hint of Ford GT in its profile.

As per the Cayman/Boxster -- but unlike the front-engined 928 or rear-engined 911 -- the Carma features a mid-mounted flat-six.

The Carma isn't just about pretty styling, as one of the car's design elements is a trick underfloor that uses two venturi tubes that run the length of the car. These tubes channel air to increase its 'ground-effect', sucking the car down onto the road at speed.

You'll have noticed the lack of a protruding rear spoiler, and this is because it's been 'internalised'. There's a pair of intakes above the engine that suck in air and this is then channelled downwards and out of the rear end -- a process that negates rear axle lift.

All we can say is kudos to the four designers -- Germain Baillot, Pierre Fichet Delavault, Julie Dicks and Simon Menu -- and full marks to Porsche for their role in the program.

It brings back memories of the 2005 Ferrari Design Competition, in which aspiring car designers were invited to create 1:4 scale models of their vision of a future Ferrari. On that occasion, too, some of the results were stunning.