Southern California is well known as the automotive capital of the United States - and the world - for many reasons. But did you know SoCal is also home to one of the top transportation design schools on planet earth?

Based in Pasadena, the ArtCenter College of Design boasts a roster of alumni who have designed some of the most iconic vehicles in history and impacted every major automotive manufacturer in the world. The ArtCenter of Design is highly regarded within the automotive and transportation industries. Numerous graduates' careers have catapulted them into mainstream notoriety: Henrik Fisker created the beautiful, yet controversial and short-lived, Fisker Karma. And Chip Foose became a world-renown car-customizer who even had his own reality TV series - Overhaulin'.

Click play below to hear details of the massive impact the ArtCenter College of Design has had, and continues to have, on the transportation industry in this iDriveSoCal Podcast.

And enjoy the picture gallery from the ArtCenter's annual auto show - which is always posted on the iDSC Events page!

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id="60" gal_title="iDSC109 ArtCenter College of Design"]

***Transcript***

Recorded July 31st, 2018 in Los Angeles, CA

Automotive Design Prestige

Clinton Quan: The ArtCenter College of Design located in Pasadena, this is really the premier school for automotive design or you could say transportation design in the US and, possibly, the world.

Tom Smith: Welcome to iDriveSoCal, the podcast all about mobility from the automotive capital of the United States, Southern California. Tom Smith here with our good friend, the Professor. Mr. Clinton Quan. Say hello, Clinton.

Clinton Quan: Hi, Tom.

Tom Smith: Hello, hello. So, I nicknamed Clinton the Professor because he knows absolutely everything about what's coming out of the manufacturers. Whether it's domestic, imports, luxury, exotics, he keeps his finger on the pulse and never ceases to surprise his depth of knowledge on the most granular detail stuff. And case in point, today's podcast.

Tom Smith: So, I open up these podcasts with, you know, the automotive capital of the United States, Southern California. And, now, we're doing a series on why the Southern California region is the automotive capital of the United States because Clinton has said, you know, "Hey, you're not just being bombastic with a huge statement. That's actually true." Right, Clinton?

Clinton Quan: Yes, that's correct.

Tom Smith: Okay. And we've done a few of these already. We have great museums.

Clinton Quan: Yeah, some of the best car museums in the world.

Tom Smith: Some race tracks.

Clinton Quan: Racetracks.

Tom Smith: Scenic drives.

Clinton Quan: Scenic drives.

Tom Smith: So, I guess, this is our fourth in our continuing series. Am I counting those right? Did I get them all?

Clinton Quan: I believe unless we're missing something. But I think we are on it.

Tom Smith: Okay. And we're going to keep these going-

Clinton Quan: Yeah.

The Automotive Capital of the US & World

Tom Smith: ... because I'm sure the Professor is going to be able to keep on coming up with reasons why Southern California is, in fact, not only automotive capital of the United States but also the automotive capital of the world.

Now, today's podcast is one of these, but it's about a school where automotive designers go to and have gone. And you're not going to recognize all the names. We're not going to focus on the names too much, although Clinton will a little bit. But all of the vehicles or manufacturers that these names of artists are associated with have all come from this one school right here in Southern California,