PESHAWAR: A sports car manufactured by the National University of Sciences and Technology, Karachi students will be unveiled at a local hotel today (Sunday).

Provincial health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai will unveil the car for public viewing from 12 noon to 9pm.

Named after dean of the Nust mechanical engineering department Nadeem Ahmad Shaheed, the NAS-14 car will be sent to the Formula Student Competition slated to begin in the United Kingdom on July 9.

The contest, the world’s most popular student motor sport competition, is organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Shah Talha Sohail, leader of the 29-strong team, which made the car in one year, said it was a challenge for engineering students to design and build a single-seat racing car.

NAS-14 to participate in London contest next month

He said dozens of formula student alumni had progressed to Formula One, while hundreds more were working at the world’s largest automotive firms.

Sohail, who will drive the car during the competition, said his team was determined to become the country’s pride.

“We’re anxiously awaiting the competition. We hope our car will do very well,” he said.

Regarding the car’s exhibition in Peshawar, he said the team had come to the city on invitation, which was no less than an honour for it.

Sohail said Pakistan was shortlisted for the competition from among 114 teams.

He said in the competition, design, technology, statistics and business aspects of the participating cars were judged.

“Our car will go through different stages such as noise and engineering tests before getting on track in the contest,” he said.

According to him, last time, his team finished 84 among 136 participants.

“We’ve participated in the event thrice but didn’t pass all tests. This year, we want to participate in the race,” he said. Sohail said the scores in each test would determine his team’s position and he was hopeful that his team would manage to pass all three tests in the competition before hitting the tracks.

He said there was a lot more pressure on the team but it had more sponsors.

“I feel last time, we weren’t much prepared but now, I know I’m more experienced and we have a good car,” he said.

He said the total cost of the project was Rs7 million.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd , 2014