MillenWorks
Encyclopedia
Rod Millen
Rodney K. "Rod" Millen is a racing competitor, vehicle designer, and business owner. He has competed in numerous genres of motorsports, including rally racing, off-road racing, hillclimbing, drifting, and super touring.-Personal life:...
in 1980. The company began by preparing Millen's rally cars, and evolved into designing and building them. The company now develops vehicles, high performance auto parts
Car tuning
Car tuning is both an industry and a hobby, in which an automobile is modified in order to improve its performance, handling and appearance. As most vehicles leave the factory set up for average driver expectations and average conditions, tuning has become a way to personalize the characteristics...
, and technology for racing, concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
s, and the US military.
Race cars
Some of the first cars designed and built by the company are the Pikes Peak Toyota CelicaToyota Celica
The Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
and Toyota Tacoma
Toyota Tacoma
The Toyota Tacoma is a pickup truck produced and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation since 1995. The Tacoma was a compact pickup until a model redesign in 2005 when it was reclassified to a mid-size...
which Millen drove to overall victories in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999.
Other cars include the Championship Off-Road Racing Pro 4 Toyota Tundra
Toyota Tundra
The Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup truck introduced by Toyota in the year 2000. It was widely considered to be the first full-size import-brand truck built with an American look and feel and a refined V8 engine. The Tundra was eventually nominated for the North American Truck of the Year...
and the SCORE
SCORE International
SCORE International is an off-road sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing and is famous for its flagship event, the Baja 1000 as well as the Baja 500 and San Felipe 250. SCORE races are held in United States and Mexico...
Toyota FJ Cruiser
Toyota FJ Cruiser
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is a retro style SUV with styling and off road performance reminiscent of the original Toyota FJ40 Land Cruisers. Introduced as a concept car at the February 2003 Chicago Auto Show, the FJ Cruiser was green lit after enormous consumer response and debuted at the January 2005...
which competes in the Baja 1000
Baja 1000
SCORE Baja 1000 is an off-road race that takes place on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula in November. The Baja 1000 is part of the SCORE Championship Desert Racing Series that include the Baja 500, San Felipe 250 and the new San Felipe Challenge of Champions in place of the Primm 300 which had...
.
Concept cars
MillenWorks is often contracted to develop technologies for upcoming concept cars. They developed the revolutionary drivetrain seen on the Jeep HurricaneJeep Hurricane
The Jeep Hurricane is a concept vehicle that was unveiled at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit by Jeep, a subsidiary of Daimler-Chrysler. The Hurricane's one-piece body is composed largely of light-weight structural carbon fiber. Its skid plate is an aluminum spine that...
, which allows it to spin in place using independent four wheel steering. They also developed the hybrid electric
Hybrid electric vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...
four wheel drive
Four Wheel Drive
The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
system seen on the Ralliart
Ralliart
Ralliart was the high-performance and motorsports division of Mitsubishi Motors. It was responsible for development and preparation of the company's rally racing and off-road racing vehicles, as well as the development of high-performance models and parts available to the public...
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Mitsubishi Eclipse
The Mitsubishi Eclipse was a coupe that was in production since 1989 for left hand drive traffic markets. According to Mitsubishi, the car was named after an 18th century English racehorse which won 26 races, and has also been sold as the Eagle Talon and the Plymouth Laser captive imports through...
concept car, and many of the mechanisms seen on the Scion
Scion (car)
Scion is a brand of vehicles produced by Toyota Motor Corporation for the North American market. Founded in 2002, Scion's long-term goal is to appeal to Generation Y consumers. The first Scion models, the xA hatchback and xB wagon, went on sale in California in 2003, followed by a sports coupe, the...
FUSE
Scion Fuse
The Scion Fuse is a concept car created under one of Toyota's brands, Scion. The Fuse was built by Five Axis Models in Huntington Beach, CA with assistance from MillenWorks. It was first introduced at the 2006 New York International Auto Show...
. Other projects include the Chrysler ME Four-Twelve
Chrysler ME Four-Twelve
The ME Four-Twelve is a concept car produced by Chrysler under the Chrysler brand in 2004. It was based on a Mercedes chassis. There were two ME Four-Twelve vehicles produced. The first, strictly an auto show property with very limited operational capabilities, was designed in great secrecy during...
, Lexus IS
Lexus IS
The Lexus IS is a series of entry-level luxury cars / compact executive cars sold by Lexus since 1998. The IS was introduced as an entry-level sport model slotted below the ES in the Lexus lineup...
430, Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche Carrera GT
The Porsche Carrera GT is a mid-engined sports car that was manufactured by Porsche in Leipzig, Germany.- History :The development of the Carrera GT can be traced back to the 911 GT1 and LMP1-98 racing cars. Due in part to the FIA and ACO rule changes in 1998, both designs had ended. Porsche at...
Concept, Toyota Ultimate Celica, Lexus Streetrod, and the Toyota Retrocruiser.
Military vehicles
MillenWorks has also developed manned and unmanned ground vehicleUnmanned ground vehicle
An unmanned ground vehicle is a military robot used to augment the soldiers capability. This type of robot is generally capable of operating outdoors and over a wide variety of terrain, functioning in place of humans....
s and technology for the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
, such as the MillenWorks Light Utility Vehicle
MillenWorks Light Utility Vehicle
The MillenWorks Light Utility Vehicle is a prototype testbed for automotive technologies. It was designed and built by MillenWorks under contract to the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center. Textron Marine and Land Systems will use the platform for further development of...
. With Lord Corporation
Lord Corporation
LORD Corporation is a privately held company that designs, manufactures and markets devices and systems to manage mechanical motion and control noise and vibration. The company formulates, produces and sells general purpose and specialty adhesives and coatings; and develops products and systems...
, they have also developed an active magneto rheological suspension for the U.S. Army's Stryker, which was tested at the Yuma Proving Grounds. They have teamed with Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
on several other projects, including the RST-V, Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle, Gladiator Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle
Gladiator Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle
The Gladiator Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle was a remotely operated unmanned ground vehicle employed by the United States Marine Corps. It is described as the world's first multipurpose combat robot....
, and the Multifunctional Utility/Logistics and Equipment
Multifunctional Utility/Logistics and Equipment
The Multi-Mission Unmanned Ground Vehicle, previously known as the Multifunction Utility/Logistics and Equipment vehicle , was an autonomous unmanned ground combat vehicle developed by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control for the United States Army's Future Combat Systems and BCT Modernization...
(MULE) Vehicle. They have also developed diesel-electric
Diesel-electric
Diesel-electric transmission or diesel-electric powertrain is used by a number of vehicle and ship types for providing locomotion.A diesel-electric transmission system includes a diesel engine connected to an electrical generator, creating electricity that powers electric traction motors...
drivetrains for the HMMWV, which were tested at the Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground
Aberdeen Proving Ground is a United States Army facility located near Aberdeen, Maryland, . Part of the facility is a census-designated place , which had a population of 3,116 at the 2000 census.- History :...
.
Performance parts
It has also developed automotive performance parts for the Mazda Miata, and cooperated with Toyota Racing DevelopmentToyota Racing Development
Toyota Racing Development or TRD is the in-house tuning shop for all Toyota, Lexus, and Scion cars. TRD is responsible both for improving street cars for more performance and supporting Toyota's racing interests around the world. TRD produces various tuning products and accessories, including...
on parts for the Toyota Celica
Toyota Celica
The Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
and Lexus IS300.