The Baja SAE team of California State University Los Angeles (CSULA) is a group of mechanical engineering students who are building an off-road race car for the annual Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Baja Competition. The event consists of over 100 teams representing domestic and international universities.

Our cars have a tradition of doing exceptionally well at these competitions. Since the 1980’s, our teams have had great success, including 1st place in ‘83, ‘96, ‘98 and ‘99, as well as 6th place in ‘95. In 2004, we placed 7th overall in the nation and finished number one in the state of California. In 2005, the team overcame several major mechanical issues and still placed 31st out of 132 registered teams.

The purpose of the Baja SAE competition is to simulate real-world engineering design projects and their related challenges. Each team must design and build a four wheel, single seat, OHV (Off Highway Vehicle). The teams are judged based on established parameters of safety, cost, and innovation. In addition, the team participates in several driving events to prove the design concept in competition.