Crash zones aside, you can throw templates and 18* angles over everything but the kitchen sink, however if they're not applied right you won't get a quality product.
You need to use the template correctly if you're using it at all. That means the ground plane has to be at the ground plane.
Looking forward-
Instead of confining yourself to these parameters, why not think laterally?
How about building on the GM Ultralite Concept's design.
It already has a bulbous front and tapered rear.
It also has a curious front bumper.
What I'm suggesting is a Schlorwagen type passenger compartment which trails the front axle. Then for crash protection put an airfoil across between each front wheel pod. This would direct crash energy out sideways to the pods instead of back to the passengers.
No, it's not the ideal situation but there is also no free lunch. A properly designed airfoil should leave the air reasonably undisturbed when it contacts the main body shell. It also gives you an opportunity to do some interesting styling stuff. Notice I cut off the back of the template to integrate a bumper. This is both to conform to at least some regulations and to look nice.
Here, a sketch
The real problem with this kind of thing is that you're wasting all the space ahead of the template. This is why cars like the EV1 and Insight do not follow the front of the template. It's a packaging disaster for a production car.