On Cars articles from Automotive Design and Production are selected and categorized by application for quick reference:

The Lexus HS 250h: The Relentless Pursuit Of Hybrids  10/01/09
No luxury builder had more hybrids in its lineup before Lexus rolled out with the HS 250h. And it is the first hybrid-only sedan in the luxury set, from any manufacturer.

The Designing The Romance Of The Taurus  08/01/09
When the flagship model for Ford was being created, the designers worked to capture some of the magic of the original Taurus, but to create a car that people could have serious affection for.

Cramming for a Better Coupe  06/01/09


Six Things To Know About The 2010 Mazda3  06/01/09
"Six?" you wonder. "Isn't this about the Mazda3?" Well, there are two body styles, so two times three . . .

Magna Critical to Ford EV Plan  05/01/09


Pickups Live  05/01/09


Quick Take: 2009 Nissan Cube  05/01/09


Roush?s Green Future: Propane  05/01/09


The Story Behind PUMA  05/01/09


Beauty Beyond Spacely Sprockets  04/01/09


Days Of The Future Past  04/01/09
Where we consider eras, foundations, robots, and cars long in coming.

Quick Takes - 2010 Ford Mustang & 2010 Ford Fusion  04/01/09
2010 Ford Mustang - More than a facelift, less than a complete re-do. 2010 Ford Fusion - Quieter and more capable.

Maximizing the Minimal: JCI's re3 Concept  03/01/09


Insight: Honda's Hybrid Puzzle, Part 5 of 5  02/01/09
A portion of structure from one vehicle, a component from another add up to a new, affordable hybrid.

Mini E(LECTRIC), Part 2 of 5  02/01/09


The Changing Face of GM  02/01/09


Ford: Putting on the Top Hat  01/01/09
Commonality as a business practice may help reduce costs, but how do you make sure it doesn't sacrifice product differentiation?

Icon A5 Light Sport Aircraft  01/01/09
New FAA Rules Open Aircraft Design and Production to the Automotive Industry

L.A. Auto Show  01/01/09
Los Angles in November: 80º and copious sunshine pitted against the testimony of Detroit?s CEOs in D.C. It was enough to steal its thunder, especially as the show biz capital was remarkably devoid of same. Here are the highlights:

On the 2009 F-150  01/01/09
When you've been building them for 60 years, you get darn good at it. Especially when you build them to work hard.

There's No Business in Show Business  01/01/09
The business model for the auto show is broken. Can it be fixed?

Diesel's Challenge: Acceptance in America  12/01/08
The Europeans are coming with diesels. They make sense in Europe. But what about the U.S.? We look at the numbers. And drive an Audi more than 1,800 miles to find out.

Acura Advances: Introducing The 2009 TL  10/01/08
Acura has been doing more than putting a new signature front grille on its models. It has been developing new versions of its vehicles. Completing the set-for now-is the 2009 TL.

Calty: Designing Today For Tomorrow  04/25/08
We talk to Kevin Hunter of Calty about the A-BAT concept and what it may represent for the future of vehicle design.

Ford Racing: Polishing The Oval  04/25/08
They race to win. And to learn. And to sell.

The '09 Honda Pilot: Unashamedly SUV?But a CUV  04/25/08
The second-generation Pilot continues as an SUV in form but not entirely in substance. (Hint: it isn't a body-on-frame.)

A Brief History of smart: Production Car As Fashion Statement  01/07/08


HONDA'S FCX CLARITY: The Future of Transportation is Clear  01/07/08
Honda has been building fuel cell vehicles since 1999. Think of them as science projects. But now it is going to be offering a model in southern California for a $600/month lease.

The '08 Malibu: Serious This Time  01/07/08
It seems that every time a car maker comes out with a midsize sedan it is "better than a Camry or an Accord" or some variant thereof. Chevy has said it in the past. But with the '08 Malibu, they are putting more than rhetoric on the road.

The Ultimate Design Machine: BMW Designworks  01/07/08
Yes, they work on vehicle designs for BMW. But as a leading design firm, they're taking on plenty of things that don't have wheels and tires.

Bringing the xB  06/27/07
Every panel is different, but the news is under the hood.

The Lexus LS 600H L: Not Just Another Production Car  06/27/07


Astra Caps Saturn Product Revival  05/01/07


Buick's Super Transformation  05/01/07


Compact Crossover  05/01/07


Creating Design Flow: Mazda's Nagare Philosophy  05/01/07
Here's how Mazda-already successful with an impressive lineup of cars and crossovers-is creating a new approach to its future designs in a methodical but stretch approach.

Creating the QarmaQ  05/01/07
More than your run-of-the-auto-show-circuit concept car, the Hyundai QarmaQ is a study in the potential deployment of advanced materials.

Jeep Engineering Innovation: '07 Patriot  05/01/07


No, Not That G8  05/01/07


On the Veracruz  05/01/07
Hyundai throws down to the industry with its new crossover utility: Yes, it may be economical and have a great warranty, but it also has the features and performance to be compared with. . .Lexus.

Perfect Moving Trucks  05/01/07


ZF Takes Evolutionary Approach to 6-Speed Transmission  05/01/07


Acura Tailors Torque  04/04/07


Creating The Fastest Motorcycle  04/04/07


Dodge Crew Sets 'Sale'  04/04/07


Ford's Crisis & Concepts  04/04/07


NAIAS Addendum  04/04/07


On The Avenger  04/04/07
Dodge makes a big statement with its midsize car.

Powering The 2008 Mini  04/04/07
Every panel is different, but the news is under the hood.

The Credibility Of Continuity At Mini  04/04/07


Designing A Masterpiece  03/07/07
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé isn't just a car. It is, in chief designer Ian Cameron's words, "The best-possible car."

Designing Audis  03/07/07
Stefan Sielaff and his staff of designers at Audi are working to fulfill the company's credo, "Vorsprung durch Technik" ("Progress Through Technology") both inside and out.

Ford: The Way Beyond 2000  03/07/07
Ford is changing-again. But this time, things are different.

GM Aims for Safety Leadership  03/07/07


GM Quiets Direct Injection  03/07/07


Getting Nissan Quality Right From The Start  03/07/07
Nissan's chief product planner talks about infusing quality into the product before it's made, the importance of a consistent "feel" and the limits of platform sharing.

Objects of Interest  03/07/07


On the Horizon  03/07/07


Super Duty: Ford Designs and Builds 'Em Tough  03/07/07


Viewing the North American International Auto Show: Sheet Metal for Today & Tomorrow  03/07/07


J Mays and The Importance Of The Story  01/09/07
Emotional but rational. Artistic but bottom-line oriented. Yes, being a car designer is something that takes varying point of views, as J Mays explains.

L.A.: Cars, Crossovers & Concepts  01/09/07


Lasers Aid Fuel Cell Development  01/09/07
Developments are speeding up in fuel cells-including laser process technology.

The Design Imperative  01/09/07
How GM designers are improving the company's product both inside and out.

After The Turnaround  12/11/06
The launch of the 2007 Infiniti G35 Sedan, Nissan Altima and Sentra mark the start of Nissan's defense of its recent gains.

Assembling Cars In Belgium  12/11/06
If you think that Belgium is dominated by just beer and chocolates, think again. Sure, the country has built a strong reputation as a confectionary leader, but one region is trying to keep a toehold in another crucial industry: vehicle manufacturing.

Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra: Function Trumps Form  12/11/06
The call came from on high to move up production for GM's new full-size pickups, a communiqué most engineers would take with trepidation. But the GMT-900 team responded with a strong voice, telling management the project could be moved up by 13 weeks.

2007 Hyundai Elantra  12/06/06
Wherein Hyundai gives other small sedan makers 13,995 reasons to lose sleep.

Audi: Powerful Competitor  12/06/06
By rolling out two more vehicles in its performance S series, this German automaker is strengthening its position in the U.S. market.

Ford's New Multi-Use Element  12/06/06


THE '07 FORD EDGE: Is This the Most Important Vehicle in Ford's Lineup? [Yes.]  12/06/06
As gasoline prices remain high, as Baby Boomers age, as full-size SUVs lose their luster, as pickup trucks become less appealing to those who don't need the box, the crossover utility vehicle (CUV) emerges. While far from being first to the segment, Ford is now launching the Edge, which is undoubtedly important to the company's Way Forward.

VW'S Model Moves  12/06/06


DCX'S NEW CROSSOVERS AND CORVETTE KILLER  11/07/06


DUCATI: Back on Track By Developing Innovative Pro  11/07/06
Although the Italian bike maker was given up for dead by some, new track-inspired designs and innovative engineering has put the company securely back on track.

MAGNA'S NICHE?  11/07/06


Paris Style  11/07/06


Present at the Creation  11/07/06
Dr. George Gelb and his colleagues created a device called the "Electro-Mechanical Transmission." You may know it better as "Hybrid Drive."

Sequel Continues GM's Hydrogen Story  11/07/06


Engineering Performance: The '07 Acura TL Type-S  11/06/06


Hybrid Britannia!  11/06/06
Leave it to the British to create a hand-built sport coupe with a 2.0-liter V10 hybrid powertrain.

Cadillac Ups Craftsmanship  10/03/06


E-Class Changes More Than Skin Deep  10/03/06


Engineering The MDX: A Daily Driver Tuned at the Nürburgring  10/03/06
John Mendel, senior vice president, Automotive Operations, American Honda, describes Acura as "the world's first Asian luxury brand." The division was established in the U.S. in 1986. Arguably it is working to become the "world's first Asian luxury performance brand." And what's all the more remarkable is that it is working to accomplish this, in large part, with an SUV. Yes, an SUV.

Green (and Luxurious and Sporty) with Envi  10/03/06


Objects of Interest  10/03/06


Preview: 2007 Mini  10/03/06


SATURN: Faster and Better  10/03/06
Having been starved for good product for far too long, this division of General Motors is finally getting the kind of design and engineering that can make it a real contender, not the "coulda been" that has been its plight for the past several years.

Suzuki AWD Thinks Small  10/03/06


Talking to Designers: Dodge Challenger  10/03/06


Talking to Designers: Dodge Rampage  10/03/06


Tinkering With An Icon: The '07 Jeep Wrangler  10/03/06
It has a fresher design, contemporary engineering, and is being built with a new supplier partnership. Yet for all that, the fundamentals of what makes the Wrangler a Wrangler remain.

Oh So Smart  08/31/06


The 7-Percent Solution  08/31/06
For the third generation of the CR-V, Honda threw away the box and the idea that entry-level SUVs have to be boring or basic.

VW Eos: Hats Off  08/31/06
Folding hardtops are becoming as common as iPods these days. Ford's 1957-1959 Fairlane Skyliner took technology originally developed for the Continental Mark II to production, but the complex and heavy mechanism never caught on. Years later, the idea was revived by the folding roof of the Mercedes SLK, and found its way into everything from the extremely rare Qvale Mangusta to Cadillac's XLR, before targeting more affordable offerings like Volvo's C70 and Pontiac's G6. Now VW enters the fray with its Eos, a Golf-based four-seater that adds a few tricks of its own to the mix.

Big SUV. Smaller Market.  08/30/06


HALLMARK on Jettas, Exchange Rates & Why Technology Matters to VW  08/30/06


Lexus Comes into Its Own  08/30/06
Seventeen years after its debut, Lexus, with the LS 460, is producing a product that is in no way a derivative of what other brands are building. It has established itself as a contender in the luxury segment in its own right.

Krafcik on Customers & Competitors  08/08/06
Hyundai is rapidly ascending the rankings of consumer quality lists-lists that it once bumped along the bottoms of. So what is the strategy that has transformed something of an also-ran to a strong competitor?

Safety is in the Bag  08/08/06


A New Direction For Jeep: The '07 Compass  06/29/06


A Steamed-Cleaned Engine  06/29/06
Leave it to a Florida-based marine designer to develop a water-lubricated Rankine-cycle, closed-loop steam engine that runs on almost any fuel.

It's All In The Interior Attitude  06/29/06


Lean Mobility  06/29/06
The city car of the future may be a tandem seater that leans as it turns.

Productivity Report Hits Home For Detroit  06/29/06


Saturn Redefined  06/29/06
Although it is a comparatively young division, GM's Saturn has undergone several changes since the first cars went on sale in 1990, and it may now be going through its biggest change ever.

A NEW HYBRID MOUSETRAP?  05/31/06


Acura RDX Purpose-Built For The Urban Environment (Where Most SUVS Tend To Tread)  05/31/06
Yes, it has all-wheel drive. Yes, it is an SUV. But when Acura planners and engineers looked at demographic data and saw that in many major cities young professionals are moving back downtown, they decided to address that trend with a completely new vehicle.

BMW SEARCHES FOR EFFICIENCY  05/31/06


Big Apple Marks Season's End  05/31/06


CX-7: Mazda's Take On A CUV  05/31/06
They didn't want to build just any crossover. So they took the Mazda6 platform and the car's designer and devised the CX-7.

ENGINEERING A 21ST CENTURY BUS  05/31/06


Objects Of Interest  05/31/06


SPEED = MONEY. HOW FAST DO YOU WANT TO GO?  05/31/06


KIA'S OPTIMAZATION PLAN  04/28/06


OBJECTS OF INTEREST  04/28/06


Engineered Elements of the '07 Sport Trac  04/27/06
While Honda is getting props for the Ridgeline, there's another four-door out there with a composite bed to boot.

GENEVA FINDS ITS NICHE  04/27/06


MAGNA'S COMPETITIVE APPROACH: DEVELOP & BUILD  04/27/06


SKY POWER  04/27/06


THE IMPORTANCE OF INVESTMENT IN TECHNOLOGY  04/27/06


Dream Car Garage  04/04/06
What do you do after more than 30 years in the auto industry engineering vehicles under OEM restrictions and timetables? You build your own car to OEM standards in your garage.

Engineering The Q7  04/04/06
Because Audi developed its SUV after the VW Touareg and Porsche Cayenne, they were able to make the changes necessary to make theirs distinctly Audi.

Introducing The 2007 Lexus ES 350 The Car From The 'King of Kaizen'  04/04/06
When you've worked on a car in its variations over 19 years, you get a pretty good idea of what's there-and what can be improved. And if you become the chief engineer, as Hiroyuki Hirata did for the fifth-generation Lexus ES, you're bound to exceed all previous expectations.

SATURN TURNS GREEN  04/04/06


Speaking European at Ford  04/04/06


The '07 VW GTI: Another Name For Schnell  04/04/06
While some companies proffer their customer satisfaction surveys as proof of how good they really are, Fred Reichheld thinks satisfaction may be nice but it is wholly insufficient for companies that would like to have sustained, profitable business. Which may explain why some of those same companies are also drowning in red ink.

The Undeniable Strengths of Saab  04/04/06


Caliber: Locked and Loaded  03/08/06
In the C-segment, there are plenty of products built in other parts of the world and brought to the U.S. and stickered with some exceedingly low MSRPs. Chrysler is putting its flexible manufacturing and clever design capabilities to work and answering with the Caliber, a car built in the U.S. that starts below $14K.

Gleanings From 2006 Naias  03/08/06
More than just bright, shiny cars and trucks-concepts and production vehicles-the North American International Auto Show afforded the opportunity to learn some things about product development from industry leaders. Here's some of what we gleaned...

Management Lessons of the '07 Toyota Camry  03/08/06
This is a car that will undoubtedly put the Camry name on top of the best-seller list-where it has been for several years. But this is not a case of "same as it ever was, same as it ever was." Not by a long shot.

Resurrecting Mercedes  03/08/06
While the marque may have been blemished by recent quality problems, there is a dedication to making that badge shine with improved processes and new products.

From Kano Models to Bulls-Eyes: Hau Thai-Tang on Product Development  02/03/06
Ford's director of advance product creation talks about how they're developing products with a distinct focus on surprising and delighting customers.

Looking At the FJ Cruiser  02/03/06
With its round headlights and white top (regardless of the body color, the top is white), some people may find the 2007 FJ Cruiser to be, well, cute. That it may be. But it is also said to be the most capable 4x4 that Toyota is building, so it has trail cred in spades.

Buick Lucerne: Now or Never  01/06/06
Will the GM division that still seeks its definition find it with the '06 Lucerne?

Making Models  01/06/06
Despite the fact that there are design studios where "virtual" is replacing "actual" in vehicle development, for those who are interested in sticking with 3D models that they can see, touch and feel (without some goggles and sensor-ladened gloves), there is a new line of extrudable pastes from Axson Group.

The Ultimate Money Machine  01/06/06
BMW gained its reputation as a builder of sport sedans, but its consistently high profits and unwavering focus make it the envy?and target?of the competition.

Toyota Doing It Differently  01/06/06
That's right. The company that is typically known for a relentless, methodical approach has done some things differently as it has developed the second-generation Yaris and the third-generation RAV4. There's no getting into a rut for these guys.

2006 Lincoln Zephyr  12/06/05
The last time Lincoln introduced a Zephyr as its entry-level vehicle, the year was 1936, and the vehicle-it was a line of vehicles, actually, that included two-doors, four-doors, sedans and coupes-followed the front-engine/rear-drive convention of the day.

F1 biplanes?  12/06/05
Bored by the continuing saga of high-dollar single seaters that can't pass each other because of aerodynamic turbulence? So-finally-is the FIA, the international governing body that writes the rules for Formula One.

In Gear  12/06/05
Ikona Gear International has begun development of a continuously variable transmission based on its proprietary gear platform.

KIA Getting The Message Out  12/06/05
Len Hunt, the recently named executive vice president and COO of Kia Motors America candidly admitted that so far as potential customers go, half of them don't know Kia and the other half thinks of the automaker in the context of vehicles with bad quality, bad safety, and similar non-advantageous attributes.

Modules De Plastique  12/06/05
Plastic Omnium is developing modules that integrate functions, reduce weight, and provide pedestrian protection. They are part of a growing "modular strategy" that extends from the company's joint venture with Hella and Behr that produces front and rear end modules.

Producing Cool Cars  12/06/05
Speaking to a group of like-minded people on the eve of this year's SEMA show, Paul Wilbur, president and CEO of ASC Inc., announced, "From this point on, ASC is pro-life for cool cars." That statement, given the time and place, is analogous to coming out in favor of apple pie at a Pillsbury Bake-Off held in Washington, DC, on the Fourth of July.

The New Members of The SRT Team  12/06/05
Chrysler is on a roll; that's an undisputable fact. Once labeled the black sheep of the domestic business, the vehicle manufacturer is raking in the dough, as witnessed by its $374-million profit in the third quarter and 6% profit growth through the first nine months of 2005. While the other domestic Big Two lick their wounds and try to regroup, Chrysler continues to branch out into new segments, and one that is gaining particular traction is its performance SRT brand (for Street & Racing Technology).

Bryan Nesbitt, Take 2  11/09/05
Slightly more than a year after our first encounter, we check up on his progress in reformulating GM Europe Design.

Castle Bromwich Prepares For XK Assembly  11/09/05
When you're putting together an aluminum-intensive vehicle, the sparks don't fly, but rivets are used in abundance.

It's An American Brand: Jeep Concepts Revealed In Europe  11/09/05
The "official" wraps were removed from two Jeep concept vehicles at the 61st International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt this past September, the Jeep Patriot and the Jeep Compass, both of which are described as being "directionally" where the brand is headed as it works to expand its portfolio beyond the four vehicles that presently make up its showroom.

Mays On Design  11/09/05
Regionalism, emotions, packaging & bad '60s TV shows turned-movies. Ford's top designer on these subjects, and more.

NISSAN - The Extraordinary Happens Every Day  11/09/05
From the direction of the now-legendary Carlos Ghosn to the engineering of new powertrains and vehicles to the way that the people work with people...

Stephenson's Design Journey  11/09/05
On March 19, 1969, on a bustling street in Casablanca, a nine year-old boy by the name of Frank Stephenson was walking along with his father when destiny took over. That was when a Ferrari 246 Dino GT went buzzing by, leaving the young man in awe, changing everything. "I know exactly when that was down to the date. I am not joking," he recalls, because that was the day Stephenson knew he wanted to design cars.

A Jeep for 2015?  09/30/05
The 2005 summer internship program run by DaimlerChrysler's Product Design Office in Auburn Hills, MI, was meant to give a small group of design and engineering students a 13-week taste of what it's like to develop a vehicle, and give company executives a chance to scout new talent and design trends. And that was enough until Shim Imai dropped a bomb with his design for a Jeep for Hong Kong.

Explorer (Still Head of the Class)  09/30/05
Ford's Explorer created the SUV segment as we know it today. Judicious upgrades for 2006 shuld see it remain as the class leader.

How The Chrysler Group's Flexibility Strategy Is Putting New Products On The Road  09/30/05
The strategy being used by The Chrysler Group in terms of rolling out two of its new bigger products-one of which is really BIG-is indicative of the overall direction that the company is taking in its operations: Doing more with if not exactly less, then at least with the same.

Impala: Building On A Solid Foundation  09/30/05
The Chevrolet Impala is a stealth-like car. Who-outside of GM HQ, where this fact is undoubtedly celebrated with much glee-is aware of the fact that with 2004 sales of 290,256 vehicles, the midsize comes in in third place behind Camry and Accord in sales?

New Passat Is Longer - And Long Overdue  09/30/05
To say that an all-new Volkswagen Passat is overdue would be an understatement. The last time Volkswagen took the wraps off an all-new Passat was mid-1997. Sure, they freshened it in 2001, but since then, Honda has revamped its Accord, Toyota has gutted the Camry and Nissan has redone the Altima. Clearly, the Germans need to speed things up a bit.

On the Ford Fusion  09/30/05
'Our goal is to communicate to dealers and customer that Fusion blends the best traits of its competitors, without compromise. Plus, the Fusion brings style and attitude to a segment currently lacking emotion.' - Dan Geist, Fusion marketing manager.

Saving Gas, Saving the Day  09/30/05
Eaton's 'Superturbo' has almost all the hallmarks of a comic book super hero.

Steel On Campus  09/30/05
One of the things acknowledged up front by Prof. Ali Fatemi and research assistant Mehrdad Zoroufi of the Dept. of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering, The University of Toledo in a study conducted on behalf of the Forging Industry Research Foundation and the American Iron and Steel Institute is that when it comes to developing automotive components, there are not only competing manufacturing processes to be considered, but that those very processes have an effect on the mechanical properties of the component.

Caliber Foundation for New Chrysler Powertrains  09/06/05
Chrysler will roll out its new small-car powertrain platform in early 2006, with the introduction of the Dodge Caliber.

HAU THAI-TANG - Searching for Synergy  09/06/05
As the 2005 Mustang's chief engineer he hit the Automotive Radar screen. In his new job, he has to merge the needs of advanced product creation and SVT.

Mercedes R-Class Seems Familiar  09/06/05
While the official line from Mercedes-Benz is that the '06 R-Class is a 'segment buster,' not an SUV, wagon, or a minivan, that may be more spin that anything because stylistically, it looks like a wagon, albeit more aggressive than the E-Class or the BMW 5-Series wagons. Perhaps this 'segment-busting' talk relates to the potential buyers: Mercedes hopes to attract consumers who disdain the stigma of minivans, while at the same time do not want to trek around in a passé SUV.

Peter Horbury - Changing the Face of Ford  09/06/05
As the executive director of design for Ford's North American marques, Peter Horbury is working to provide a distinctively American look to the Ford, Lincoln & Mercury brands. And he happens to be a Brit.

Pontiac's Bright Light Creating the Solstice  09/06/05
The executives at General Motors have been talking about building 'gotta have' products for the past few years. The Pontiac Solstice is among the few that actually deserves that appellation.

Awesome in Aluminum  08/01/05
Although aluminum per se is not ordinarily considered an 'advanced material,' there can be little question that the Ferrari F430 is among the world's most advanced motor vehicles, so given that, and given the extensive use of aluminum on the F430-following the firm's success with the all-aluminum 360 Modena-in some ways aluminum can qualify as an advanced material.

Looking @ The Chevy HHR  08/01/05
Meant to compete with products including the Scion xB, Honda Element, and, yes, the Chrysler PT Cruiser, this vehicle not only provides Chevy with still another competitive vehicle in the small-size arena, but it further leverages GM's global product architecture.

Magneti Marelli Redefines Rear Suspension Design  08/01/05
Multi-link independent rear suspensions have numerous advantages, but cost isn't one of them. A flexible new design out of Italy, however, promises all of the benefits and none of the compromises at a lower cost.

Saab Expands  08/01/05
Can an SUV built in Moraine, Ohio, USA, be a bona-fide Saab? Well, the division of General Motors is finding out as it expands the brand with an SUV that has its roots in a platform engineered for Chevrolet and other domestic nameplates but set upon by swedish engineers and designers.

HONDA Coming Full Circle  07/05/05
Honda of America Mfg. has reconfigured its plants to conform to Honda's global New Manufacturing System while quietly re-focusing on manufacturing fundamentals.

Hyundai's Billion-Dollar Commitment  07/05/05
The two-million square foot plant is capacitized to produce 300,000 vehicles per year.

Introducing The A3  07/05/05
Can the German vehicle manufacturer overcome the resistance to the hatch with design & technology?

LEDs for the Rest of Us  07/05/05
LED lighting is becoming more common, but it is by no means commonplace.

Reducing Cost and Injury at Delphi  07/05/05
Through testing, both virtual and actual, Delphi Corp. engineers have discovered that combining an energy absorbing steering column, collapsible knee bolster and an energy absorbing pedal structure into a single unit lets them.

The '06 Dodge Charger: New Muscle  07/05/05
Turn back the clock some 40 years and you discover the genesis of the Dodge Charger, a name that 70% of the people Chrysler recently surveyed remembered (or knew).

A Beautiful Design: FreemanThomas' Design Perception  06/01/05
Affable, imaginative, and, yes, even visionary, Freeman Thomas has taken a new job, as he's now at Ford. Here's what he's done, and what he'll be up to.

GM's Hybrids: Beyond the Urban Environment  06/01/05


Plastic-Intensive Vehicle Déjá vu?  06/01/05
Porsche's $440,795 Carrera GT road car has a carbon fiber monocoque, bodywork, and engine cradle. While the price and the material used are seemingly stratospheric for the average car buyer, the thought of building plastic-intensive vehicles in high volume is not as far-fetched as at first it might seem. However, the industry has had that dream before.

The Once and Future King: BMW's 3 Series  06/01/05
Just when the competition thought they had it in their sights, BMW raises the sports sedan bar with its 5th Generation 3 Series.

AUSTRALIA ASCENDANT  04/28/05
With decades of automotive development and production experience, a reputation for doing more with less and an address next door to the world's fastest growing markets, Australia is on the rise.

Coming Attractions  04/28/05
This year is about half over, which means the 2006 and early 2007 models will begin breaking cover soon. What will the future hold? Here's a look at some of the vehicles that have yet to make an auto show appearance, but could make your life more&interesting.

Cost-Effective Composite Cars?  04/28/05


MODULAR BASE OF OPERATIONS  04/28/05


Nissan Ups Its Design Capability  04/28/05


Return of the Sportage  04/28/05


Tom LaSorda: Chrysler Group's Lean Thinker  04/28/05
May 2005 marks Tom LaSorda's first anniversary as COO at Chrysler Group. Although Chrysler is arguably on quite a roll, speaking like a good sensei, LaSorda states, "You're never as good as you think you are. Somebody around the corner or across the world is always trying to take your business away from you. So you can never let up." And having great products helps, too.

2005 Chicago Auto Show  04/08/05
A review of cars shown at the Midwest event.

Honda Re-Thinks The Pickup  04/08/05
The Ridgeline comes closer to merging the virtues of both cars and pickup trucks than any other vehicle. Honda calls it the first next generation pickup, but will others follow its lead?

How CFD ACCELERATED the development of the WILLIAMS BMW FW27  04/08/05
'We've really made a big change in the way we're doing the aerodynamic design,' says Alex Burns, general manager, Williams Grand Prix Engineering (Grove, England), speaking of the development program undertaken to create the FW27, the vehicle that the BMW WilliamsF1 team is campaigning in the 2005 Formula One season.

Lexus GS: Talking Performance And Technology  04/08/05
Lexus is redescribing and redefining itself-or, said another way, it is launching vehicles that will be distinctively, visually 'Lexus.' The first articulation is with the GS sport sedan.

Saab's Broadening Appeal  04/08/05
'We're proud to say that Saab today, in 2005, is engaged in the most aggressive product expansion in its entire history,' proclaims Debra Kelly-Ennis, president and COO of Saab Cars U.S.A., of the small Swedish car company that's part of the world's largest automotive company.

The Corvette Goes Aluminum  04/08/05
For the high-performance Corvette Z06 GM defied tradition and switched from a steel to an aluminum frame.

Developing Designs: The Public & The Passion  03/01/05
To say 'Zoom-Zoom' is one thing. To identifiably design it is another. Here's some of what goes into making it happen.

Field Guide to the Vehicles of the 2005 NAIAS  03/01/05


Ford Drives All-Wheel-Drive  03/01/05
All-wheel-drive for the masses? Well, that may be a slight exaggeration, but people at Ford Motor Co. are working to put more vehicles with all-wheel-drive (AWD) on the road in greater numbers than, say, is practical/possible via companies like Audi and Mercedes.

Oh, What A Company!  03/01/05
Toyota & the Art of Continuous Improvement. How the best manufacturer in the industry just keeps getting better.

A Lexus Like No Other But Like The Rest  02/01/05
Introducing The RX 400h: Luxury, Not Economy. While the Lexus RX 400h provides better fuel economy than the RX 330 on which it is based (~25%), and although this is a full gas-electric hybrid, the vehicle is all about luxury and performance, not frugality and thrift. After all: This is a Lexus.

It's A Car!  02/01/05


Sacré Bleu!  02/01/05


Tires of the Future?  02/01/05
If automotive tire upstart Amerityre can perfect its polyurethane tires, we may soon have to revise the phrase 'where the rubber meets the road.'

Extroverted and Specialized: Scion's Strategy  01/12/05
Scion's vp Jim Farley talks about the seemingly quirky brand that has made some in the industry who were initially shaking their heads in disbelief to look wide-eyed at the sales that are being racked up.

From NUMMI to MIT to Ford to Hyundai: John Krafcik  01/12/05
The man who helped define 'lean' is now helping Hyundai gain ground in the U.S. market by heading up the company's Corporate Planning Div.

General Motors: The Road Ahead  01/12/05
Key aspects of the organization as it undergoes a major transformation. The competitive environment is tougher than ever, but the company has the opportunity to maintain its position through improved products, processes, technologies-and managerial positioning and decision-making.

Chrysler Group Goes To Extremes  12/10/04
That is a real situation. Not something from PhotoShop. Not staged. A real driver in a real '05 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon on a portion of Hell's Revenge in Moab, Utah. What's perhaps most important to note is that he's driving a production vehicle, not something that has been tricked out with aftermarket parts to be able to handle such roads...er, rocks.

Designing Safer Bodies The Volvo Way  12/10/04
Soon after the car division of Volvo was bought by Ford in 1999, Volvo engineers were overwhelmed. Not by fresh development demands from their new American owner, but by a deluge of more informal inquiries from engineers in Ford's various divisions eager to tap into Volvo's prodigious knowledge base for designing safe vehicles.

Hush: The Buick LaCrosse  12/10/04
Back in 2001, when Buick designers and engineers were working on what would become the replacement for not one sedan but two-the Regal and the Century-Bob Lutz took a look at what they were doing (like engineering a driver's interface that was largely based on voice-recognition technology with a steering wheel arrayed with so many buttons-to be used in the case that the voice system got hiccoughs-that Lutz describes it as 'looking like a PC keyboard')-and he said that they needed to seriously rethink what they were doing.

Saturn Re-emerges  12/10/04
If a vehicle can be considered a 'coming out' party for a brand, then that's exactly what the Saturn Relay is.

Speed and Quality  12/10/04
Can production speed and quality coexist? That question depends on how you look at Nissan's recent experience.

Steel Strikes Back  12/10/04
'It's my job to prepare my best possible case, poke holes in my competitor's case, and convince the customer to use steel for this application.' The speaker is J.P. McGuire, product applications engineer at U.S. Steel's Product Technology Automotive Group (PTAG) in Troy, MI. He's just run through an explanation of how he convinced one automaker to drop its plans to use an aluminum hood on a new vehicle.

'Drive?' He Asked  08/24/04
Is U.S. society too dependent on cars and trucks for their transportation needs?

Bryan Nesbitt: Calm, Casual, Centered  08/24/04
The PT Cruiser made Bryan Nesbitt one of the most famous designers in the world. His move to GM's chevy studio raised eyebrows, as did the subsequent move to managing the exterior design of all GM's North American cars. Now the 35-year-old is running GM's design operations in Europe with surprising focus.

GM's European Triple Play  08/24/04
Developments from Opel, Daewoo, and Saab

Maranello. Weissach. Milford?  08/24/04
Ferrari's and Porsche's factory test tracks are legendary, as much for their layouts as for the cars developed on them. GM hopes to at least partially redress this imbalance with its prosaically named "Milford Road Course" and the vehicles developed on it.

Say What?  08/24/04
'Interbuildability.' It's a word GM vice chairman Bob Lutz coined to describe the ability to build a variety of vehicle types off the same platform. It's also a description of GM's vehicle road map. Though not a word that easily rolls off the tongue, the concept behind the word will have lasting effects on GM's future product portfolio.

The Hot Chinese Market  08/24/04
One point three billion people. That's how many there are in China. So Tony Yip, managing director, QAD Asia, postulates that if just 5% of those people were in the market for an automobile, that would translate into a market of some 65 million. So if you've ever wondered why so many western companies seem so anxious to increase their so-called footprint in China, there's your answer. Well, part of the answer.

Developing The '05 Mustang  07/06/04
So far as the classic pony cars go, the Mustang is the last brand standing. Yet with its forthcoming fifth generation, it is a vehicle that has the same level of vibrancy as the model that first rolled out into the public eye at the 1964 World's Fair in New York, and not some sort of half-hearted attempt as it has the field to itself. Chief engineer Hau Thai-Tang explains what they've done for this contemporary classic.

Nissan: How To Achieve Shift  07/06/04
It wasn't all that long ago that Nissan was down and thought to be on its way out. But the company has cleverly and aggressively done a 180 and is now providing returns that other vehicle manufacturers would undoubtedly love to achieve. Here's part of what they did.

Crossfire: Another Word for PREMIUM  06/30/04
'Something well above what has become the accepted Detroit norm.'

Engineering The LX  06/30/04
Chrysler Group builds a quintessentially American car: a large, rear-wheel-drive car with just a touch of Mercedes.

High Performance the GM Way  06/30/04
The Solstice will have the ride, handling, balance and power-to-weight ratio it needs, and none of the extra cost. From a traditional standpoint, it's very un-GM.

Hot 6  06/30/04
After a long absence, BMW returns to the Sport GT Market.

PT Cruiser Convertible: Designing, Engineering & Making The Drop-Top  06/30/04
'We had to go from a four-door to a two-door and yet to make it look like the two vehicles were designed as one.' That's Brandon Faurote, senior manager, PT Cruiser Design, talking about one of the many challenges that they grappled with in turning out a new version of the distinctive PT Cruiser.

The Great Retro Debate  06/30/04
When is a design considered 'retro' and when is it a homage to a company's heritage? That's a question even the world's top automotive designers have trouble answering.

VOLVO S40: All of the Volvo Virtues in a Smaller Package  06/30/04
For proponents of the 'bigger is safer' school of automotive thought the description 'safe, small car' is an oxymoron. But the engineers at Volvo don't see it that way and the 2004.5 S40 proves it.

Developing the Lotus Elise Series 2  06/01/04
How GM, Toyota and a Couple of Gutsy Managers Made the U.S. Version of the Two-Seater a Reality

The Art of Scion  06/01/04
How utilizing blazingly fast product development, a realistic cost calculation system, completely engaged engineers, designers who want to achieve something different, the Toyota Production System, a different philosophy about how to bring cars to market, and more result in a coupe that ought to get Gen Y (and more) customers on the 'net ( www.scion.com ) or into their dealers post-haste? and which ought to leave other vehicle manufacturers shaking their heads in wonder. Or, Meet the Scion tC.

EQUINOX: Executing the Theta Architecture in a Bigger Package  05/01/04
One of the faster-growing vehicle segments is that of the compact SUV. According to Chevy's Margaret Brooks, marketing director for the Equinox, it represented 7% of the U.S. market in 2003 and is on its way to 8.5% by '08. So Chevy is now in the game with the Equinox, its first 'car-based' SUV.

Creative Expressions  03/05/04
Kip Wasenko's career moved him from Europe and Australia to Saturn, placed him at the leading edge of one of GM's most controversial design programs, and finds him in charge of its specialty and high-performance designs.

Infiniti Goes Big  03/05/04
The full-size QX56 is not only a big SUV, but the division and its parent, Nissan, are clearly thinking big as they are filling up the Canton, Mississippi, assembly plant with new, innovative products.

Lotus' Versatile Venture  03/05/04
Versatile Vehicle Architecture is Lotus Engineering's attempt to take platform sharing to the next level and allow automakers to make unique vehicles with high commonality and lower investment. If it succeeds, there could be a lot more funky low-volume vehicles in the marketplace.

The General('s) Direction: GM Execs Speak  03/05/04
During the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this past January, we had the opportunity to sit down and talk with several General Motors Executives. Here is some of what they said--in as unmediated a way as is sensible-about where the company is...and where it is going.

American Heritage  01/13/04
It's the one thing the domestic automakers have that their competitors don't. If properly used, it can spark the imagination of buyers, and erect an impenetrable barrier against foreign competitors.

Cadillac's Brute Finesse  01/13/04
Stuffing an oversize engine into a small, light platform may be an American hot rodder's dream, but it takes skill to be a player in the sport sedan market.

Durango: Designing, Engineering & Producing A Better SUV  01/13/04
Chrysler Group is taking the opportunity with its second-generation Durango to create a product that has all of the fundamentals right so that it can be competitive in a marketplace that has more than its share of contenders.

Less than 5 but not by much  01/13/04
BMW's latest SUV borrows many of its underpinnings from the 3 Series, but comes close to the X5 in most dimensions.

RAM SRT-10: Just Try To Wipe That Stupid Grin Off Of Your Face  01/13/04
Stuffing an oversize engine into a small, light platform may be an American hot rodder's dream, but it takes skill to be a player in the sport sedan market.

3 Future Takes from Japan's Big 3  12/01/03
Can Nissan continue its comeback? Will Toyota surpass GM in global sales? Is there a Honda fuel cell vehicle in your future? Leaders of these companies discussed these and other issues at the Tokyo International Automotive Conference.

AVEO: Chevy Goes Econo  12/01/03
As Chevrolet makes a run at returning to the top spot as America's carmaker, it is looking at all segments of the market, including the spot that seems to be increasingly filled by Korean builders such as Kia and Hyundai: the entry-level small car.

Alfred Sloan was right  11/01/03
According to automotive writer and historian Thomas Bonsall, the domestic auto industry's corporate-centric structure stands in the way of its success. Only by looking to the past and giving its divisions a degree of autonomy can U.S. automakers hope to thrive.

Generation 5  11/01/03
Despite the controversial styling, the fifth generation BMW 5 Series hasn't lost its sporting focus or dynamic prowess. It remains a benchmark for sport sedans and for the hard work needed to stay on top.

Twins: Chevy Colorado & GMC Canyon  11/01/03
Although the Chevy S-10 pickup has had a good run (22 years), today's truck buyers want something a bit more substantial, so the S-10 is going away to be replaced by the Chevy Colorado.

Twins: Ford Freestar and Mercury Monterey  11/01/03
One of the sensible things that Ford has done in the development of the new minivan that it is bringing to market for '04 is recognizing that there is something fundamentally useful about the predecessor vehicle, the Windstar. That is, in creating the Freestar, which is ostensibly a new vehicle, it is re-using approximately 40% of the Windstar.

The Toyota Prius: The Most Important '04 Model? Yes.  10/01/03
Toyota is diligently working to change the automotive landscape. Sure, the numbers aren't big now, but consider this: in Toyota's first full year of business in the U.S., 1957, it sold 287 Toyopets. Two years of similarly anemic sales followed. Toyota withdrew from the market. The Camry was the number-one selling car in America in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2002. Don't let initial small numbers lull you into a sense that everything will remain the same. It won't. Which is why the Prius is so important to the industry.

Why Malibu Matters  10/01/03
Do you get the sense that vehicle manufacturers have forgotten the midsize car category in their rush to design and build trucks? GM has long focused on the pickups and SUVs (for good rea$on). With the Chevy Malibu, it is working on what is still an important segment.

Fuel Cells, CO2 & Composite Supercars: The Scene in StuttgArt  09/01/03
German automakers probably debut more cutting edge technology than any of their competitors and the legendary region of Stuttgart, home to both DaimlerChrysler and Porsche, is at the center of much of what is new.

Nissan Takes On Trucks  09/01/03
You're not likely to see a decal in the back of an F-150 showing a cartoon Calvin doing something not-nice to a Nissan logo anytime soon, but the vehicle manufacturer is rolling out with what is a bona fide "full-size" pickup that should get lots of attention in Dearborn, Auburn Hills, Detroit-and those parts of the country where trucks rule.

On The Beach: A Photo Essay  08/01/03
Generally, concept cars are shown in controlled environments. At salons. Auto shows. In restaurants or conference rooms. All are places where the setting is set such that the vehicles are shown under the optimal conditions. Conditions that are established. After all, these vehicles are special, so they need to be seen in the best possible light.

Been A Long Time. . .Cadillac Redefines Itself  07/15/03
With the introduction of the SRX sport utility and the XLR roadster, Cadillac is proving that it is on the road to redefining itself in a more substantive way than just through the clever use of a Led Zeppelin song in its advertising. But just watch it move.

Lofty Ideals  07/15/03
Nissan designers have reinterpreted the minivan as a stable and inviting living environment, not a box on wheels.

Aluminum Studies  05/15/03
In which we look at a material that is finding use in some of the more interesting vehicles that are beginning to emerge-as well as vehicles that we may be driving some day.

Car Design: It's All In Your Head  05/15/03
The annual Canadian International Auto Show Design Forum brings designers together from around the world to present their work and ideas to students and the media. This year, two presenters showed how nature and culture affect the way we perceive and respond to a design.

Pacifica: Something Else  04/01/03
Although it might be a bit much to talk about the 'reinvention of Chrysler' the 2004 Pacifica points to a direction that the vehicle manufacturer is going: To the places where the other manufacturers aren't. Which could be a solid strategy for success.

Wrenching Changes in the Auto Industry:  04/01/03
Industry overcapacity has cut profits, driven consolidation and increased the tension between automakers and suppliers. Increased flexibility, greater volumes for platforms and components, and attrition in the ranks will relieve some of the pressure, but not right away.

Considering Sienna - 53,000 Miles in the Making  03/01/03
An oft-cited phrase used to describe the development of vehicles nowadays is along the lines of "We designed it from the inside out."

FORD's F-150: The Winner And Still Champion?  03/01/03
The best selling vehicle in Ford's lineup, and the best selling vehicle in America for more than 20 years, the F-150 is under increased pressure from competitors ? both foreign and domestic ? and consumers who want more for less. Its sales will determine the health of the Ford Motor Company for many years to come.

Nissan's Product-Led Transformation  03/01/03
When Carlos Ghosn took over as head of Nissan, one of his first priorities was to restructure the company's Product Planning department. As a result, the company is able to move more quickly, create more variants from common pieces, and create vehicles better suited to the markets in which they are sold. Vehicles like the 2004 Nissan Maxima and Infiniti FX45 are just the first examples of how this strategy will play out.

The RX 330: Continuous Improvement Made Real  02/01/03
What do you do when you already have an SUV that has such solid sales that it's first in class? If you're Lexus, you make it better.

Design to Reality: the Z4 Roadster  12/01/02
Imagine having an idea that is transformed without a whole lot of modification into a series of cars rolling off the assembly line. BMW's Anders Warming is one of the few who have had that experience.

Frasher's Odyssey  12/01/02
With the design of its XC90 SUV, Volvo had to navigate between the Scylla of me-too trucky styling and the Charybdis of station wagon wimpiness. Arguably it has done just that.

French Firms at the Paris Show: Styling  12/01/02


The Lexus GX 470: You Want Me To Drive This Where?  12/01/02
According to Kunihiro Hoshi, chief engineer for the GX 470: "Three of my top goals were to create a body-on-frame vehicle with sweeping off-road performance and unibody-like on-road capability, and, of course, it had to meet the Lexus quality standard." He met his goals. But why would anyone want to bang this vehicle around on rocks?

Postcards from Portugal  11/01/02
This sliver of land with 10 million people on the Iberian peninsula may be known more in the U.S. for things like wine bottle corks, but there are 45,000 employed by the auto industry. Some of its plants are truly world-class.

Saturn Ion: Re-entry Vehicle  11/01/02


Stylin'  11/01/02
High-performance underpinnings weren't enough. Infiniti's design team wanted to create a look that tied the G35 Coupe to its four-door counterpart, and recast the visual expectations for mainstream Sports GT cars.

Elementary Cost Reduction  10/01/02
Though developed from the CRV, Honda's Element demanded concurrent design and development, as well as a different way of managing cost.

Genchi-Genbutsu and Creating the Toyota 4Runner  10/01/02
With the proliferation of SUVs on the market right now, the folks at Toyota knew that there was a big challenge in developing the new 4Runner. So Toyota engineers applied a methodology that got them thinking about what really needed to get done.

Mitsubishi Rolls into the Small SUV Space  09/01/02


The '03 Accord: Why Smart Designers Make All The Difference  09/01/02
Sure, the '03 Accord (sedan and coupe) will undoubtedly raise eyebrows when people see them (pictures-even the good ones here-don't do the vehicles justices). What is all the more remarkable, however, is that these all-new vehicles are rolling out with their content levels not only intact from the '02 models, but improved. That's due, in large part, to designers who understand what it takes to make things. Like solid cars.

Vauxhall Ups Its Flexibility in Ellesmere Port  09/01/02
For all its long history?it celebrates its centenary next year?it is all too easy to dismiss Vauxhall as a bit player in the General Motors empire. The brand is, after all, only to be found in the UK?even the right-hand cars bound for the Republic of Ireland are Opels?and it seems to be on the fringes when it comes to GM Europe.

Honda Changes the Game  08/01/02


McLaren's Pied Piper  08/01/02
Gordon Murray has designed both Formula One cars and million-dollar supercars. Now the technical director of McLaren Cars has set his sights on mobility solutions for crowded urban areas.

Designing Ford's Future with Passion  07/01/02
His design work at VW/Audi put J Mays on the map. Now he's working to put Ford design on track.

Inner Space  07/01/02
Moving Lincoln from a second-string has been to a premium luxury brand won't be easy, but the division's chief designer, Gerry McGovern, has a strategy to do just that while redefining the term "American Luxury."

Shake Your Money Makers  07/01/02


The H2 Moving Beyond Limits- Organizational & Otherwise  07/01/02


Renault's Up-Scale Gamble  04/01/02


The G35: Infiniti Enters the Fray  04/01/02


What's Love Got To Do With It?  04/01/02
Everything, says Adrian van Hooydonk, head of Designworks USA, BMW's California design studio. Though he sees retro design as a response to passionless vehicles and an uncertain future, he is convinced automakers can recapture the spirit and emotion that make a design resonate with buyers, without having to lean too hard on past vehicles.

Cooler & More Futuristic  03/01/02
Those are the words Saab's chief designer, Michael Mauer, uses to describe how Saab's sporting nature is different from that of its competitor. No slave to retro, Mauer insists designers must look to the future or become slaves to the past.

E-Class: Time for a Change  03/01/02
Over the last 10 years or so, the Mercedes-Benz model range has transformed from being something that was generally worthy but really rather dull into one that sparkles with aspirational models in all segments?with perhaps one exception. The E-Class has long been the car that time forgot.

Expedition Essentials  03/01/02


Genetic Engineering  03/01/02
Where are the shapes of things to come? How is the vehicle evolving? Here's an analysis.

Building the New Range Rover  02/01/02


Long Haul Trucking  02/01/02


Managing Design Management  02/01/02
Jerry Hirshberg believes that great design is fundamental to the success of any organization. nowadays, companies ranging from nike to the gap are listening to the message of a man who has had a whole lot to do with the transformation of design in the auto industry

Into the Matrix  01/01/02
Based on the platform of the ninth generation of the best-selling car in the world, the Toyota Corolla, the Matrix is possibly the shape of things to come. And it marks changes in thinking and even process at Toyota.

Renault and GM Target the Light Truck Market  12/01/01


Saturn Launches the VUE  12/01/01


Not Magic: Good Engineering  10/01/01


Spinnin' Around  10/01/01


The '02 RAM: This Time, the Build  10/01/01
When the '94 Dodge Ram appeared, the styling was a knockout. With the new platform, it is how it is put together that makes it a tough contender in the hotly contested field.

Chevy Avalanche: SUT Alors!  09/01/01


Engaging the ES 300  09/01/01
Although some people think that this is the Age of the Truck, with vehicles like the all-new ES 300, the people at Lexus don't see car sales going anywhere... but up.

TOYOTA Pursues the Elusive 'Triple WOW'  09/01/01
Built on an all-new platform, the 2002 Toyota Camry is quieter and roomier while being both more fuel efficient and more powerful. It was developed in far less time than its predecessor, to new standards that should ensure even higher manufacturing quality. So, the folks at Toyota are pretty satisfied with their handiwork.

Aero Meets Auto  08/01/01
Here's how Ford is taking technology pioneered by the aircraft industry to help design and engineer better cars. And so far as the Ford researchers know, they are the first in the auto industry to be doing it.

Altimatum  08/01/01


Avantime: Not Mainstream  08/01/01


Crash  07/01/01


Is That A Mirage?  07/01/01


Liberty Balance  06/01/01


Skoda: An Eastern European Success  06/01/01


So Many Lira, So Little Time  06/01/01
One of the world's most beautiful cities, Turin is home to a deep pool of automotive design, development, engineering, and supply talent. And these companies are working hard to be at the top of the shopping lists of automakers everywhere.

Midlife Makeover for Outback  05/01/01


Building the X-Type Infrastructure  04/01/01


Designing with Digits  04/01/01


Isuzu GBX: Concept for a Different Chassis  04/01/01
Isuzu's California designers look to the pre-automotive era of the stagecoach for inspiration for their new concept SUV and end up with a chassis that may suit the needs of the 21st Century.

SC 430: A Look at Luxury  04/01/01


Chevrolet: We'll Be There, but the Corvette Won't  03/01/01


Detroit's Suicide (Door) MACHINES  03/01/01
Though not always Born to Run, the concept vehicles at the 2001 North American International Auto Show showed many things, including a strong trend toward rear-opening (a.k.a., suicide) doors.

PSA Rising  03/01/01


Sibling Rivalry  03/01/01


Hot Off The Skillet  02/01/01


Beyond Conceptual Issues  01/01/01


"Ostensibility"  12/15/00
Ostensibly, this is a column about cars (or trucks, or SUVs, or whatever; vehicles, as it were). So, to that end I'm writing about this vehicle named "Ironman" that was shown by a company called "Model E" at this past October's SEMA show in Las Vegas.

Diesel Powered  12/15/00
Diesel engines are on the march. Refinement, economy and now even performance have been so incredibly enhanced that the penetration of diesel engines is starting to make a big impact in most European countries.

Th!nk Different  12/15/00
Like it or not, the industry is invariably changing. Although Ford leads the world in selling comparatively large vehicles (i.e., pickup trucks), it is not overlooking the opportunities that are presented by something a whole lot smaller.

Best Sellers  11/15/00
Ford recently unveiled all-new versions of two of its best-selling models: the Mondeo in Europe and the Explorer in North America.

Depeche MODE  11/15/00
A few thousand vehicles were displayed at the 2000 Mondial de l'Automobile (or Paris Auto Show as it's known in a more popular parlance), but only a few stood out: those that did predicted a very fashionable-albeit gridlocked-future.

Ford's Euro Contender  11/15/00
Of all the new cars launched at the Paris Show in early October, the most intriguing was the Ford Mondeo.

Rolling Large  11/15/00
Irony at its most effective is that which is unorchestrated...as in my receiving, straight from the 2000 Mondial de l'Automobile, from Jeff Sabatini, an authentic Michael Schumacher lid, which was fitted on my noggin the day a 2001 Suburban 2500 4WD was dropped off at the office for our ad hoc assessment.

Aston Martin Triumphant  10/15/00
One of the few remaining enigmas in the automotive world is Aston Martin Lagonda Limited. With its headquarters located in Newport Pagnell in the UK, around 60 miles north of London, it really should not exist.

Fashionably Late  10/15/00
Honda has always marched to the beat of its own drummer-consider, for instance, how many other automakers also make snowblowers. It shouldn't be surprising then, that in a world that's gaga for sport utility vehicles, Honda currently sells more different models of snowblowers (seven) than it does SUVs (just two).

Honda's Hat Trick  10/15/00
There is probably no other company that would use a new product development center to create a new car (one that is produced in 12 countries and that is a best-seller in the single biggest market, the U.S.) and build it with a new manufacturing system. But Honda has never really been like other auto companies.

DCX Sequitur  09/15/00
How does a company follow up a popular coupe, sedans that attained three of the four top spots in the 2000 Entry Mid-size segment of the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, and the vehicle that it has essentially defined (i.e., the minivan)? Here are the answers.

Improving the C5  09/15/00
Purists may not like it, but today's top sports cars are relying more and more on high technology. Consider the latest Corvette, for example. Heavily revised for 2001, the famous two-seater uses a computer-controlled suspension system that allows it to handle better than ever.

DCX Goes Flex  08/15/00
Here's a look at some of the approaches that DaimlerChrysler is using to provide the means by which to launch products more rapidly. The fundamental is flexibility. Flexibility not only means having adaptable equipment but also standardizing on the way things are done.

Make Five  08/15/00
One of the automotive phenomena in Europe over the last three years has been the rise and rise of the compact minivan. The trail blazed by Renault with the innovative Scenic has been spectacularly successful, but the niche it carved out for itself has now been besieged by a number of other manufacturers, including Nissan, that all want a piece of the action. The secret in being able to exploit these niche areas has been the adoption of a common platform strategy so that quantities that were once unsustainable have now become viable.

The Future Is Not-Quite Now  08/15/00
Fuel cells have been used as power generators in satellites and submarines for years. Indeed, the principle of the fuel cell was discovered back in 1840 by English physicist, Sir William Grove. So why is it taking so long for the fuel cell to become a source of power for the automobile?

Ford's Breakaway SUV: The Escape  07/15/00
Ford is selling Explorers, Expeditions and Excursions at the rate about equal to that of ice cream on the Fourth of July. And when you take into account the number of F-Series trucks that it is selling, the company is clearly the leader in putting bodies on frames. But now it is making a slight shift in direction with its Escape: a compact sport ute with unibody construction. Here's a look.

Nissan: Light at the End of Its Tunnel?  07/15/00
North America is destined to play a key role in the worldwide recovery of troubled Japanese car maker, Nissan. Since its partnership with Renault, Carlos Ghosn, the Japanese company's feisty French CEO, has been laying the groundwork to put debt-ridden Nissan back on its feet.

Cadillac: From the Internet to Smarter Struts  06/15/00
To be first to market with a new technology is a challenge in these highly competitive times, but Cadillac claims to have done just that with its 2001 Seville and Deville sedans.

GM's Smart Moves  05/15/00
General Motors has weathered some tough years over the last decade, but lately the tide seems to be turning in its favor. The ascendancy of relatively young, sharp-minded leaders like new CEO-designate Rick Wagoner has brought fresh focus to the efforts of the world's largest automaker. Now the results are starting to show as the latest concept vehicles and products emerge from the pipeline.

Panoz: In Fast Company  05/15/00
We hear it frequently around Detroit, the sad tale of good engineers and managers who lose their faith. People who love cars and have great pride in their work, but all the same grow weary of the bean counters, the anchor draggers, the compromises, the politics, and the overwhelming bureaucracy of the auto industry. "There's got to be a better place, a better way, for the real car guys," they think. Well there is. Welcome to Panoz-America's coolest car company.

Assembling the Awesome Audi  04/15/00
Most fans of the TT don't particularly care how it's assembled or that this happens in Hungary. You should. Read on.

Truckin' in Chicago  04/15/00
The big theme at the Chicago Auto Show echoed that of Detroit: trucks are the ruling class in the American new vehicle market.

Aurora Shines  03/15/00
Doug Stott's passion, enthusiasm, and energy that are evoked by authentic driving machines-the new 2001 4.0- liter Aurora, in particular-could be bottled and distributed, then Oldsmobile would undoubtedly sell far more of its Auroras than the 40,000 they hope to move during this calendar year (4.0- and 3.5-liter versions combined), a volume which is double that which they've been doing with the previous-generation vehicle.

The Next Same Thing  03/15/00
On North America's biggest stage, some missed their cues...

What Were They Thinking?  03/15/00
Amid all the excitement of the recent Detroit and Los Angeles auto shows, three vehicles stood out for me. But not, I'm afraid, in the positive sense. It seems that after years of solid but uninspiring work, German car company designers are starting to let their hair down. The problem is in some cases, they are going too far, or not paying enough attention to current trends.

Two More Doors, One "New" Truck  12/15/99
The one truism in this industry right now is that trucks make money. So how do you build more different trucks? Just ask Dodge...

Body Shaping  11/15/99
The Frankfurt International Motor Show, which is held every two years, is a key centerpiece for automotive developments. Here is a look at some of what rolled out in Germany this past September, with an emphasis on body materials...

Ford Plays It Safe  11/15/99
Here's a look at how Ford has reconfigured one of America's favorite sedans.

Inside CALTY  09/15/99
We pay a visit to one of the leading design studios in the U.S., one established by Toyota more than 25 years ago.

This Could Be the Start of Something New  09/15/99
There are two new cars from Toyota. One can be thought of as a vehicle for the pragmatic. The other can be considered a car for those who like to put the pedal to the metal (and actually, the pedals for one trim level actually are metal: aluminum). Both, however, are designed and built for appeal to the youth market, the consumers that Toyota hopes will be with it for the long haul. Here are looks at the all-new ECHO and the seventh-generation Celica.

Fast Car, Fast Development  05/15/99
Callaway Cars' C12 is a lot more than just a souped-up `Vette. Though still a relative of the current generation C5 Corvette, the C12 was completely reengineered to race at Le Mans in the GT2 class (which requires entries to be street-legal production derived cars). This gave the engineering team the challenge of designing an ultra-high performance vehicle in which everything new still fits on the original platform. They accomplished this in just four months thanks to the use of powerful CAD technology.

The Tundra: New In More Ways Than One  02/15/99
Here's a look at Toyota's newest vehicle manufacturing facility, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana. When it is fully ramped up next year, it will have the ability to produce 150,000 full-size pickups and sport utility vehicles with the product mix driven by the market, thanks to a flexible approach.

2000 Neon: The Next Generation  01/15/99
Although it might seem that the market is demanding not only trucks and sport utility vehicles, but BIG and expen$ive versions, there is still a not-insignificant place for the small car. And the 2000 Neon was designed, engineered, and is being built to be one that is admittedly bigger than its replacement, but still an important element in the small car category.

Prius: A Look at Toyota's Hybrid  12/15/98
It will be coming to a driveway near you sometime around the end of the year 2000. The Prius uses a highly efficient powertrain setup that is not only peppy (we merged onto the Southfield Freeway from Ford Rd. with a Prius without a hitch-which as many of you know is no small feat) but energy efficient and is expected to have emissions output that meets the Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) requirements.

Building the Odyssey: Honda's Biggest Vehicle  11/15/98
One of Honda's philosophies is to build vehicles where they sell them and to provide vehicles that meet market demands. So now the company is bringing out an all-new minivan that's larger in every way than its previous model. And it built a new factory in Canada to produce the Odyssey. Here's a look inside.

World Class Vehicle Launch Timing: Part 6 of 6  11/15/98
The first five articles raised numerous questions and interesting insights regarding the strategic importance of a new vehicle. As we introduced this series, we raised the theoretical question of a marginal cost curve for vehicle launches. In the model, we suggested that each vehicle firm explicitly or implicitly define its manufacturing cost schedule for vehicle launch times. We also theorized that the companies must make strategic decisions with regard to capital allocations. These decisions would cause a company to move along its launch cost curve, but only through a change in technology or process could a company shift its cost curve.

World Class Vehicle Launch Timing: Part 5 of 6  10/15/98
We identified a total of 3 vehicle launches by Honda, and 3 launches by Toyota during the period investigated. Casual observers of the automotive industry often perceive the many Japanese manufacturers as a single entity. The data collected is further indication that this is not the case. And, although both Toyota and Honda are among the best in North America at returning to full production, there are interesting differences.

Building the Hatchback for the Mercedes A-Class  09/15/98
Here's a step-by-step walk through of an automated line in Brazil that uses 12 robots to assemble hatchbacks. It's an innovative line for an innovative vehicle.

World Class Vehicle Launch Timing: Part 4 of 6  07/15/98
We identified a total of 10 vehicle launches by Chrysler during the period investigated. Six of those launches met the single product, single plant requirement for this investigation. Our discussion focuses on the performance of these six launches.

Building the LH Models (With Particular Emphasis on the LHS & 300M)  06/15/98
The Chrysler brand is increasingly about cars. And the latest launch in the Bramalea assembly plant-the LHS and the 300M models-indicate that the vehicle manufacturer is even serious about taking on the luxury brands, both in this part of the world and elsewhere.

World Class Vehicle Launch Timing: Part 3 of 6  06/15/98
The World Class Vehicle Launch series is investigating the launch performance of five leading vehicle assembly firms operating in North America, and examining their past, and future launch strategies. The companies reviewed in our analysis include Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Toyota, and Honda. We have collected monthly production data on vehicles (30 launches) launched by these companies in North America between 1992 and 1996. Although there were more than 30 launches during this period, our initial investigation focuses on single product-single plant launches. This article looks at Ford and is the third in the series. It is important to note that there are many measures of a successful launch. This series analyzes a launch event in only the most basic form: the time it takes a facility to return to capacity in terms of production. This series is not meant to be an exhaustive study on launch performance, but instead it is meant to further the understanding of the vehicle launch process.

World Class Vehicle Launch Timing: Part 2 of 6  03/15/98
The World Class Vehicle Launch series is investigating the launch performance of five leading vehicle assembly firms operating in North America, and examining their past, and future launch strategies. The companies in our analysis include Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Honda. We have collected monthly production data on vehicles (30 launches) launched by these companies in North America between 1992 and 1996. Although there were more than 30 launches during this period, our initial investigation focuses on single product-single plant launches. This article focuses on General Motors. It is important to note that there are many measures of a successful launch. This series analyzes a launch event in only the most basic form: the time it takes a facility to return to capacity in terms of production. This series is not meant to be an exhaustive study on launch performance, but instead it is meant to further the better understanding of the vehicle launch process.

World Class Vehicle Launch Timing: Part 1 of 6  02/15/98
Several years back, one of the authors visited a major North American assembly plant engaged in the launch of a new vehicle program. A "ramp-up" schedule was prominently displayed on a bulletin board deep in the heart of the plant. The schedule indicated that the day of the visit was the same day the plant was originally planned to achieve full capacity production of its new product. Yet the plant was actually producing only a few units an hour! The assembly plant's tardiness is certainly not uncommon, but did contribute to our interest in the wide range in vehicle launch performance across major vehicle firms.

Building Trucks-Then & Now  01/15/98
The best-selling vehicle in America is a truck. Specifically, a Ford F-Series pickup. 1998 is the Golden Anniversary of the F-Series. So we talked with some veterans of F-Series manufacturing to get some insights on how things have changed over the years.

A Look at the Accord's Product Development  11/15/97
Here's a look at one piece of the development program for the 1998 Honda Accord coupe, which was designed and engineered in the U.S., and is being manufactured exclusively in Marysville, Ohio.

A Look Behind the LH Launch  10/15/97
The Chrysler Concorde and Dodge Intrepid cars are key to the automaker's success in the passenger car segment. The next-generation models, now being built in Bramalea, were created in a $2.1-billion, 31-month program that has huge implications for the corporation. Here's a look at some of the thinking behind the LH program.

The Accord's Awesome Launch  09/15/97
The people at Honda of America Mfg. have performed some impressive feats of changing over from one model to another since they started production in 1982. But for the '98 Accord launch, the word 'impressive' has to give way to 'awesome.'

The Lotus Elise: A Technological Tour de Force  03/15/97
Although the Elise is not available in the U.S.-it doesn't come equipped with airbags-the car, which was introduced in Europe last year, has stirred up a sensation. Key to the car's looks and driveability: the clever use of materials, including plenty of aluminum.

The Plymouth Prowler: Aluminum Intensity & Intensity of Purpose  01/15/97
This month, the Prowler hits the streets as a production automobile. It is a study not only in taking chances in design, but also in pushing the envelope in materials application.