Design

August 11, 2008 - Torrance, CA - The 2009 Toyota Venza, scheduled to go on sale later this year, is the first example of Toyota's new direction in passenger car design combining elegance, innovation, comfort and utility.

"We wanted to create something entirely different," said Kevin Hunter, president of Toyota's Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, Calif., and Ann Arbor, Mich.

2009 Toyota Venza

"Not an SUV, not a wagon, not a coupe and not a sedan. We aimed for a more road-focused vehicle and sporty direction."

2008-06-12 -- Saab Automobile is the principal sponsor of Sweden’s most prestigious design prize, Design S – the Swedish Design Award – together with the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. This sponsorship is an expression of Saab’s commitment to Scandinavian design principles and interest in promoting a holistic view on design issues. The bi-annual award was founded by Svensk Form, SVID (the Swedish Industrial Design Foundation), and the Advertising Association of Sweden. The Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling, presented the award at the prize-giving ceremony.

Chicago area fashion students showcase automotive inspired garments at annual fashion show

CHICAGO, 2008-05-15 – Tonight, one-of-a-kind fashions inspired by General Motors (GM) vehicles and created by students from the International Academy of Design and Technology (the Academy) will be on display and paraded down the runway at the Academy’s annual fashion show, Imagine 2008.

Tata has expressed interest in participating Pininfarina’s planned capital increase

Turin, April 24, 2008 – Pininfarina intends to establish a Research, Design and Engineering Centre in Pune, India within the end of 2008. Pininfarina and Tata have signed a Letter of Intent wherein Tata will support this Centre in India with contracts and participate with a minority interest. Pininfarina will be the majority shareholder with management responsibility.

American Axle & Manufacturing Announces Increase in New Business Backlog

DETROIT, Jan. 17, 2008 /PRNewswire - FirstCall/ -- American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (AAM), which is traded as AXL on the NYSE, today announced that it will continue its role as driveline supplier for the next generation of GM's full-size trucks.

AAM's sales of driveline components relating to GM's full-size pick-ups and SUVs represent more than half of AAM's annual sales.

While GM has not yet finalized product definitions and other pertinent engineering details, AAM expects the scope and magnitude of AAM's role on the successor program to be substantially the same as on the existing program.

Crewe/Brussels, January 16, 2008 -- Dirk van Braeckel, director of design at Bentley Motors, has been awarded the prestigious European Automotive Design Award by Designers (Europe), in partnership with FEBIAC, the Belgian automotive industry association. Previous winners of the award, which honours excellence and originality in automotive design, include Giorgietto Giugiaro in 2004 and Sergio Pininfarina in 2006.

NAIAS welcomes thousands of industry insiders Jan. 16-17

DETROIT, Jan. 16, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of automotive industry executives, engineers and designers will converge at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) today and tomorrow in Detroit for special events emphasizing design and green technologies. In addition to the events, attendees have the opportunity to network and view the incredible concept and production vehicles and exhibits on the NAIAS show floor.

Dec. 11, 2007 -- Aston Martin’s new design studio cements the company's reputation as one of the world's most technologically sophisticated sports car manufacturers. Design is one of Aston Martin's core values, and the new Studio, located in a world class building adjacent to Aston Martin's manufacturing and engineering centre at Gaydon in Warwickshire, integrates the process into the heart of the company. “Aston Martin is about design and it is about beauty,” says Aston Martin's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez, “yet until now it has never had its own design studio.”

TOKYO, Japan, December 11, 2007 -- The Nissan Design Forum & 'Imagination Factory' Exhibition, kicks off today in Hong Kong, bringing effectively, a close to the series of this well-received and successful event in Asia for 2007.

Working in close collaboration with the Hong Kong Design Centre, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University's School of Design, the Nissan Design Forum will take place from December 11-16 2007, during the Business of Design Week (bodw) 2007, Asia's leading international conference dedicated to design, brand and innovation.

This is the first time the Nissan Design Forum has been planned to coincide with a pivotal global event to ensure optimal outreach to professionals in the design communities, students as well as design and automotive enthusiasts in Hong Kong.

Nov 16, 2007 -- Los Angeles – A car with extended, elegant lines which can change its form at the touch of a button and adapt to the requirements of its owners at any time – this is the automotive vision that Mercedes-Benz is presenting at the Los Angeles Design Challenge, which is being held for the fourth time as part of the 2007 L.A. Auto Show.

Mercedes-Benz SilverFlow Design Concept