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Porsche announces new Weissach design center and wind tunnel

Porsche is to invest around €150m into its Weissach development facility, including a new design center. The plans also include an electronics integration department and a state-of-the art, on-site wind tunnel, which is hoped will allow the company to realize an holistic approach to efficient design, with a strong focus on aerodynamics. When we spoke with head of Porsche design, Michael Mauer, at this year's Paris motor show, he also alluded to the fact that the Volkswagen Group's – and, more specifically, Walter de'Silva's – recent influence on the German manufacturer was shifting its attitudes: "The Volkswagen Group has a very good understanding of how much freedom a brand needs to keep its characteristics and with [Walter] as 'conductor', I feel a lot of support with design issues within the company," explained Mauer.

Peugeot-designed Santa's sleigh (2010)

It's that time of year again when CAR commissions leading car designers to pen their vision of Santa's sleigh. First up in 2010's sleighfest is Peugeot's new Christmas transport. The new Peugeot sleigh adopts all the latest design trends straight from the design bible of Gilles Vidal, the 38-year-old design director in Paris.

Nissan mulls Titan engine variations

Nissan engineers and designers are playing catch-up to create the next-generation full-sized Titan pickup, now that the project is back on their plate. A plan to develop the pickup jointly with Chrysler off the Dodge Ram collapsed last year. Now Nissan must make up for lost time.