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Production output decline slowing

By Alex Michaelides Motor Industry 24 July 2009 12:09 It appears there may be some light at the end of the tunnel for ailing car manufacturers as the most recent vehicle production figures are released. The data, presented by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), show that, while production levels are still on the decline, the pace at which they are declining is slowing. Car production figures for June 2009 are still down by 30.2% compared with this time last year, however this is an improvement on the 50.2% by which production is down so far this year.

Infographic: How much clay do Ford’s design studios use each year?

Ford has offered an insight into its clay modeling processes with a series of videos and an infographic that charts the process involved in turning a designer's sketch into a full-size model. The infographic uses data taken from all of Ford's global design studios in 2012 to give an idea of how much clay is used in a year, plus how much paint and di-noc film is used to cover each model. Ford has also released a video that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the firm's clay modeling studio in Merkenich, Germany, including interviews with members of the modeling team.

Former car writer has dream job at Mazda R&D

True story: When Mazda engineer Dave Coleman was 10 years old, he announced that he wanted to work at Mazda. See, at about that time, his dad bought a 1983 Mazda RX-7, a car so overwhelmingly awesome to young Dave, he was hopelessly smitten with the entire brand. “All the other kids, when you asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up, they said all that astronaut/fireman crap.