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Ford aims to improve comfort for workers on its assembly lines

Ford Motor Co. is using a digital mannequin, customized to account for physical differences across regions, to determine how to make jobs less physically strenuous for its assembly-line workers. The digital worker avatar is based on Ford's virtual North American Jack and Jill workers.

Renault's future performance models

By Richard Yarrow Motor Industry 24 April 2008 10:20 There has never been a hot version of the Laguna from Renaultsport – the performance arm of the French car maker – and our advice is don’t hold your breath for one any time soon. With the MkIII Laguna launched last year, the timing would be perfect for the debut of a flagship model on the home turf of the Paris motor show in October 2008. But Patrick Pelata, Renault’s director of product planning, told CAR Online the quality of other super-saloons coupled with environmental concerns meant it wasn’t likely.

Button blasts noise detractors

JENSON BUTTON has delivered a damning response to any Formula One driver bemoaning the sport's current lack of noise. The piercing scream of the old 2.4-litre V8 engines has been replaced by the more textural sound of the new 1.6-litre V6 turbo-charged power units, and it has caused a considerable furore. Following the Australian Grand Prix race chairman Ron Walker was left fuming, suggesting he had grounds for a lawsuit as he felt the lack of sound compromised his contract with Bernie Ecclestone.