Assorted Motor Brushes on 2040-parts.com

Ford invents agile, low-cost solution for prototyping, customization and limited production [w/video]

A new metal forming technique pioneered by Ford that drastically reduces the time and cost of producing low-volume and one-off body parts may lead to cost-effective customization, redesigns, one-offs and limited production runs. Ford Freeform Fabrication Technology (F3T) forms sheets of metal by two stylus-like tools, one on each side of the surface. Using CAD data they form the part to the exacting strength and finish tolerances usually associated with stamping dies.

Latest GM shakeup shuffles execs in product planning, development

General Motors Co. has reassigned dozens of product development executives and appointed new heads of global product planning, powertrain engineering and quality in its latest departmental shakeup. Responsibility for global product planning moves to CEO Ed Whitacre from Vice Chairman Tom Stephens.

Now Porsche catches the SUV Coupe bug with plans for a Cayenne Coupe

Porsche are planning a coupe version of the next Cayenne (current Turbo S pictured) No one thought the BMW X6 would sell; after all, who would want an SUV with a compromised coupe roofline? But it seems plenty of buyers do – the BMW X6 sells at twice the rate BMW predicted – which is why we’re getting an X6 clone in the new Mercedes GL Coupe – likely to be the Mercedes MLC – heading for a Mercedes showroom near you sometime soon after being previewed by the Mercedes Concept Coupe. Now, Porsche are apparently playing the SUV Coupe game with plans for a coupe version of the next generation Cayenne in 2018, according to Autocar, to make sure BMW and Mercedes don’t have things all their own way.