Performance Tool All Purpose Funnel W4015 1 Pt. on 2040-parts.com

Lorenzo Ramaciotti to head Chrysler and Lancia design

Lorenzo Ramaciotti, current head of design at Fiat Group, has been tasked with leading the design of future Chrysler and Lancia products in a bid to more than double the sales figures of the newly collaborated brands. The 63-year-old former Pininfarina designer – credited to some of the most beautiful Italian machinery of the modern era – has been asked by Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat and Chrysler Group LLC, to create a common styling language for the two brands that wouldn't look out of place in Detroit or Milan. Ramaciotti has made it clear that badge-engineering isn't going to be the future for the two brands and is hoping to inject a unique, but global flavor, into the two brands.

Mercedes C-class shown

By Tim Pollard Motor Shows 09 March 2007 01:08 Mercedes Vision C220 Bluetec: the lowdown Mercedes' bigger, better and cleaner new C-class hogged centre stage at the DaimlerChrysler stand. The C is the bedrock of Merc's range and the company rolled out a slew of derivatives to mark the occasion - including the Vision C220 Bluetec, the first four-cylinder diesel with Merc's clean-breathing tech. Vision is a tag for Stuttgart's concepts that are a dead cert for the showrooms, so expect something very like this soon.

Videos: Volkswagen's exterior and interior designers highlight the Up's design elements

We've enjoyed the design of Volkswagen's new Up since we first saw the vehicle in concept form at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show. Devoid of any extraneous detailing, the simple, product design aesthetic is pared back to represent the crux of VW's design philosophy: pure, simple and solid.  The result is a harmonious design that stands out from the pack, with simple surfacing and subtle detailing; the Up's design is pure and minimalistic, which serves to exude quality in the product. Inside, the vehicle is brimming with space-saving design details.  From an IP devoid of central air vents to a thin headrest that visually extends the height of the interior, the Up is a success story in space efficiency, but it is also finished to a high level using quality materials.