Reese Reflective Strip 73886 on 2040-parts.com

Chrysler to close Pacifica Advanced Design Studios

The 20 designers at Chrysler's Pacifica Advanced Design Studios in Carlsbad, California will soon be finding themselves out of a job. The struggling North American automaker announced the closure of the facility on Friday, stating that the company is ‘leveraging resources worldwide, forming new joint ventures and alliances and consolidating operations in order to better achieve global balance.' Responsible for many of the more successful designs hailing from Chrysler in recent times, including the Chrysler 300 sedan and the new Dodge Challenger musclecar, the Pacifica Advanced Product Design Center also yielded the Nassau concept car and the Pacifica crossover – bearing the same name as the west coast studios in which it was created. The work done at the Pacifica Advanced Design Center will be consolidated into the Advance Design function in Auburn Hills and continue to be led by Senior Vice President of Design, Trevor Creed.

Mercedes S-Class Coupe: Frankfurt 2013

The Mercedes S-Class Coupe (pictured) arrives in concept guise at Frankfurt The Mercedes CL was never really the big seller you might expect a coupe version of probably the best saloon car in the world – the Mercedes S Class – to be, But that could change with the new Mercedes S-Class Coupe, revealed today at the Frankfurt Motor Show as a concept. The Concept S-Class Coupe – which looks pretty much production-ready – comes complete with a new look, a look that reflects Mercedes’ recent design changes with a clear feel of a grown-up CLA in its lines. The long bonnet, raised line running from the front wings to the back wheelarch, no B-pillar, and a nose that takes the good-looking front of the CLA as its cue – but takes it a step further – makes the S-Class Coupe look like a proper Mercedes in its own right and not just a two-door version of the S-Class.

Top 5 Car Photo Galleries of 2012 – topped by 2013 Range Rover

We take a look at the Top 5 photo galleries viewed on Cars UK during 2012 – a good indicator of the most interesting cars of the year. There have been lots of interesting car news stories on Cars UK during 2012, but are the stories themselves a true indicator of how interested you, dear reader, are in the news that’s happening in the car world, or is it how much additional information you seek out on a story that’s the reality of just how much interest there is? We decided the amount of times a gallery of photos of a new car is viewed is probably more indicative than the story itself, so we’ve dug through our stats to see what floated your boat most in 2012.