Autoblog

Aston Martins rank highly among the most beautiful cars on the road. Granted, they all look pretty much the same – evolutions on a common theme that has ranged from the DB7 through to the upcoming production Rapide four-door – but each one is a study in elegance and sophistication.

Future models, however, are set to be conceived and designed at a new facility which the now independent British sportscar marque is in the process of establishing in Gaydon, Warwickshire, England, at the site of its complex there (pictured above) which the company built to replace its historic home at Newport Pagnell.

The new design center is part of an ambitious program being undertaken by Aston Martin, under the leadership of CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez and chairman David Richards, to dramatically expand its market reach. We can't wait to see what the boys at Aston cook up next at its fancy new facility.

Our thanks go out to Mikkel for the tip.

[Source: BBC]

All those wasted years sitting in ordinary classrooms, drawing pictures of cars in our notebooks. We should have gone to Ferrari school! The Prancing Horse marque has just inaugurated its new Training Center with a 1,200 square-meter facility near the factory in Maranello.

The new Ferrari Training Center replaces the previous classrooms used at the factory and includes new workshops, classrooms and offices where the company offers courses in mechanics, bodywork, electric systems, product information and post-sales. A total of 149 courses at basic and advanced levels in a variety of languages will be offered. The courses are aimed at the 1,500 technicians in the worldwide Ferrari network. Basic courses are required for all Ferrari technicians, and the advanced courses lead to certification as a reference expert in any of the brand's 52 markets worldwide.

The courses offered at the training center – as well as at satellite facilities in the US, Great Britain and China – are Ferrari's way of ensuring that its technicians and staff around the globe are providing the best service possible. Sure beats the basic auto mechanics course from the local community college.

[Source: Ferrari via Italiaspeed]