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Feat of Clay: We take a peek inside Toyota's Calty design center

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Minivan/Van, Lexus, Scion, Toyota, Design/Style

Toyota's Calty Design Research in Newport Beach, CA - Click above for high-res image gallery

In anticipation of the debut of the all-new 2011 Toyota Sienna at the 2009 LA Auto Show in December, the folks responsible for the minivan invited us to take a peek inside their Calty design center in Newport Beach, California. Calty Design Research is the Toyota design center that created production cars like the '78, '90 and '00 Toyota Celica, '07 FJ Cruiser, '07 Tundra, '08 Highlander, '08 Scion xB, and '09 Venza, as well as the Lexus LF-C, FT-SX, Scion t2B, Scion FUSE, FT-HS and A-BAT concepts.

It's not very often that they open the doors of this design center to the public - let alone journalists - so we jumped at the chance. We spent a day with the group directly responsible for the 2011 Sienna and also met with Calty and Toyota officials. It was an enlightening day in which we learned about what inspired this third generation people-hauler, what Calty offers to differentiate it from other Toyota design houses, and why full-size clay models are still so important in the world of design, among other things.

Follow the jump to travel with us past the velvet rope and into Calty.

Gallery: Calty Design Research Tour

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Feat of Clay: We take a peek inside Toyota's Calty design center originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Former BMW designer Chris Bangle to open own studio?

Chris Paukert — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:28:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, BMW, Rumormill

For those who have been wondering when and where lightning-rod designer Chris Bangle will surface again, Automotive News has some scuttlebutt for you. According to the industry publication, the controversial BMW stylist has some plans of his own - for a new design studio.

While Bangle has not yet gone on record as saying anything, BMW's development head, Klaus Draeger has reportedly spilled the flame-surfaced beans, saying: "He's going to make his own dream come true. He's going to open his own design studio."

It isn't yet clear whether Bangle's next project will have an automotive focus or take his talents to other disciplines, but early reports (and a likely non-compete clause in his Bavarian contract) would probably indicate that he will move on to other things. If Bangle does make room for automotive consulting at some point, his design influence could well spread beyond BMW.

[Automotive News - subs req.]

Former BMW designer Chris Bangle to open own studio? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pininfarina to cease contract manufacturing, transfer ownership to banks

Noah Joseph — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Trends, Europe, Plants/Manufacturing, Earnings/Financials

Click above to view the Pininfarina Sintesi in our high-resolution image gallery

It's been a rough few years for Italy's coachbuilders, and times aren't getting any easier. Bertone almost went under before a rescue plan was approved by the courts at the eleventh hour, and now Pininfarina is poised to follow them down the same path. Drowning in nearly €600 million in debt, Pininfarina is set to shut down its contract manufacturing operations and concentrate on its own electric vehicle initiative while the family loses control of its company to the banks.

Although contract manufacturing once constituted the lion's share of business for outfits like Pininfarina, those times are long gone. Pininfarina still makes the Focus Coupe-Cabriolet for Ford and the Brera and Spider for Alfa Romeo, but at levels hovering around a quarter of anticipated output. Instead, the design house will refocus on its joint production of the Bzero electric vehicle with Bollore, targeted to hit the market in 2010-11. Meanwhile, the grandchildren of Battista "Pinin" Farina - recently lead by Andrea Pininfarina (until his death in a tragic accident in August) and now led by his brother Paolo - will transfer 50.4 percent ownership to its creditors in exchange for a €180 million reduction of its debt, to be followed by a further reduction of €70 million in exchange for rights to the name. The family, meanwhile, will retain only 4.5 percent stake in the namesake company, with the remaining shares publicly traded (including some held by Enzo's son Piero Ferrari and some by Tata). The banks, however, will seek no management changes or board seats in exchange for the controlling interest.

Gallery: Pininfarina B0

[Source: Automotive News Europe - Sub. Req.]

Pininfarina to cease contract manufacturing, transfer ownership to banks originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Jan 2009 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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