Honda Going Back To The Basics?
By Edward NiedermeyerOctober 28, 2009
Honda has been getting flack on these pages for some time now for succumbing to size and weight bloating, a criticism that carries a special sting for an automaker that clawed its way into the mainstream by offering inexpensive, efficient models. And it seems that a little bashing may have helped. Automotive News [sub] reports that Honda has “torn up” its old product plan, and is refocusing on less expensive, more fuel-efficient offerings.Honda CEO Takanobu Ito explains:
We are taking more time to rethink the new Civic and all our models. We had to revisit our development work and planning to comply with the change in the environment
And Ito isn’t referring to changes in the polar icecap either, but rather to the post-credit crisis consumer environment. Prior to the collapse of Lehman Brothers, Ito says Honda was developing a V8, an RWD platform and a larger successor to the Civic. Now it seems that the financial crisis that has been blamed for everything from declining sales to the bankruptcies of GM and Chrysler is yielding the kind of results that a decade of plenty couldn’t.
Posted in Design | News Blog | Sign of the Times | 47 comments 
Industrial Espionage: Not Just For China Anymore
By Edward NiedermeyerOctober 26, 2009
The recent arrest of a Ford employee on charges of industrial espionage may have been enough to scuttle Ford’s sale of Volvo to Chinese firm Geely. Or, as Bertel Schmitt reports, perhaps the spy story was just a convenient excuse to get more money out of the deal. But whether as a legitimate concern or strategic fearmongering, industrial espionage is hot right now. The Freep reports three former GM-Daewoo employees have been charged with spycraft, for allegedly transferring “critical GM technology” to Russian automaker tagAZ. The technology in question: engine and component designs for Daewoo’s outgoing (J-200 model) Lacetti, predecessor to the Cruze. And GM claims tagAz’s new C-100 sedan (above) looks a little too similar to the Lacetti in question. “It’s pretty close, if not dead on,” say GM-Daewoo spokesfolks. “The J-200 may not be a new vehicle for a lot of developing countries, but for a lot of emerging markets, it’s a very aspirational vehicle.” And it’s been a best-seller in Russia. TagAZ denies that it stole designs from Daewoo, saying it spent four years and $250m developing the C-100. But it also hired “a number” of former Daewoo engineers, according to GM, which is probably the most legitimate way to steal a good design. But with GM possibly wavering on the Opel deal, will this latest espionage raise doubts about the wisdom of selling Opel to another Russian firm? It probably should.
Posted in Design | Korea | Law and Order | News Blog | Overseas | 3 comments
Volt Birth Watch 170: The Color Of Money
By Edward NiedermeyerOctober 22, 2009
GM’s styling department was originally called “Art and Colour,” an indication of the importance The General has always placed on color. And since the Volt hype campaign is leaving no gimmick unturned, GM is offering fans an opportunity to name the greenish-silver color that debuted with the first production-look Volt. The prize? An early test-drive of a pre-production (of course) Volt. Since we’re sure to be barred from test-fleet Volts, why not submit a color name for a chance at what could be TTAC’s first road test of the automotive Hail Mary? Our choices: Silver Lining or Bailout Green. Yours?
Posted in Design | News Blog | Volt Birth Watch | 32 comments
Regal On Facebook: I’m Not Chinese And I’m Not The Crosstour
By Edward NiedermeyerOctober 16, 2009
The US-spec Buick Regal is receiving a better-than-Crosstour reception at Facebook, where official photos are showing some slight visual differences from the Chinese-market model. Against all the odds, the US-spec Buick appears to have dropped the Chinese version’s aftermarket-worthy fender vent. A more-subtle grille is another unexpected but welcome maturation. Or is that regression? This Buick’s as clean as the Insignia, somehow doing without the acres of chrome and tacked-on baubles that too often signify “American luxury.” Predictably, the most common comment on the new Facebook page is “needs ventiports.” Chinese-market Regal, for comparison, after the jump.
Posted in Design | Marketing | News Blog | 52 comments
Ten Concept Cars That Woulda Coulda Maybe Even Shoulda
By Robert FaragoOctober 16, 2009
1. The Cadillac V16 Concept – If GM had dared take the brand way up market, where it belongs, things would have been different for the “standard of the world.” But the nettle was not grasped, and the brand continued—and continues—its long march downmarket, into extinction.
Posted in Branding | Design | News Blog | 84 comments
What’s Wrong With This Picture: Fit For A King Edition
By Edward NiedermeyerOctober 15, 2009
In our Regal-welcoming thread, Martin Schwoerer noted that the Insignia is smaller inside than the Cruze. And guess what? He’s right (trust but verify). The German-market Cruze has 963 mm (37.9 inches) of rear kopffreiheit, while Insignia comes in at 910 cm (35.8 inches) according (PDF) to the guys at motor-talk.de (who cite sources ). These same resourceful forum denizens also dug up the range of distances between the rear and front seats on the Insignia and some competitors and by comparison, Insignia rear seating isn’t sitting pretty.
Posted in 3WTP | Design | Future Vehicles | Germany | News Blog | 21 comments
Chrysler’s 14-Person Product Turnaround
By Edward NiedermeyerOctober 14, 2009
A few weeks ago we heard that Chrysler would be rehiring designers and engineers to help kick-start the companies product refresh-a-thon. After all, seven major reskins in 18 months weren’t going to happen with Chrysler’s bankruptcy-level staffing, which saw some departments covered by “only a few people.” Well, according to the Freep, Chrysler has hired back a total of 14 UAW-represented white-collar staff. And that’s it. Per a Chrysler statement:
Chrysler Group continually evaluates its human resources with the goal of assuring that its workforce is well-qualified and effective. At this time, no decisions have been made regarding an increase in salaried staffing levels.
Posted in Design | Future Vehicles | News Blog | 22 comments
What’s Wrong With This Picture: Tomorrow’s Golf Today Edition
By Edward NiedermeyerSeptember 30, 2009
A video promo for VW’s One Liter Concept accidentally reveals that which keeps Mr De Silva up at night: The 2012 Golf VII.
Posted in 3WTP | Design | News Blog | 17 comments
Quote of the Day: Car Designer As Rock Star Edition
By Edward NiedermeyerSeptember 28, 2009
In the past two years I have spent more time with (VW group CEO) Dr. Winterkorn than with my wife
So sayeth VW Group Design Boss Walter De Silva in Automotive News [sub]. “When I think about the Golf VII, I do not sleep at night,” he adds. Considering that, as head of styling for Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen, De Silva manages about 100 projects at a time, so it’s no wonder Mrs. De Silva takes second place to Herr Winterkorn.
Posted in Design | News Blog | Quote of the Day | 21 comments
Tweet-In Reveals More GM Concepts
By Edward NiedermeyerAugust 10, 2009
Select media, Twitterati and fanboys are taking in the very best of GM hype today at a “tweet-but-don’t-photograph” event. But 140-character messages of hope, renewal and awesome are a bit thin to draw real conclusions from. Not that such semantics stop the faithful from trying. Apparently GM has an ATS concept, based on the mythical Alpha RWD platform. Because GM needs a “real” 3 series fighter in addition to an Epsilon II Buick fighter. Speaking of which, the Epsi II-based Riviera Concept is being teased, as is a Malibu refresh. Between the new concepts and Bob Lutz’s admission that GM’s interiors once resembled “solidified lava,” the twits become downright effusive. “I am bathing in future,” tweets one. But it’s the future of car shows, not showrooms (with the exception of some drooling over the Malibu refresh and it’s allegedly touch-friendly interior). And we already knew that GM can make pretty concepts.
Posted in Design | Future Vehicles | News Blog | 19 comments
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