GM closes UK Advanced Design Studio

CDN has learnt that General Motors is closing its UK Advanced Design Studio as part of its ongoing restructuring program. Clay Dean, GM's executive director of advanced global design and Cadillac's brand director, arrived at the studio on 4 August to announce the closure to staff. The UK studio, which opened in 1999, was predominantly involved in the creation of Cadillac concept cars and was originally planned to be a short-term confidential operation as the smallest of GM's design studios.

Concept Car of the Week: Ford Forty-Nine (2001)

Over 1.3 million orders were placed for the 1949 Ford before it even went officially on sale. The revolutionary post-war design with slick slab sides and semi-covered wheels became a symbol of American optimism. "The inspiration for the Forty-Nine concept comes from the passion and excitement of the original, combined with the imagination of people across America who customized the car and turned it into what they thought a really great car should be," said J Mays, Ford's vice president of Design at the unveiling of the retro-futurist coupe back in 2001.

Eight hot rods compete for Ridler Award in Detroit

The 59th Annual Autorama has taken over Cobo Center in downtown Detroit with hundreds of hot rods, customs classics cars and motorcycles in what has been billed as America's greatest hot rod show. Judges have selected eight vehicles--dubbed the Great 8--as finalists for the coveted Ridler Award that will be presented Sunday evening at the show's conclusion. The Great 8 are: -- Jim Marciniak from Andover, Minn., with a 1963 Buick.