1982 Kawasaki Kz 550 Caliper Brake on 2040-parts.com

Holt Ware becomes Design Director at GM-PATAC

Holt Ware has been appointed to design director at GM's Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC) joint venture in Shanghai, China. He replaces Friedhelm Engler who has since relocated to Germany to lead the Advanced Design Studio, a position vacated by Anthony Lo earlier this year. Ware's new role at GM-PATAC puts him in charge of designers and modelers working in China's leading automotive engineering and design facility.

Ford's maximum C for Frankfurt Auto Show

Ford will introduce the redesigned C-Max, which uses the automaker's first global C-segment platform, at the upcoming Frankfurt auto show. The C-Max will be launched worldwide in the second half of 2010, with other models to follow on the platform, including the next-generation Focus, also coming in 2010. The C-Max takes its "kinetic" design cues from the iosis MAX concept car unveiled at this year's Geneva auto show, incorporating features such as a coupelike sweeping roofline.

Ford Escort returns – for China: Shanghai Motor Show

The Ford Escort Concept has been built by Ford with the aim of taking a sizeable chunk of China’s compact saloon market – estimated at 5.5 million sales a year – and looks remarkably production viable and far from ‘budget’. Escort is a badge China knows – there are plenty of old Escorts floating around Chinese roads – so it’s a sensible move by Ford to revive a badge that already resonates as a compact, affordable saloon with Chinese car buyers. This new Escort gets a proper version of Ford’s latest design language – including the Aston Martin grill – and has good lines and strong detail including jeweled headlights with the lucky Chinese ’8′ discernible ; it looks entirely cohesive and nothing like a Focus with a boot grafted on.