2009-2013 Nissan Maxima Spoiler (black) on 2040-parts.com

Autodesk European Automotive Days 2008

The 2008 Autodesk European Automotive Days conference was held last week in Munich, bringing together 200 automotive design and visualization experts. Autodesk presented their strategy and vision for industrial design, with an emphasis on 'digital prototyping', where even at the concept stage the digital model is treated not just as a set of surfaces, but is integrated within the engineering process as as a functional digital prototype, with the aim to eventually replace physical models entirely. There was also a recognition that traditional techniques continue to have an important place alongside digital workflows, as the workflows and technologies continue to evolve.

Cadillac CTS-V ‘sets saloon Nurburgring record’

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 12 May 2008 10:31 Cadillac’s new CTS-V has set a new production saloon lap record at the Nurburgring, the company claims. It reports the 2009 CTS-V lapped the 13-and-a-bit mile circuit in an impressive 7min 59.32sec.‘This blistering time appears to be the fastest ever publicly documented for a production sedan,’ says a breathless press release. And according to the records we’ve researched, they appear to be correct, although a Subaru Impreza STi Spec-C also lapped in 7min 59sec.It leaves us wondering who else is going to launch an assault on the Nordschleife’s 73 corners.

Q&A: David Townsend, GM global design director, user experience

GM's new design director of user experience, David Townsend, has only been in the job just over a month. But with a remit extending to the interface design of every vehicle in GM's global portfolio, his influence will soon be widespread. After graduating from Art Center with a degree in transportation design, Townsend interned for Toyota but soon moved to Motorola, where he developed wearable Bluetooth technology and designed the familiar headsets worn by coaches in the NFL.