Aircraft Vertical Compass - on 2040-parts.com

Lorenzo Ramaciotti to head Chrysler and Lancia design

Lorenzo Ramaciotti, current head of design at Fiat Group, has been tasked with leading the design of future Chrysler and Lancia products in a bid to more than double the sales figures of the newly collaborated brands. The 63-year-old former Pininfarina designer – credited to some of the most beautiful Italian machinery of the modern era – has been asked by Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Fiat and Chrysler Group LLC, to create a common styling language for the two brands that wouldn't look out of place in Detroit or Milan. Ramaciotti has made it clear that badge-engineering isn't going to be the future for the two brands and is hoping to inject a unique, but global flavor, into the two brands.

Autumn issue of Interior Motives and special 10th Anniversary edition available now

The Autumn edition of Car Design News' quarterly interior design magazine Interior Motives is out now, featuring in-depth explorations of the very best interior designs from the recent Beijing, Paris and Moscow auto show Stories include the ground-breaking first concept from the newly launched, China-only Denza brand, created by Daimler and BYD to tap into the growing desire for luxury family cars, and Audi's Crosslane Coupé, which showcases the marque's new design philosophy. Also included in the latest edition is the full story behind the all-new Range Rover – widely considered to be the best SUV ever built – and the innovative Onyx concept shown by Peugeot at the Paris motor show. Combined with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the development of Lada's XRay (a stake in the ground by new design boss Steve Mattin) and a report from the 2012 Interior Motives Design Awards, the Autumn issue is essential reading for anyone working in automotive design.

Hearing the call of the auto-show siren

Margery Krevsky walks over to a display case containing several hood-ornament reproductions. “This is probably the most famous hood ornament in the world,” she says, pointing to Rolls-Royce's “The Spirit of Ecstasy.” The story behind it “could be made into a movie,” as she put it. And it would be worth watching for car enthusiasts.