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Caterham creates next car online

By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 05 November 2008 10:08 Caterham has turned to cyberspace to design its next model – the low-volume carmaker is calling on fans around the world to log onto a bespoke website to submit their ideas and designs for every aspect of the new Caterham, before ultimately voting on what makes it to the final vehicle. The website – www.splitwheel.com - will act as a forum, hosting blogs, articles and what Caterham calls ‘a Wikipedia-style user-edited knowledge base’ to turn user input into a workable vehicle design. A comprehensive voting system that covers all aspects of the car will then be initiated, and once the final specification is agreed a prototype will be produced with initial production slated for 2011.

Maserati banks on Chrysler to boost global sales

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has bold plans for the automaker's Maserati luxury sports car unit: to boost annual sales almost tenfold to 50,000 units from 5,675 last year. Three new models are key to this midterm goal and all are based on systems and components from Chrysler Group. Maserati will introduce two new sedans to replace its Quattroporte flagship model using technology from Chrysler's large sedans such as the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Avenger.

VW Passat gets DSG

Spawned from the very middle of the road Passat, the CC brings the style of the Mercedes CLS to the sector below. A truly good looking car, which should, if there were any justice, sell by the bucket load. VW Passat CC now gets the superb DSG gearbox And VW has just made the CC even more desirable by adding a 7 speed DSG option to the mix.