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Where is Nissan and Infiniti design headed? Just look at the lamps

For a glimpse at future styling trends from Nissan Motor Co., look to the headlamps on the Nissan Leaf electric car and the sculpted rear of the Infiniti M. Front and rear lamps raised from the body surface and pronounced spoilers are two tricks Nissan will use more often to improve the aerodynamics and handling of vehicles--in addition to giving them a futuristic flair, global design chief Shiro Nakamura says. The goal: Win young drivers and bring sales of models such as the Nissan Altima in line with Japanese rivals "The important thing is the front end and the rear end," Nakamura said during an April 12 interview at the company's main design studio south of Tokyo.

Mazda hires VW alum Derek Jenkins to head U.S. design staff

Former Volkswagen designer Derek Jenkins has been hired to be the design chief for Mazda in America. Jenkins, 39, fills a position vacated last summer by Franz von Holzhausen, who left to take the top design post at electric-vehicle maker Tesla Motors. Jenkins had been chief of design for the Volkswagen Group in North America, which he joined in 2000.

Fiat wants a crossover to compete against the Volkswagen Golf

Fiat has decided it won't launch a new conventional hatchback to rival the Volkswagen Golf, Europe's best-selling car. Instead, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne wants the Italian automaker to replace its slow-selling Bravo compact hatchback with an all-new high-roof crossover inspired by the hot-selling Nissan Qashqai. Marchionne first hinted at Fiat's plan to make the bold product move at the Detroit auto show in January.