Honda Nps50 Ruckus Seat Cover on 2040-parts.com

Chrysler Shakes Up Design Leadership

A recent shuffle of Chrysler Group's design team could be just what the company needs to effect a quick turnaround after bankruptcy, industry analysts say. The automaker has promoted three men from within to head design for its Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands. These freshly created positions - part of a broader restructuring effort - will report to Ralph Gilles, senior vice president of product design.

1984 Ford Mustang SVO: American metal, European performance

If the 1978 Ford Mustang King Cobra II isn't quite your thing, why not give the 1984 Ford Mustang SVO a try? In the Jan. 3, 1983, issue of Autoweek, we previewed a different take on the pony car -- one that promised "visual subtlety with unsubtle performance." Built on the Fox platform, the Mustang SVO (for "Special Vehicle Operations") wasn't supposed to be a flashy package for the wannabe racer -- it was designed from the ground up to be a balanced road car, "a state-of-the-art performance vehicle for the absolutely no-compromises performance buyer." And when we say "ground up," we mean it.

Nissan Note (2013) first pictures

This is the new Nissan Note, due to arrive in the UK in 2013. Nissan chiefs are quick to point out that the car shown here is the Japanese market version, and that the car offered to European buyers next year will have design tweaks inside and out, and a different dynamic set-up. What do we know about the 2013 Nissan Note?