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Autoweek Design Forum 2007

The North American International Auto Show press days were followed again this year by the AutoWeek Design Forum. For this 14th edition of the Forum, the organizers picked 'Design for Success' as a theme for the conferences. And this theme was quite relevant given the gloomy forecasts made by some about the financial health of the Detroit-based car manufacturers.

Frank Stephenson on the importance of color in design

During the announcement of the McLaren Automotive's partnership with paints and coatings company, AkzoNobel, Car Design News took the opportunity to discuss the importance of color in design with design director Frank Stephenson. According to Stephenson color's ability to invoke emotions and communicate with viewers, he described just how big a part it has to play in the design process and how it inspires designers when developing products. "The first thing color does is influence the brand – it gives the customer an identifiable element to what we're talking about.

GM preps for new engines, 8-speed transmission

General Motors is spending $332 million to upgrade powertrain plants in three states to build a new eight-speed automatic transmission, a new V6 and a new family of small-displacement gasoline engines. The plants are in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. GM is also adding $46 million to an earlier $600 million program to upgrade powertrain plants in Saginaw and Romulus, Mich.