1970 Challenger Quarter Glass Seals Quarter Window W/s #1247 on 2040-parts.com

Design Services: Ficosa International

In the hierarchy of car design the exterior of a powerful sports car is usually regarded as the highest level whilst the design of some of the smaller functional components tends to sit at the bottom. But even for companies not obviously dependant on sexy curves to help them make money, design is increasingly being recognised as a critical ingredient for commercial success. Whilst most large suppliers have grown their design capability over the last decade, few have truly embraced the potential of having a focus on Design within their corporate strategy.

Lotus appoints Mansory as official car customiser

Lotus appoints Mansory to customise their cars Lotus has teamed up with car customiser Mansory to create custom versions of its Exige, Elise and Evora. Car makers in the upper echelons have customers who want to make their car more individual than a regular options list can manage. So they either have their own in-house bespoke service – like Ferrari’s Tailor Made – or they appoint an official customiser.

Crunch watch Sept 09: the auto industry in crisis

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 30 September 2009 11:30 Welcome to CAR's news aggregator as we round up the seismic change in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hour  Wednesday 30 September 2009• Mitsubishi's global production in August was 62,924 units, a decline of 32.1% compared to August 2008. It was also the 18th consecutive monthly decrease for the Japanese car company (Mitsubishi)• Fernando Alonso has signed a three-year deal to drive for the Scuderia Ferrari F1 team.