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Ford nabs former Cadillac stylist for new Lincoln design chief

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Cadillac, Ford, GM, Lincoln, Design/Style

Max Wolff, Lincoln design head Max Wolff, formerly of General Motors, has been hired by Ford Motor Company to head up Lincoln’s design team effective January 3, 2011.

During his tenure at GM, Wolff was most recently responsible for leading Cadillac’s exterior design team, though he also held positions at the automaker’s Holden and Daewoo divisions. Ford sees Wolff’s global design experience as a benefit for Lincoln, bringing “a fresh perspective that will challenge us internally and take Lincoln to new levels of prestige,” says Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group Vice President for Global Product Development.

Wolff, 38, is tasked with creating a definitive design language for Lincoln that extends beyond the large split-grilled creations we currently see. Specifically, Ford has cited that the Lincoln brand will debut seven all-new or significantly refreshed vehicles over the next four years, including the automaker’s first-ever C-segment car. For the full details, hit the jump for the official press release.

[Source: Ford]

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Ford nabs former Cadillac stylist for new Lincoln design chief originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2011 Ford Fiesta nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick, Autoblog watches

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Safety, Technology, Hatchback, Ford

2011 Ford Fiesta gets IIHS Top Safety Pick – Click above to watch video after the jump

We have mountains of respect for the men and women who work at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. After being invited to the institute’s Charlottesville, Virginia facility for a front-row seat to the 2011 Ford Fiesta’s frontal-offset test, we can honestly say that if we had their job, we’d have a hard time getting into just any old car ever again. While the Blue Oval’s new sub-compact passed its battery of evaluations with flying colors (being the first and only minicar to earn a Top Safety Pick nod since the institute added a rollover test), we were also treated to a tour of some of the more poorly engineered models from the recent past.

Manufacturers have made an impressive amount progress on the safety front in the last decade, thanks largely to a close partnership with the IIHS. The institute has worked to revise crash tests to more accurately reflect the composition of vehicles on the road. One of its primary functions is to identify crashes where people die in otherwise well-rated vehicles and to adjust crash tests accordingly. While the public identifies the institute with bouncing perfectly good cars off of chunks of aluminum and concrete, the truth is that crash testing is only a small part of the IIHS mission. Of course, it’s also the most fun part. Follow the jump to take a look at a video of the Fiesta’s frontal-offset test.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Fiesta IIHS Crash Tests

Gallery: IIHS Crash Test Exhibition Hall

Continue reading Video: 2011 Ford Fiesta nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick, Autoblog watches

Video: 2011 Ford Fiesta nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick, Autoblog watches originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 BMW 5-Series nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick laurels

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Safety, BMW, Luxury

2011 BMW 535i – Click above for high-res image gallery

The 2011 BMW 5 series can stick another feather in its jaunty Alpine cap. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has awarded the German automaker’s middle child the coveted Top Safety Pick accolade. The newest generation of the 5er managed to nab the highest ratings possible for front, side, rear and rollover crash protection, becoming the first 5 Series to win the Top Safety Pick in the model’s history. Surprisingly enough, the 2011 5 Series is also the first BMW to take the award since the IIHS incorporated its new roll-over test.

The institute says that BMW has made up impressive ground in the area of side impact protection. Last year’s car only managed a “marginal” rating during that section of testing, while the new car was granted the highest rating possible. The institute goes on to say that its test replicates an impact from a larger vehicle, such as an SUV of a pickup truck, to accommodate for the higher number of these vehicles on the road today. Full details at the link below.

Gallery: 2011 BMW 5 Series IIHS Crash Test

[Source: IIHS]

2011 BMW 5-Series nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick laurels originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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