Yep, don't you remember hearing for years that the VW design studio is just over the hill
in Simi Valley? That's where he designed the New Beetle. I think I saw him about a month
ago, the tip off? he was driving a TT QUATTRO. Also fyi the company that writes the engine
management software for all US VW's and Audi's is in Westlake Village too I beleive. And that Neuspeed/Greedspeed gets periodic peeks at whats coming down the pike. Don't be surprised if they are quick to market with chips for the drive by wire 2k S4's and A4's

BMW X5 (Sport Activity Vehicle) on Sepulveda, southbound at about 7.00 - 7.30pm last Friday.
BMW M5, westbound on Santa Monica Blvd. at Overland (by Mormon Temple) last March.

He is a V.P. of Design at DaimlerChrysler in Auburn Hills Michigan. I know, I work for him.

JohnO

...and where did you go to school?

JohnO

BTW, Freeman is really a cool guy. Glad he's around.

The Audi came before the job. Of course, I heartily endorse all DaimlerChrysler products. They're American and German, what could be better? There are DC employees who drive all manner of interesting vehicles - all in the name of long-term competetive vehicle analysis ;)

JohnO

The following schools have transportation (automotive) design curriculums in the U.S.:

Center for Creative Studies(CCS) in Detroit
Art Center Pasadena,CA
Cleveland Institute of Art
Academy of Art In San Francisco
Cincinnatti University

Only CCS and Art Center offer Transportation Design degrees, the others offer general Industrial Design degrees with automotive coursework. These are all four or five year programs, usually a BA. These programs are extremely competitive given the limited number of jobs available each year. The workload has been likened to medical school - very intensive.

Although Art Center has a more famous program, CCS is currently considered the top school in the US. CCS places more graduates with the OEMs than any other school. Academy of Art seems to have an ambitious new program though.

Check out any of these schools on the web for more info!

JohnO

In the current issue there is a story about Jesse Alexander, the guy who took all of those really cool TT photographs... He lives just south of here in Carpinteria. He's picking up an A6 4.2 from us next week!

I just graduated from CCS this year, I am currently working for ASC in Warren. I mostly do design work for GM.

RichD99.51.8tqm APR1.0bar, Neuspeed exhaust, etc...