Ford Overhauls Design Center in Germany

Ford Motor Co. has completed a $15 million remodeling and expansion of its 44-year-old design center in Merkenich-Cologne, Germany.

The overhaul adds a wing that expands the facility's floorspace 23% to 16,000 sq. meters (172,200 sq. ft.). New equipment includes a 3-D "powerwall" that enables designers to share vehicles and concepts with colleagues worldwide, and new CAD-driven milling machines to make precise clay models for wind tunnel testing.

The open-plan facility houses the team with global responsibility for Ford's subcompact and compact vehicles, including the Fiesta and Focus.