• MSNBC, Wednesday, April 9, 2008 10:15 AM

Each of the three big U.S. automakers are investing in engineering, design and development centers overseas, aiming to draw on talent from other regions and develop a more global business outlook.

Perhaps the most striking example of this trend has been Chrysler's decision to close down its Pacifica Advance Product Design Center in Carlsbad, Calif.--a studio that had a part in designing some of the automaker's biggest recent hits, including the Chrysler 300 sedan. The decision to center design operations near the company's headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., is not necessarily to shave costs but rather is part of the company's new global focus, according to Jim Press, Chrysler's vice chairman and president. He points to its plan to develop entry-level compact vehicles with Chinese automaker Chery Automobile.

China also figures prominently in the design direction of Buick, an iconic American brand that's seen as old and stuffy in the U.S. but is GM's most popular brand in China. Its Buick Riviera coupe concept, for example, was designed there. At the same time, Ford is reorganizing its design and engineering centers around the world to make the company more global and to speed up development.

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