ORIGINAL: joeyr

AUBURN HILLS, Michigan — Chrysler was one of the first automakers to set up a California design studio in the late 1980s. It was part of the rush to get ahead of automotive trends, which typically germinated on the West Coast. But the automaker announced on Friday that it will close its Pacifica Advance Product Design Center in Carlsbad, California, which was the incubator for such key products as the Dodge Challenger and Chrysler 300.

"Chrysler's global strategy is moving forward," the company said in a statement. "Increasingly, we are leveraging resources worldwide, forming new joint ventures and alliances and consolidating operations in order to better achieve global balance. These moves are designed to help Chrysler become a more globally focused manufacturer, with design, engineering, sourcing and a local presence to serve local customers."

It characterized the closing of the design studio as "part of the ongoing consolidation of our North American business and achieving a right-sized operational footprint to match market realities."

On Saturday, Chrysler said 20 employees at the Carlsbad facility will be affected, but the announcement did not spell out any specific designers. All of Chrysler's design work will now take place at the automaker's headquarters in Auburn Hills.

California has been widely regarded by automakers as a major hub of automotive design and an inspirational setting for designers hoping to tap into the youth market and trends in popular culture.

What this means to you: Score one for the Chrysler bean counters. But only time will tell if this surprising move hampers the creative minds at the beleaguered automaker

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