Ford yesterday remodelled its image as a stuffy, old, loss-making car-maker by opening a new "design and creativity" centre in the heart of London's Soho.

A rotating team of 31 designers will work in the all-glass Richard Rogers-designed studio, Ingeni, on non-auto products such as sunglasses, watches, furniture, guitars and bullet-proof briefcases as well as on new models for Ford's eight brands.

A third of Ingeni's work will be spent designing cars for brands such as Mercury, Jaguar and Volvo, with data files sent from Soho to Ford plants or design centres where they can be turned into "clays." A further third of its work will be spent creating luxury goods licensed and distributed through Beanstalk, a Ford subsidiary, and the final third on creating products for external clients.