As many auto fans know, Local Motors used an open development platform that welcomed public input in developing its wild, off-road-ready desert racer named the Rally Fighter.

While the open-sourced model still isn't 100 percent proven, Local Motors has no intention of abandoning it. In fact, it announced this week that it has developed a new website-based platform for future collaboration.

Called The Forge, the new platform enables OEMs, aftermarket companies, educational institutions and hobbyists to engage the Local Motors community for ideas, design, and engineering development.

The Forge will offer some professional-grade tools to the community, including a powerful new Siemens CAD software, which was previewed during an announcement at the recent 2011 SEMA show in Las Vegas.

Jay Rogers, CEO of Local Motors explains: "Local Forge is not only about connecting a talented community team of innovators with automotive clients. Local Forge is also about providing the right tools for co-creation and a turnkey, guided process to engaging product development that generates demand and results in desirable products."

In other words, we should get more wild creations like the Rally Fighter in the future.

In addition to previewing The Forge, which will launch in the next few weeks, Local Motors also announced a few updates for the 2012 Rally Fighter including four-link rear suspension, improved steering, new front A arms, an electric hatch and a redesigned dashboard with easy-read gauges.

For some insight on how Local Motors' development process works, take a look at this video about the Rally Fighter.