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General Motors names Mary Barra to head global product development

General Motors named Mary Barra head of global product development on Thursday, succeeding Tom Stephens, who was named global chief technology officer of the automaker on Wednesday. An engineer, Barra, 49, is the first woman to hold the top product development job at GM. Since 2009 she has served as vice president of global human resources for GM--a key post as the automaker restructured and emerged from bankruptcy protection.

Nissan Juke Nismo RS arrives with added ‘Butch’: Los Angeles Auto Show

Nissan Juke Nismo RS arrives with added ‘Butch’ Compact SUVs and Crossovers are going the way the hatchback went; from sensible family transport to pseudo sports car. And Nissan are upping the ante once again with an even more aggressive version of the Juke Nismo – the Nissan Juke Nismo RS. The Juke Nismo RS gets a little extra power – up from 197bhp in the Nismo to 2012 bhp in the Nismo RS – which should be enough to get to 62mph in mid-7 seconds, and a choice of manual or CVT ‘box (but if you want 4WD you’ll have to have the mot very appealing CVT).

Opinion: Discovery Sport and the long-term ramifications of pandering to the crossover convergence

Having pored over the first pictures of the new Land Rover Discovery Sport and consumed the accompanying official literature, we’re left wondering why it shares so much of its design treatment with the Range Rover Evoque, while simultaneously removing the last vestiges of utility from the Discovery nameplate. From its virtually indistinguishable grille and lamp graphics, over its tapered roofline to its bespoilered tail, it’s hard to describe it as anything other than a derivative of the Evoque. The difference between a Discovery and a Range Rover it would seem, is a body coloured C-pillar.