Mazda Shinari concept car (2010) first official pictures

Mazda's new design direction is embodied in the new Shinari concept car. Modeled to announce to the world the new styling language of future Mazda road cars, the Shinari ushers in a new look to replace the somewhat tortured Nagare mantra that has fizzled into a damp squib on the sides of the latest Mazda 5 midi-MPV. The Shinari won't be shown at the 2010 Paris motor show (apparently it's being held back for a 2011 Geneva debut), yet this is a landmark concept for Mazda design, under the new leadership of chief design Ikuo Maeda.

Peterbilt and Local Motors launch online competition

Peterbilt Motors has teamed up with Local Motors to launch a new online competition, the Peterbilt Road Icon Generation 2 challenge. The challenge is to design the next generation Peterbilt Icon, using existing elements of the cab to create a more aerodynamic, modern and stylish product. Designers will have the support and feedback of Peterbilt designers and engineers throughout the submission stage.

Lingenfelter Performance muscles up its own Trans Am

Lingenfelter Performance Engineering is reviving a name from the growing list of dead car companies, building a reimagined, 2010 Chevrolet Camaro-based Trans Am for the PlayStation generation. Ken Lingenfelter and his Decatur, Ind., team redesigned almost every panel of the Camaro, leaving only the doors and the roof intact. They parked a 1971 Pontiac Trans Am alongside the donor car for inspiration.