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Tunnels get F1 ace Räikkönen buzzing

FERRARI's Formula One aces Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen put pleasure before business at the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, taking to a specially-made track in a hyper-exclusive 458 Speciale in a test of driving excitement. The stars travelled down the road from the famous Spa circuit to an event hosted by Shell, Ferrari's fuels and lubricants partner, where a 1.2km circuit built for excitement had been put together, featuring a tunnel full of laser lighting, a simulated winter corner with authentic whirling snow, and an F1-style starting grid. The tunnel flicked Kimi's switch more than any other part of the track, with the telemetry showing a spike in excitement levels as he hit the power through the multi-coloured lasers and smoke.

Honda opens Advanced Design Studio in Los Angeles

Honda inaugurated its new Advanced Design Studio in Los Angeles last week, coinciding with the LA auto show's first press day. It's the third design studio for the Japanese manufacturer in the region and is poised to lead the development of Honda's advanced automobile design activity. The new studio is located in the heart of Downtown LA, which has been experiencing a resurgence in the past decade.

Ford Edge stars at 2013 LA Motor Show

Unveiled to same fanfare at the LA Motor Show, the Ford Edge Concept gives us more than a hint as to what Ford’s new full-size SUV will look like. It’s part of Ford’s bold plan to build ‘world cars’ that suit every market, not just supersized Americans. Based on the Mondeo, it will sit above the Kuga in Ford’s line-up and we reckon a European version could be launched as early as next year.