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Mercedes S65 AMG (2013) first official pictures

By Ollie Kew First Official Pictures 08 November 2013 08:01 Bring on the ‘too much is never enough’ comments: this is the new Mercedes S65 AMG – the top dog of the S-class range. Set to be more than twice as expensive as an entry-level S350 BlueTec, which starts at £62k, the S65 AMG borrows its powerplant from the SL65 AMG, and comes close to embarrassing the SLS supercar in a drag race. Whereas the new S63 makes do with a piffling 5.5-litre biturbo V8 developing 577bhp, the S65 squeezes in a twin-blown V12 good for 621bhp – that’s only one horse fewer than the Mercedes SLS Black Series manages.

Forget high beams -- lasers are coming

Audi has kicked off 2014 with the unveiling of an updated version of its Sport quattro concept car -- as first revealed at last year's Frankfurt motor show. Set to underpin the German carmaker's stand at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the latest incarnation of the bullish-looking two-door coupe showcases distinctively styled matrix LED headlamps with new laser light technology that, Audi officials suggest, will soon begin appearing on regular production models as a high-cost option. Already confirmed for the Audi R18 that will compete at the Le Mans 24-hour race later this year, the new headlamps use matrix LEDs and an aperture mask for low-beam mode.

The Future Role of the Vehicle Designer

The vehicle design department at the Royal College of Art hosted the second in a series of five lectures looking at the future of the profession last week. Moving on from the previous week's topic of sustainability, this debate explored the future roles and responsibilities of the vehicle designer. Head of department Dale Harrow began by posing the question "Is it time to rethink – do we still need the car?" Although still relevant, Harrow's ultimate answer to this was that the profession was about to see marked change, with the end to an era where "designers are locked behind closed doors in studios".