13x7 50 Spoke Rims on 2040-parts.com

Crash injuries force Franchitti to retire

SCOTTISH RACING STAR Dario Franchitti has been forced to retire after suffering a number of injuries in a high-speed crash during a race in the US last month. The four-time IndyCar series winner spent five days in hospital after suffering concussion, a fractured vertebrae and a broken ankle in the last-lap crash at the Grand Prix of Houston in Texas. Franchitti, originally from Bathgate, West Lothian, said he had taken the decision based on medical advice.

Volvo's research proves car design invokes basic human emotions

Car design and human emotion are inexorably linked, according to new research from Volvo. The experiment, conducted in collaboration with Electroencephalographic (EEG) specialists Myndplay, tested respondents to analyse how the brain reacts emotionally to car design amongst other things. Participants were asked to rate a series of images whilst wearing an EEG headset that measured brainwave activity.

Hyundai i30

Though CDN was invited to attend a preview of the all-new Hyundai i30 ahead of its official unveiling at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show, these are the only images we're able to show you of the Korean automaker's C-segment hatchback until next week. "Through the profile of the new generation i30, a strong character line runs over the front and rear wheelarches all the way to the tail lamps," says Thomas Bürkle, Chief Designer at Hyundai Motor Europe. "A softer, lower character line rises up the car's flank creating a play of light and shadow - a fundamental feature of fluidic sculpture." The next evolution of the current i30 will be shown alongside the new i40 saloon and the new 1+2 door Veloster coupe on the company's Frankfurt show stand, which is claimed to reflect Hyundai's new brand direction - 'New Thinking, New Possibilities'.