Hartmut Warkuss to receive 2014 EyesOn Design Catalyst Award

Hartmut Warkuss, former head of Volkswagen Design, will be awarded the 2014 Catalyst Award by EyesOn Design at next week's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Warkuss, who is credited with overseeing the design of the Bugatti Veyron, the VW Concept (new Beetle) and the Audi TT Concept, will be presented with the award by Peter Schreyer, Hyundai's president and chief design officer and the 2014 recipient of the EyesOn Design Lifetime Design Achievement Award. Schreyer, who met Warkuss when he was an intern at Audi in 1978, says, "He was chief designer at that time...

Smart Forspeed concept signals new design direction

Smart will unveil a new concept at the forthcoming Geneva motor show that signals a new design direction, hints at future product and confirms parent company Daimler's renewed commitment to the brand. Car Design News was granted early access to the concept, baptized Forspeed, at a secret photography studio in Stuttgart last week and heard the head of advanced design, Steffen Kohl, explain how the two-seat, electric-powered vehicle prefaces design themes in both the next Fortwo and the revived Forfour, which will be launched in 2014. "The fullness of this concept's exterior surfaces is important and will be reflected in future production models," said Kohl, "Smart will still be short, spacey, agile, and with wheels at the corners of the car, but with an added sporty and emotional design and without losing all the brand's iconic elements like its ‘plastic fantastic' aspect and the safe and hi-tech modular tridion shell assembled with all these changeable body parts.

Volkswagen Touran Match released

Volkswagen has announced the VW Touran Match It’s hard to get excited about the Touran, with its boxy profile and drab – though comfortable – interior. But it’s very practical with its three rows of seats, which can actually be removed (they aren’t too heavy) giving you a very useful van for lugging gubbins around. But the Touran is a decent enough drive, even if the ride is a bit on the firm side., and its build quality shows through in the distinct lack of shake, rattle and roll.