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BMW, Daimler experiment with upscale rent-by-the-ride

Two European luxury brands are tiptoeing into car sharing, a radical move for carmakers whose business for the past 100 years has been selling to individuals. German archrivals Daimler AG and BMW AG have launched sharing programs. The automakers say the move was prompted by changing attitudes about car ownership, especially among young buyers, and increased urban congestion.

Toyota ME.WE Concept: It’s an egalitarian EV

Based on the electric running gear of the Toyota i-Road we saw at Geneva (but with a full set of wheels) Toyota and Massaud have created an urban vehicle that takes transport back to the basics; a 2CV for the 21st century, perhaps, or a grown up home-made kart seems to be where the ME.WE is at. The construction of the ME.WE comprises a tubular aluminium chassis and a pile of interchangeable polypropylene panels that can change the function of the ME.We from city car to convertible to pickup to 4×4 (thanks to electric motors on both axles) and is, by any definition, transport and not a car you’d have to make a statement. Inside is just as basic with a single dial for the instruments, flat surfaces made from bamboo (designers love a bit of bamboo), batteries for the electric motors under the floor and you have to store any luggage on the roof under a weatherproof cover.

Patrick le Quément to receive EyesOn Design 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award

Patrick le Quément has been selected as the latest recipient of the EyesOn Design Lifetime Design Achievement Award. Le Quément will be presented with the award in Detroit on 19 June 2015, as part of the EyesOn Design week.Le Quément was the senior vice-president of corporate design at Renault from 1995 to 2009 and was chairman of the joint design policy group coordinating design within the Renault-Nissan alliance.At Renault, he oversaw the design of the Twingo, Scenic, Espace III and IV, Laguna II, Kangoo, Megane II and many other production and concept cars that defined the look of the era. He is currently a consultant in industrial and strategic design and the co-founder of the Sustainable Design School in France.The recipient of the annual EyesOn Design Lifetime Achievement Award is selected by its previous winners.