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Michelin design contest inspires young minds

The College for Creative Studies in Detroit held its 24th Michelin Design challenge, in which Michelin sponsors a design and development project for one of CCS' transportation design classes. The competition works like this: CCS and Michelin get together to develop a theme, then CCS picks which transportation design class will work on the project. The idea, Michelin says, is to celebrate and promote the kind of vehicle design that highlights original thinking and innovation.

Peugeot 308 RCZ concept

These are the first pictures of the Peugeot 308 RCZ concept car, scheduled to make an appearance at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. Based on the forthcoming 308, the 308 RCZ is a 2+2 coupe - in the same ilk as Audi's TT. The construction focuses on lightweight, employing aluminum in the roll over protection bars, a polycarbonate rear windscreen and carbon fiber body panels. Design details of the dramatic concept include pronounced wheel-arches that blend seamlessly with the aggressive front fascia and a stepped beltline. The large offset between the door and rocker panel emphasizes the purposeful, sporting stance.

2011 BMW 5-series: Bavaria's midsize sedan takes cues from bigger 7-series brother

BMW's appetite for controversial design may have waned since the heights of former design boss Chris Bangle's oft-derided flame surfacing stratagem. But it shows no sign of fading completely, as we see in the first official photographs of the new sixth-generation 5-series, which goes on sale in North America by mid-2010. Codenamed F10, BMW's midsize sedan is restyled and reengineered in a bid to keep it ahead of key rivals such as the recently renewed Mercedes-Benz E-class and the Audi A6.