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First Sight: Mercedes-Benz SL

The new high-tech, low weight Mercedes SL roadster receives its official global unveil next week in Detroit but Car Design News got an early peek of the final production car and had a chat with its designers at Mercedes' US advanced design studio in Carlsbad, California back in November. "We want to get back to clean, long-lasting design," director of Mercedes global advanced design and SL project leader, Steffen Kohl told CDN at the exclusive preview of the sixth-generation model. "So the new SL is long, sleek and still full of tension in the feature lines but less wedgy." In a short presentation Kohl felt all SLs became successfully iconic in their times because they followed two key rules – ‘sensuality' and ‘cleanness' – but alluded that the first rule may have been lost in more recent eras.

Aston Martin Rapide base price will be less than $200,000

Aston Martin has set the base price for the Rapide in the United States at $199,950. For just less than $200,000, you'll get a Bang & Olufsen sound system, heated memory seats and an active suspension system. Of course, there will be options that push the sticker price above the $200,000 mark.

First tattooed car revealed

THE WORLD'S FIRST tattooed car has been revealed at the Gumball 3000 Rally and its a very rare Gumpert Apollo supercar. A unique Japanese design has been chosen as the tattoo for the 200mph Gumpert and has been applied to the car by world renowned tattoo artist Aleksy Marcinow. The £370,000 supercar will go on display in the London Motor Museum after its appearance at the Gumball 300 Rally.