2007-12 Nissan Versa R. Headlight on 2040-parts.com

Color & trim focus: Six of Poltrona Frau’s auto collaborations

Collaborations between the car industry and the world of product design are fraught with difficulties, are usually fleeting and all too often end in (marketing department) tears. One of the few possible exceptions is Italian leather and furniture company Poltrona Frau. Its 102-year history includes the 904 ‘Vanity Fair' chair from 1930 and the more-recent 2009 Archibald chair by Jean-Marie Massaud.

McLaren P1 Track confirmed as McLaren Automotive goes in to profit

McLaren are building a track version of the P1 (pictured) for P1 customers only It’s only three years since McLaren Automotive entered the hugely competitive market for high-end supercars (well, it’s four years, but only three since the first 12C went to a customer), but it’s already in profit. McLaren made an operating profit in 2013 of £12.4 million (and a pre-tax of £4.4 million) on sales of £284.4 million and did so – as predicted – by hitting their sales targets – McLaren sold 1359 12Cs and 36 of the McLaren P1 hypercar. And that looks to be just the start.

CDN-GM/PATAC Interactive Design Contest 2013 launched

After the overwhelming success of its European and North American interactive design competitions, GM and Car Design News are excited to announce the launch of their first competition exclusively for the Chinese market, the CDN–GM/PATAC Interactive Design Competition China. According to Bryan Nesbitt, Vice President of Design at GM International Operations, "We are excited about the potential regarding a China-dedicated competition. Design is the initial product differentiator in the automotive retail space, so demand for top design talent will continue." This is a great opportunity for young designers who are currently enrolled as students of Chinese universities to showcase their work on a global stage.