Le Mans regulations for 2014 announced

The organisers of the Le Mans 24-hour have announced a raft of radical new rules on the eve of the 2012 race - including the less restricted use of hybrid power for the top-flight LMP1 racers from 2014. The governing ACO (Automobile Club de l'Ouest) unveiled the major changes due in two years' time as the teams start the 80th 24 Heures du Mans event which runs from Saturday 16 - Sunday 17 June 2012. In order to stay in tune with our environmentally-conscious, economically-chastened times, the focus of the alterations is to improve the efficiency of the elite LMP1 cars' technology and cement a link with roadgoing hybrids, as well as making the race cars safer.

Danbury Project 1 custom camper van: packed with gadgets

If you've left it too late to find a good hotel in Cornwall for your summer break, you may be interested in the Project 1 Volkswagen T2. It's the latest creation of Danbury Motorcaravans and – assuming you've got deep pockets – it offers five-star hotel accommodation on four wheels. What could be better?

AW Design Forum: Nissan design boss challenges cookie-cutter design

Using provocative words such as “guilty” and “fearful,” Nissan Design America chief Bruce Campbell was blunt in his assessment of the current state of car styling: There's too much sameness. Speaking at the AW Design Forum on Thursday morning in Detroit, Campbell pulled no punches, pointing to the bad economy, global design--and fear--as reasons for blandness in sheetmetal. “We are guilty of this sameness.