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SEMA ups scholarship money for car-crazed college kids

The Specialty Equipment Market Association, better known to most of us as SEMA, has announced a hefty boost to its SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund for 2013: The top student selected now gets $1,000 more for a total of $5,000 toward an automotive-related college education. Other eligible participants in four-year programs get $3,000—last year, they only received $2,000—and two-year students get their funds doubled to $2,000. In the Buckeye State, one lucky student at the Ohio Technical College will get complete tuition coverage, which is a cool $29,400.

Jaguar SUV / Crossover (C-X17 Concept) arrives early

The firts look at the Jaguar XQ SUV (pictured) as it leaks out ahead of a Frankfurt debut Jaguar Land Rover don’t have a lot of luck keeping their concept cars under wraps ahead of their official debut. And so it is with the Jaguar SUV/Crossover. The Jaguar C-X17 Concept – which previews a new Jaguar platform and the first look at a compact-ish SUV Crossover – is due to arrive in a few days at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Jaguar C-X17 concept (2013) design boss Ian Callum on interior design

As with all concept cars, the Jaguar C-X17’s interior is the least production-viable element of the entire design, but it does give vital clues to the direction that design boss Ian Callum and his team are evaluating for the future. The focus is on clean, strong, flowing design, one that shuns clutter for pared-back simplicity. Open the door and you’ll notice both the sense of space and the small F-type steering wheel and four individual bucket seats, the latter two elements suggesting a nimble, involving driving experience.