55360334af Handle-exterior Door (chrysler) on 2040-parts.com

Mercedes SL (2012): aluminium saves 8% weight

Mercedes' new 2012 SL will weigh a solid 140kg less than today's SL roadster - a significant saving of some 8%. This crash diet has been enabled by the adoption of aluminium for the new SL. The learnings from the SLS gullwing are now trickling down to the higher-volume SL, which will be revealed in December 2011.

Who's Where: Gorden Wagener to head Mercedes Advanced Design NA

German designer Gorden Wagener, 37, has been appointed President of Mercedes-Benz Advanced Design of North America. Beginning his new position on January 1. 2006, Wagener now focuses on products specifically for North America, including production and show cars as well as advanced projects.

Starting Out: How to become a car designer

It's a common predicament. You're 16 years old and desperate to become a car designer but have little idea about how to achieve that burning ambition. Well, discovering Car Design News is a good start, but if you're serious about training as a designer to work in a major car studio then you need to do a course in Transportation Design, a branch of Industrial Design (sometimes known as Product Design).