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Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive sets Nurburgring production EV record

The Mercedes SLS AMG ED (pictured) set a new EV lap record at the Nurburgring Just as Audi decides that the R8 e-Tron isn’t a production viable option, Mercedes decides to prove there is potential for electric cars at the very high end. The Mercedes SLS AMG Electric Drive has been to the Nurburgring and set a new lap record for a production electric car of just 7 minutes 55 seconds. The SLS AMG ED, which goes on sale very soon at more than £300k, may weigh a chunk more than a regular SLS (550kg more), but it gets plenty of help from its four electric motors – one at each corner – to overcome the weight of its batteries with 751bhp and 737lb/ft of torque on hand.

Porsche 918 Spyder to get 4.6 litre V8

Porsche 918 Spyder to get 4.6 litre V8 The Porsche 918 Spyder is to get a 4.6 litre V8 and lose one of its electric motors when it launches after a Frankfurt 2013 debut. It’s almost two years since the Porsche 918 Spyder debuted at the Geneva Motor show as a potential 21st century eco-replacement for the Carrera GT. The amount of interest shown – and offers of deposits – persuaded Porsche to confirm the 918 Spyder for production last March, but it’s still more than eighteen months away from arriving on the road.

The Future Role of the Vehicle Designer

The vehicle design department at the Royal College of Art hosted the second in a series of five lectures looking at the future of the profession last week. Moving on from the previous week's topic of sustainability, this debate explored the future roles and responsibilities of the vehicle designer. Head of department Dale Harrow began by posing the question "Is it time to rethink – do we still need the car?" Although still relevant, Harrow's ultimate answer to this was that the profession was about to see marked change, with the end to an era where "designers are locked behind closed doors in studios".