Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Smart Forspeed concept signals new design direction

Smart will unveil a new concept at the forthcoming Geneva motor show that signals a new design direction, hints at future product and confirms parent company Daimler's renewed commitment to the brand. Car Design News was granted early access to the concept, baptized Forspeed, at a secret photography studio in Stuttgart last week and heard the head of advanced design, Steffen Kohl, explain how the two-seat, electric-powered vehicle prefaces design themes in both the next Fortwo and the revived Forfour, which will be launched in 2014. "The fullness of this concept's exterior surfaces is important and will be reflected in future production models," said Kohl, "Smart will still be short, spacey, agile, and with wheels at the corners of the car, but with an added sporty and emotional design and without losing all the brand's iconic elements like its ‘plastic fantastic' aspect and the safe and hi-tech modular tridion shell assembled with all these changeable body parts.

Frankfurt Motor Show 2009 Preview

The Frankfurt Motor Show 2009 runs from 17th -27th September to the public Many of the Japanese makers will be conspicuous by their absence, but that should be more than made up for by the launches from the big European makers. And of course the Koreans – in the guise of Hyundai and Kia – will do what they’re starting to do in the market place and fill the gap left by the Japanese. You can already check out all the stories in one place for The Frankfurt Motor Show 2009, but we thought we’d highlight a few of the cars we know are making an appearance, in case you’ve missed them in the last few weeks.

New Land Rover Discovery Sport to get 7 seats – and they’re (almost) revealed

The Land Rover Discovery Sport shows it 7-seat layout We already know that the Land Rover Discovery Sport will be replacing the Freelander in Land Rover’s range next year as the first in a family of Discovery models from Land Rover. It seemed likely that the new Discovery Sport would come with five seats as standard but with as even seat option to add another dimension, but Land Rover has decided it is going to offer 7 seats as standard, setting it apart from the competition in the ‘Premium’ sector. Land Rover are busy running prototypes of the new Discovery Sport, and to ram home the point that the new Discovery Sport is more flexible than its competition they’ve covered it in camouflage that looks like the skin of the car has been peeled back to show the 7-seat (well, 5+2) arrangement inside.