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

Lorenzo Ramaciotti visits RCA for 'Two of a Kind' project

Lorenzo Ramaciotti, Fiat-Chrysler's head of global design, has visited the Royal College of Art as part of the Fiat ‘Two of a Kind' project explaining how Italian design has become world-famous in all fields in a talk themed ‘The Roots of Italian Car Design'. The ‘Two of a Kind' project asks four teams of four Vehicle Design students to design innovative exterior and interior proposals for how the Fiat 500 and the Panda might look in 2020, taking interactivity, digital interface, sustainability and global appeal into account. Maserati brought along a Quattroporte, a GranTurismo Sport as well as an Alfa Giulietta Sportiva to complement his talk in the hope it would encourage students to consider what the carmaker believes are the three concepts of the legacy of Italian car design: sportiness-dynamism; elegance-balance; and character-personality.

First Sight: Volvo Concept Coupé

It's clear talking to the team responsible for the Volvo Concept Coupé this isn't just 'another concept car'; it's a manifesto for where the sole remaining Scandinavian car brand is heading. It marks a new dawn for the company by introducing a new platform, range of engines and design language devised by Thomas Ingenlath. Car Design News traveled to Volvo's design studio in Gothenburg to see the car and speak to the team behind it ahead of its official unveiling in Frankfurt.

Ford promote accessible & affordable technology in new campaign

Ford’s Active Park Assist parks a Focus on the roof of a skyscraper We do sometimes moan that cars are becoming so clever that it won’t be long before the driver’s just the blobby thing behind the wheel to keep an eye open as clever technology does its stuff. That said, modern technology is certainly doing wonders for tasks that many find irksome and difficult behind the wheel, and Ford are cleverly tapping in to their new technology to demonstrate just how helpful their new cars now are for the stressed driver with the Ford Primary Brand campaign. Ford‘s new Primary Brand campaign is focusing on technology like the new(ish) Active Park Assist that uses sensors to measure parking spaces as you drive by (not too quickly – you have to give it a chance) and then, at the push of a button – with the driver just following instructions for brake, gears and accelerator – neatly parks your new Ford for you.