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

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".

Two of Detroit Three bail on Tokyo show, Ford wavering

Two of Detroit's three automakers are confirmed no-shows for this year's Tokyo Motor Show, with the third uncommitted as the deadline nears. General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC will sit out the December event, skipping the show for a second straight time.

New Mercedes S Class garners 30,000 orders in first 3 months

New Mercedes S Class (pictured) garners 30,000 orders in first 3 months The last Mercedes S Class was with us for getting on for a decade, so it’s no surprise, with a new S Class in the offing, Mercedes ended up cutting S Class production in 2012. But now the new 2014 Mercedes S Class has arrived, and orders are starting to flood in. Mercedes are reporting that in the first three months on sale the new S Class has received more than 30,000 orders, compared to a total of 65,000 orders for the previous S Class in its last year.