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Peter Stevens and Julian Thomson lead a discussion on the past, present and future of car design

As part of its sponsorship of London's Clerkenwell Design Week, Jaguar and the Royal College of Art brought together three generations of the design school to discuss the past, present and possible future of car design. Held in a suitably grimy warehouse in east London – with the sculpture by RCA students Ewan Gallimore and Claire Mille's we showed you earlier this week sat outside – Professor Dale Harrow, dean of the School of Design and head of its Vehicle Design program introduced Professor Peter Stevens, Julian Thomson, Jaguar's advanced design director and Alexandra Palmowski project designer advanced colour and material at Jaguar took the audience through their careers. Charismatic as ever, Peter Stevens kicked off proceedings that moved chronologically through the decades by explaining how he first became interested in "the art if car design, allied to the science of how they work" through his artistic parents and uncle – journalist and motoring adventurer – Denis Jenkinson during the 1950s and 60s.

Video: Jan Kaul explains Mercedes-Benz A-Class' interior

Mercedes-Benz has released a video exploring the interior of its new A-Class featuring the designer who headed the project. Jan Kaul explains in the video how the inspiration behind the interior was the subject of aviation, the same inspiration that produced the Concept A-Class show car. "The theme running through the design of the A-Class was definitely ‘less is more,'" says Kaul.

Porsche Panamera to receive long-wheelbase treatment for 2012

Porsche is developing a long-wheelbase version of the Panamera in a bid to satisfy demand for greater rear-seat legroom from customers in North American and China. Details remain sketchy, but insiders at the company's research and development center in Germany have indicated to AutoWeek that the 115-inch wheelbase of today's Panamera will be extended by almost five inches, taking it up to nearly 120 inches. By comparison, the long-wheelbase version of the Mercedes-Benz S-class boasts a 124-inch wheelbase.