Audi Oem 96-02 A4 Quattro-windshield Glass 8d0845099ac on 2040-parts.com

Race2Recovery starts new Dakar challenge

A TEAM of disabled ex-soldiers has arrived in South America to take on this year’s Dakar rally, known as the toughest motoring challenge on the planet. Race2Recovery, the team of severely injured servicemen and civilian volunteers, is taking a second shot at the Dakar after last year becoming the first all-disabled team in history to complete it. This year the 5,600-mile course travels through Argentina and Chile, crossing the Andes mountain range and the Atacama Desert, where temperatures are expected to top 40 degrees Celsius.

SsangYong XIV-2 concept

The SsangYong XIV-2 concept – the second of its ‘eXciting user Interface Vehicles' [sic] – will make its debut at next month's Geneva Motor Show. The two-door, open-top crossover is an evolution of the I.DE.A designed XIV-1, shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year. Visually, the XIV-2 is a departure from both the previous Ssangyong KEV2 and XIV-1 concepts, with an all-new DRG featuring a simpler, more upright fascia and cleaner pulled-back headlamps – suggestive of a more production-ready front fascia.

Infographic: How much clay do Ford’s design studios use each year?

Ford has offered an insight into its clay modeling processes with a series of videos and an infographic that charts the process involved in turning a designer's sketch into a full-size model. The infographic uses data taken from all of Ford's global design studios in 2012 to give an idea of how much clay is used in a year, plus how much paint and di-noc film is used to cover each model. Ford has also released a video that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the firm's clay modeling studio in Merkenich, Germany, including interviews with members of the modeling team.