Pininfarina adds product-development director

Starting on Dec. 1, Andrea Maria Benedetto will serve as Italian car-design firm Pininfarina S.p.A.'s product-development director. Benedetto, who last served as the vice president of body and chassis function in the research and development division of Toyota Motor Europe, will organize engineering and R&D activities.

Concours d'Elegance of America selects classes for 2012 event

The Concours d'Elegance of America has announced classes for its 2012 event in Plymouth, Mich., where more than 300 cars are expected to be on display. July is several months away, but here are some highlights you can look forward to through the impending winter: -- American classics from 1928 to 1934: While the Great Depression crippled automotive sales, it also motivated designers to work even harder to attract buyers' attention. Some beautifully crafted custom coaches sprung from this period.

Nissan developing the self-cleaning car

Motorists may never need to wash their cars again, as Nissan is helping to develop paint that repels mud, rain and dirt. The technology, which Nissan tells us is “super-hyrophobic and oleophobic”, creates a protective layer of air between the paint and the environment, preventing dirt sticking to the car. Nissan Nissan Note already uses self-cleaning technology Called Ultra-Ever Dry, the tech is currently being tested on the Nissan Note, which already features a ‘wash and blow dry’ function on its rear view camera.