Bayliner Trophy Pro Boat Black Canvas Tote Storage Bag on 2040-parts.com

Michelin Challenge Design 2007: The not so ugly truth about rising vehicle safety standards

Can cars be safe and beautiful at the same time? That may not have been the case a few decades ago when automakers were forced to hang those big, ugly so-called federal bumpers off the ends of their vehicles.  With vehicle safety standards on the rise around the globe are designers today feeling a little '70s deja vu when it comes to meeting the challenges of making cars safe as well as more fuel efficient? "(Back then) we said it was the end of automotive styling," says Patrick Le Quement, senior vice president for corporate design at Renault and one of the world's most influential automotive designers.

Whos Where: David Wilkie joins Mindset

Design Director, David Wilkie, announced last week that he is leaving Bertone to take up a full time position at Mindset AG. Mindset is a new company run by Murat Günak, previously head of Design at Volkswagen, that is developing the electric ‘Commuter' car previewed by Car Design News in February this year. Car Design News spoke with Wilkie about the move, who explained that he'd been working for Mindset part time, leading the design of the Commuter interior for several months now, but "I decided that for the good of Bertone, and for Mindset, that I needed to commit full time to one position; and the appeal of having my hands-on as a designer was very strong; and it's a project I really want to see through properly!" Wilkie is still committed to carrying through several projects at Bertone over the next few weeks as he makes the transition to working with Günak with whom he studied at the Royal College of Art.

Return Of BRZ SE Reduces Entry-Level Price

SUBARU has expanded its BRZ sports car range with the re-introduction of the entry level SE model. Priced at £22,495, the addition of the SE model comes after the original price reduction of £2,500 for the SE Lux variant in the summer. Customers now have the choice of four BRZ models: SE manual £22,495 SE auto £23,995 SE Lux manual £23,995 SE Lux auto £25,495 SE specification is said to be generous, with keyless entry and push-button start, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, sports seats, limited slip differential and front, side, curtain and knee airbags all standard fit.