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Ken Ma appointed VP Design at Chang'an

Former Shanghai Automotive Technical Center (SATC) design director Ken Ma joined Changan Automobile Group as vice president of the firm's Engineering Research Center late last year. Ma's new role puts him in charge of the Group's global design department, reporting directly to Changan group chairman LiuPin Xu on all design matters. But the move also effectively places him in the highest design position at any mainstream automotive company in China – a breakthrough for the country's automotive design industry.

Leaked photos may show the 2014 Mazda 3

Mazda might not have planned on revealing the 2014 Mazda 3 lineup until next year, but photos showing the redesigned sedan and hatchback may expose the car’s lines a few months ahead of schedule. If the images are to be trusted, the Kodo design language—readily apparent on the upcoming 2014 Mazda 6 sedan and wagon—will make the jump to the smaller, less expensive Mazda 3 as well. Gone is the controversial “smile” grille worn by the 2012 Mazda 3.

No Logbook? No Sale

IT’S EASY to let your head rule your heart when buying a used car, but a leading industry expert is warning buyers not to part with their cash if the vehicle is missing its logbook. Used vehicle data specialists HPI says it has seen a rising number of customers fall prey to sellers passing on vehicles without a logbook, otherwise known as the V5C, leaving them vulnerable to a number of scams. Commenting on the issue, Phil Peace, Operations Director for HPI, said: “We’ve seen a number of buyers going ahead with a vehicle purchase without having seen the logbook for the vehicle.