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The year in photos - 2006

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 21 December 2006 12:00 We've researched, voted, argued and nearly came to blows in the office... after much debate, we now bring you the best photos of the year. Browse through our top 10 - and add your comments below.

Kia Kue concept

Kia has released a design sketch of its newest concept car - the Kue. With distinctly grand SUV styling, Kue majors on greater driving dynamics and performance.  The focus is very much about an exciting driving experience, as opposed to the typical SUV or CUV [Crossover Utility Vehicle] lifestyle and is the first major new concept launched under the guidance of new design chief Peter Schreyer. Kue is based around a dynamically focused monocoque chassis and features large seven-spoke 22-inch alloy wheels and doors that feature a distinctive sill-to-waist door crease which can be clearly seen on the all new cee'd. Size wise, the Kue measures up with an overall length of 4,720mm and a 2,900mm wheelbase.

Cadillac CTS teaser

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 20 December 2006 06:47 Yes, it's yet another teaser... This time, Cadillac is giving us a sneak preview of its new CTS saloon that'll be shown at the Detroit Motor Show in January. This shot (with GM design boss Ed Welburn, left, and product chief Bob Lutz) proves that Cadillac is sticking with its brutishly angular design, although no other details have been announced yet.

New Honda NSX

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 20 December 2006 09:38 You're looking at the long-awaited successor to Honda's NSX. After years of on-off speculation, we will finally see the new supercar in thinly veiled concept guise next month. The company says this low-slung coupe 'provides a glimpse of the next-generation Acura exotic sports car' - but insiders openly talk of this being the new NSX.

Michelin Challenge Design 2007: How designers handle being 'doored' and other safety issues

Ever been 'doored'? Even know what it is?  You do if you're a bicycle, motorcycle or even skateboard rider who has been passing a parked car, truck or SUV at the precise moment one of the vehicle's doors is being opened directly in your path. At its worst, it can be fatal.

Show Review: Design LA

Design LA, the automotive design conference that incorporates the Design Challenge competition, has announced its winners, during this year's LA Motor Show. Chuck Pelly, who set up Design LA last year, introduced the event and the judges for the Design Challenge: Tom Matano , Director, Academy of Art University; Imre Molner, Dean, College of Creative Studies; Steward Reed, Chair, Transportation Design, Art Centre College of Design; and Bill Van Amburg, Senior Vice President, Calsart. This year's nine competition entries had a brief to deliver a 100 percent recyclable, five-year lifespan vehicle with 'accoutrements that add fun or function to represent California's unique green lifestyle.' The Acura FCX 2020 Le Mans is a Le Mans-style race car concept notable for its enclosed wheels and motorbike style forward-inclined driving position between the front wheels (which can just be made out in the translucent illustration shown here).

Mitsubishi Proto X sketch

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 18 December 2006 09:11 Another Evo concept? Haven’t we been here before? The countdown to Mitsubishi’s oddball super-saloon, the Evo X, continues.

Rinspeed eXasis

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 18 December 2006 12:19 Madcap Swiss manufacturer Rinspeed has announced a typically bonkers concept car: a transparent Radical rival. The two-seater eXasis will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March, as a potential rival to the likes of Radicals and Caterhams. Rinspeed's show car uses a small engine in a lightweight 750kg structure for astonishing performance.

Coventry University MA Degree Show 2006

MA students from UK's Coventry University Automotive Design course presented their annual MA degree exhibition earlier this month. The Show, entitled 'Icons', which this year revolved around the central theme of designing tomorrows automotive 'Icons', displayed the students' work at Coventry's Transport Museum. Patrick le Quement, Renault's senior vice president of Corporate Design presented the Corus Award for 'Best Vehicle Design', which was awarded to Dev O'Nion who won for his design concept 'Apto Sapor.' O'Nion's project - an interior design concept - was inspired by organic themes in nature - what he called 'Natural Design' - to create a harmonious interior; a blend of the natural, biological and technical.

Jaguar C-XF concept car (2007) teaser image

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 15 December 2006 04:12 Jaguar has issued this tantalising teaser of its new XF - the car that will replace the S-type exec next year. The covers will be whisked off this concept car at the Detroit Motor Show in January 2007 proving that, finally, Jaguar is throwing off its stuffy image after years of safe, retro-styled saloons. Although this tightly cropped teaser shot doesn't reveal the whole car, it's plain to see that the new S-type will look forwards, not over its shoulder at the famous saloons in Jag's potted history.

AC Ace (2006) first official pictures

By Richard Yarrow First Official Pictures 15 December 2006 09:30 Smart Roadster reborn as an AC It was only axed last year, but the Smart Roadster has sprung back to life as this – the all-new AC Ace. The band of British enthusiasts behind the project aim to start production of the rebodied sports car in mid-2007, with prices from £12,000 to £19,000. A deal to buy the rights and tooling jigs for the axed two-seater from parent company DaimlerChrysler is about to be signed, and there will also be a convertible version.

Volvo XC60 concept (2006): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 14 December 2006 03:19 Volvo XC60: the lowdown Volvo is going X3 hunting. The new XC60 will be launched in 2009 as a small brother to the soaraway successful XC90 – and this concept car is the best clue yet to what it’ll look like. Like other crossovers, this 4x4 will eschew off-road work (those skid plates front and rear are just for show) and will instead offer comfy seating for five.

Mazda Ryuga concept: first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 14 December 2006 10:32 Meet the Mazda MX-3 of the future, the company’s Ryuga concept. Gullwing doors and stubby styling forge a recreation of Mazda’s baby coupe that sold between 1991-98. It was notable for having the smallest V6 engine of its time, a 1.8 litre.

Skoda Fabia

Succeeding the first Fabia that helped revive the Czech brand with 1.5million sales comes its second iteration. Blending the original car with the more recent Roomster, the new Fabia sports two-box packaging with a wrap-around glass graphic. And though the car has grown, it still slips in under 4 meters.

Skoda Fabia (2006): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 12 December 2006 11:30 Skoda Fabia: the lowdown The Skoda Fabia is growing up. The second generation of the supermini will roll into UK showrooms in May 2007 – and Skoda promises it’s bigger, better equipped and safer than before. The new Fabia is less wacky looking than the cut ’n’ shut Roomster mini-MPV, but shares that car’s new family face, framed by large swept-back headlamps and a prominent grille.

Mitsubishi Lancer first look

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 11 December 2006 04:20 Mitsubishi Lancer: the lowdown Mitsubishi has unveiled its new Focus rival, the Lancer. Forget today's budget special – the new Lancer is Mitsubishi's pitch to move the Lancer upmarket, away from cheap 'n' cheereful Korean rivals and towards the mainstream heartland occupied by Ford and Vauxhall. Of course, most volume manufacturers make similar claims for new models, but Mitsubishi has some right to be optimistic.

College Exhibition: University of Cincinnati

The University of Cincinnati (UC) Transportation Design Studio displayed two projects over the summer. Sponsored by Acura and DaimlerChrysler, the projects consisted of two ten-week quarters divided by professional practice. The first quarter of the projects involved 2D exterior theme development of a diverse range of crossover vehicles for the year 2015.

Peugeot 207CC

Following the 207 Epure concept shown at the Paris Motor Show, Peugeot has revealed the production version, the 207CC - though without the concept's fuel-cell powertrain. Succeeding the popular 206CC launched in 2001, the 207CC obviously doesn't differ much from the show car, which was the first model touched by Co-Director Peugeot Design Jerome Gallix.   Replacing the fuel cell is a range of IC engines; two gas and one diesel.

Peugeot 207 CC (2006): first official pictures

By Phil McNamara First Official Pictures 06 December 2006 08:28 Peugeot 207CC: the lowdown Peugeot has re-invented its folding hard roof supermini, the car that brought Mercedes-style roof technology to a wider audience. The 207 Coupe Convertible goes on UK sale next March, priced from just under £15,000. This CC is based on the 207's stiffer, front-wheel drive chassis, and the big news is that it has an all-new roof mechanism.

Ford C-Max facelift (2006): first official pictures

By Phil McNamara First Official Pictures 05 December 2006 09:00 Facelifted C-Max: the lowdown It's facelift time for Ford's C-Max, three years after it was launched. And the look is in keeping with the newly anointed European Car of the Year, the S-Max. So there's a new bonnet with more sculpture, funkier headlamps and a new grille with lashings of chrome.

Porsche Cayenne facelift (2006): first official pictures

By Phil McNamara First Official Pictures 04 December 2006 09:00 Facelifted Porsche Cayenne: the lowdown Porsche has overhauled the Cayenne, with a neater face, punchier yet more frugal engines and chassis tweaks. This is the nose of the Cayenne Turbo, whose peak power jumps 50bhp. The 996-style runny egg lamps are gone, for more piercing bird's eye units.

College Exhibition: Elisava Design Degree Show 2006

Students from the Transportation Design Masters program at Spain's Elisava School of Design presented their work October 24th in the 2006 Degree Show entitled 'Mobility Techniques'. The Elisava Masters course in Transport Vehicle Design started seven years ago with the aim of providing new proposals for future transport through research and development of creative and innovative transport concepts. The course is taught in Barcelona, a worldwide reference for culture and design.

Volkswagen Tiguan

By Ben Whitworth Motor Shows 29 November 2006 09:42 Volkswagen Tiguan: the lowdown Volkswagen is going Freelander hunting with its new Golf-based Tiguan off-roader. Unveiled at the Los Angeles Motorshow this morning, Concept Tiguan gives a nine-tenths preview of what the production-ready Tiguan will look like when it arrives here in January 2008. It will initially arrive with a choice of front or all-wheel-drive, four engines – two petrol and two advanced ‘Clean TDI’ diesel units – and six-speed manual or DSG transmission.

Mazda Nagare concept: first official pictures

By Ben Whitworth First Official Pictures 29 November 2006 09:42 You're looking at Mazda’s RX-8 for the year 2020 – unveiled today at the Los Angeles Motorshow. The Nagare concept car signposts Mazda’s new design direction for its next generation of sports cars. Japanese for ‘flow’ and pronounced ‘na-ga-reh’, the futuristic four-seater coupe follows on from this year’s Sassou, Kabura and Senku concepts and aims to depict motion and speed with dynamic proportions and unique surface treatments – key features of Mazda’s future models.

Chrysler Sebring Convertible

By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 29 November 2006 09:43 America’s best-selling convertible arrives here a year from now – complete with right-hand drive layout, tax-friendly turbo diesel power, metal folding roof, sharpened dynamics and a £22k price. Unveiled at this week’s Los Angeles motor show, the all-new Sebring will come with the choice of either a Volkswagen-sourced 2.0-litre 140bhp turbo diesel fourpot or Chrysler’s own 189bhp 2.7-litre V6 petrol engine, hooked up to six-cog automatic or manual boxes. Chrysler’s engineers claim that roof down, the new convertible is two and a half times stiffer than its predecessor, which is just as well as the previous model – which was sold in minute quantities here back in 2001 – had all the torsional rigidity of a wet bath sponge.

Lamborghini LP640 Roadster (2006): first official pictures

By Phil McNamara First Official Pictures 29 November 2006 11:10 Lamborghini LP640 Roadster: the lowdown Lamborghini has given its flagship Murcielago – the LP640 – the open top treatment. Conceptually, the Roadster offers no surprises, but its spec is no less breath-taking and its looks truly put the super into supercar. Named after the power output of its uprated V12 in PS, the LP640 has numerous cosmetic tweaks including revised rear lamps and bespoke 18inch rims, and a thorough engineering overhaul.

Bentley plots new models

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 28 November 2006 09:00 Bentley's replacement for the Continental family is likely to be constructed of aluminium, to cut weight and transform the dynamics. Engineers are already pondering the new model range, although it's a few years away. The replacement must maintain Bentley's stellar growth rate.

Lamborghini plans LM002 successor

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 27 November 2006 10:48 Lamborghini has finally cast its new plans in stone, after much heated debate. And the plan is to replace the core supercars, before adding an SUV to the range. Although the Bologna-based sports car maker is now writing its balance sheets in black ink, the modest funds still don't suffice to generate a new standalone model like the proposed Espada - at least not for the time being.

Audi's new model rush revealed

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 24 November 2006 10:21 Audi has nothing to fear from the appointment of Martin Winterkorn as VW group boss. After all, Winterkorn clinched the job on the strength of his performance at Ingolstadt. And if Audi continues the stunning growth he led, it's on track to become leader of the luxury pack by 2020.

What VW should do next

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 23 November 2006 09:59 A new boss takes the reins of VW in January, and Martin Winterkorn has some big decisions to make about VW's plans. VW's future model policy lacks variety. But it's been like that for years, with the people's car maker slow to pick up on booming niches like mid-size MPVs and SUVs, or folding tin-top cabrios.