Bmw M3 E46 Diffuser on 2040-parts.com

Is the car industry heading toward the past?

Is the future of cars decidedly old school? An NPR blogger certainly thinks so. NPR Business Desk reporter Sonari Glinton recently likened the 2014 Detroit auto show to an era 40 years ago, reflecting the possibility that the renewed zeitgeist of an entire convention indicates a "retro" kind of thinking.

Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell (2010): the electric SLS

Following the unveiling of Tesla's updated Roadster 2.5, Mercedes is showing off its iteration of an all-electric sports car: the SLS AMG E-Cell. While the regular SLS pumps out 563bhp and 479lb ft from its 6.2-litre V8, the SLS E-Cell has four synchronous electric motors, powering all four wheels for a combined output of 392kW (equivalent to 526bhp) and a mammoth 649lb ft of torque. Crucially, all of that power is accessible from zero revs, allowing the E-Cell to sprint to 62mph in four seconds dead.

Swansea Metropolitan University degree show 2009

Graduates from Swansea Metropolitan University, based on the South Wales coast, exhibited their final year BA and BSc Automotive Design projects at the National Waterfront Museum recently. A relative newcomer to automotive and transport design - this being only the second BA graduate cohort to graduate - the three-year course at Swansea Metropolitan yields a high standard of work, which has received positive industry support in recent years. With projects ranging from the slightly avant-garde to high-quality next generation or niche vehicles, the students were encouraged to select a philosophical direction that they were passionate about yet also suited their desired future career aspirations.