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Who's Where: Lars Falk appointed Vice President Product Design for Volvo Cars China

Swedish designer Lars Falk has been appointed Vice President Product Design for Volvo Cars China. In his new role, Falk will lead and develop an emerging design organization which will cover both production design and advanced/strategic activities for the Volvo brand. "I am privileged to set up a small yet efficient design organization which will cover both production design and advanced/strategic activities for the Volvo Cars brand," Falk told Car Design News.

GM to drop plans for range-topping Cadillac sedan

General Motors has decided to deep-freeze a range-topping ultraluxury sedan it was developing for Cadillac, according to three people with knowledge of the company’s plans. GM executives recently concluded that the rear-wheel-drive car, which would have been a low-volume showstopper priced well north of $100,000, didn’t offer enough brand-building pizzazz to justify the investment, the sources said. Designers recently were taken off the program and reassigned.

London black cabs to go 100% green by 2018

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, announced plans this week that will require all new London taxis to be zero-emission capable from 1 January 2018. The Mayor was speaking at Transport for London's 'New Taxis for London', an event where he met five manufacturers currently developing vehicles designed to meet the new requirements. Boris Johnson has previously pledged to make the capital an Ultra Low Emission Zone by 2020, although some have argued that it needs to come sooner than that.