Dupli-color De1612 Gray Engine Spray Paint on 2040-parts.com

Michelin Challenge Design announces 2014 theme: ‘Driven/Undriven: The Duality of Tomorrow’s Automobiles’

Michelin has announced the theme for the 2014 Michelin Challenge Design competition – ‘Driven/Undriven: The Duality of Tomorrow's Automobiles'. Participants will explore the human-to-vehicle connection, focusing on how this can evolve automotive design. The exploration of autonomous vehicles has gathered pace in recent years, with Toyota displaying its autonomous Lexus car at the recent CES in Las Vegas, while other carmakers and even Google have been investing heavily in the concept.

Chevrolet Colorado show truck is set for debut at the Bangkok auto show

Chevrolet on Monday said a concept that previews the next-generation Chevrolet Colorado small pickup will debut at the Bangkok motor show on March 25. Chevy released a teaser photo that shows the front corner of the show truck. Chevy says it chose Bangkok for the debut because the popularity of small pickups in the market; 43 percent of vehicles sold in Bangkok last year were pickups.

Hot seats: from design to delivery [sponsored]

As the user demands on car interiors are increasingly influenced by their growing design consciousness, so suppliers like Lear strive to bring better-engineered seating to satisfy. 2013 was another big year for Lear, as Jeanette Puig-Pey, its global fabric & leather design manager, enthuses: "At our ‘Design2Perform' event we celebrated the unveiling of our brand new collection, with special emphasis on color and texture and our TeXstyle Enhance product, perfect for customization. Laser etching is part of this offering, it is exclusive to Lear Corporation and can be used to add refined design elements to cloth and leather." A mix of fabric and leather in seating is not new but is often seen by the consumer as a cheaper alternative to full leather.