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Design Services: Car Menu launched

Within almost every automotive design department throughout the world, their comes a time when a junior designer is dispatched to find a picture of some new model's tail lamp, the side view of a particular class leading competitor or examples of several new cars' colour and trim packages. Whilst looking at the competition is not necessarily a healthy way of finding ideas, it is often essential to demonstrate what is feasible, check in-house proposals are not too derivative, or show how advanced a design theme is relative to the same type of cars on the market. But even if the particular aspect of a car can be found, press packs and magazines typically show cars in the flattering light of an exotic location or being drifted around a corner on opposite lock; rarely are these images particularly useful.

Local Motors launches Pacific Northwest competition

Local Motors' 20th design competition, themed 'Thrive in the Elements,' opens for submissions starting today, 17 March. The new American car company is calling for entrants to design a car based around the four core elements: Earth, wind, fire and water; challenging designers to create a vehicle that will 'inspire Pacific Northwesterners to thrive'. The deadline for entries is 30 March 2010.

Peugeot RCZ coupé (2009): first official pictures

By Gareth Evans First Official Pictures 17 August 2009 17:10 Peugeot has unveiled the RCZ coupé, a bespoke two-door sports model based on the 308 hatch range – and a bit of an Audi TT on the cheap, we reckon. In fact, we can't remember so much excitement in the office over a humble Peugeot for... well, aeons really.