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The Future Role of the Vehicle Designer

The vehicle design department at the Royal College of Art hosted the second in a series of five lectures looking at the future of the profession last week. Moving on from the previous week's topic of sustainability, this debate explored the future roles and responsibilities of the vehicle designer. Head of department Dale Harrow began by posing the question "Is it time to rethink – do we still need the car?" Although still relevant, Harrow's ultimate answer to this was that the profession was about to see marked change, with the end to an era where "designers are locked behind closed doors in studios".

New Range Rover Sport in New York

The newly refreshed Range Rover Sport takes at bow at the New York Motor Show Land Rover are working hard to keep their main models up to date and fresh before an all new set of cars arrives in a couple of years. And the big news with the Range Rover Sport is really under the skin. Out goes the old supercharged 4.2 and the somewhat breathless 2.7 diesel, and in comes the brute of a 5.0 litre supercharged lump from Jaguar that has also gone in to the new Range Rover (and the LR4 – but not for the UK – why not?), and the terrific 3.0 litre diesel that also graces the Jaguar.

McLaren P1 (2013): powertrain revealed with 903bhp and electric driving

McLaren has revealed first details of the P1 supercar's hybrid powertrain. The headlines are: a combined 903bhp, 664lb ft, and the ability to drive 6.3 miles on zero-emission electric power. McLaren P1 powertrain: the details The engine is, as expected, an uprated version of the 12C's 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8.