Garmin Gma340 on 2040-parts.com

Ford offers $1m of design scholarships in memory of William Clay Ford

Ford Motor Company has put aside $1million to be awarded in automotive design scholarships over the next 20 years in order to commemorate the life of William Clay Ford who passed away on Sunday. The Ford Fund will release $10,000 each to five college sophomores or juniors per year who are following a career in car design. William Clay Ford was the last surviving grandchild of company founder Henry Ford and design was his lifelong passion.

Renault DeZir concept (w/ Gallery)

The Renault DeZir concept is the first Renault Design project led by Laurens van den Acker. When it's officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October it will lay a marker down for the brand's future design direction. The 4225mm long two-seat sports coupe embodies Renault's new vision of 'simple', 'sensuous' and 'warm' designs.

Insurance group lists its Top Safety Picks

After increasing its standards for 2011 models, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that 66 vehicles--more than double the 2010 total--rate as best in the industry at protecting passengers from front, side, rollover and rear crashes. Only 27 vehicles qualified last year after the group, funded by the insurance industry, required that vehicles pass a roof-strength test to earn a good rating, claiming that stronger roofs would reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury by 50 percent in a rollover accident. The most mentioned carmakers on the 2011 list are Hyundai/Kia and Volkswagen/Audi, both with nine vehicles to get the Top Safety Pick designation.