Jaguar unveils Project 7 concept

For the past couple of years, Associate Editor Blake Z. Rong has been defending the blue stripe bisecting the hood of his Mazda Miata. People look askance at the thing, wondering aloud if the stripe shouldn't perhaps be running from nose to tail rather than from fender to fender.

Spanish street named after car racing video game creator

THE SPANISH town of Ronda has named a street after the creator of car racing phenomenon Gran Turismo. Kazunori Yamauchi, the man behind all six Gran Turismo games and their respective PlayStation spin-offs, was honoured in an on-street ceremony by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Ronda, where the new street sign was unveiled. Paseo de Kazunori Yamauchi runs along the edge of the stunning ravine that makes Ronda a popular tourist destination.

Volvo S60 sedan shown at the Detroit auto show

Showing a new direction inspired by Scandinavian design, Volvo displayed a concept vehicle at the Detroit Auto Show that previews the new S60 sedan, due in 18 months. The car has a new face--with angled headlamps, a coupe roofline and no B-pillar--and an interior with the "environment of a modern Scandinavian living room," said Steve Mattin, Volvo senior vice president of design. The car's more emotional look is part of a longer-term strategy to give Volvo a more exciting image in the United States through changes in product design and marketing, said Stephen Odell, CEO of Volvo Car Corp.