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Chris Bangle begins work with Changan Automobile on its design strategy and methodology

Chris Bangle is to consult with Changan Automobile to help develop its design strategy and processes in his first official automotive project since leaving BMW in 2009. Bangle – through his company Chris Bangle Associates (CBA) – will work with Changan's team in its European design center in Turin, Italy, reporting to design director Chen Zheng. And while his role will be linked to the brand's Chinese products, his focus will be on the design team's methodologies and philosophy; its management and its process of critique, rather than the hands-on design of its products.

VW's wild new 496-hp Golf GTI

UPDATED: Volkswagen has revealed a 496-hp version of the seventh-generation Golf GTI as part of activities at this year's Worthersee fan meet in Austria – and with it, projected the hot hatchback into the same league as some of the world's most celebrated supercars. Dubbed the Design Vision GTI, the radical new concept showcases a twin-turbocharged 3-liter V6 engine developed for use in upcoming models that, like the new Golf GTI, are based around Volkswagen's highly flexible MQB (modular transverse architecture) platform structure. Set to find its way into selected new Volkswagen models in future years, the direct injection engine replaces the Golf GTI's turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four, and is mounted transversely in the engine bay of the Design Vision GTI.

Range Rover Hybrid on the Silk Trail

A trio of Range Rover Hybrid s (pictured) on the Silk Trail The new Range Rover Hybrid (and the Range Rover Sport Hybrid too) are heading for a reveal at the Frankfurt Motor Show in a week or so, but they’re not quite ready for showrooms yet. Land Rover are still busy doing the final shakedown of the hybrid powerplant and have decided the best way is a high profile jaunt from Land Rover in Solihull to Mumbai in India following the ancient Silk Trail route to test the robustness of their new hybrid. So they garnered a trio of Range Rover hybrids – and support vehicles – enlisted a team consisting of Land Rover development engineers and motoring media from 10 countries, and set off from Solihull on 22nd August on the almost 10,000 mile expedition.