Intake Manifold With Reed Boxes Johnson/evinrude Outboard on 2040-parts.com

CDR Insight Quarterly – Q1 2013

Car Design Research Insight Quarterly – Q1 2013 Independent consultancy, Car Design Research's 'Insight Quarterly' looks at the latest trends in the automotive design world and beyond, four times each year. Currently distributed to a handful of their design contacts in the industry, we'll be running these quarterlies to highlight the latest trends and insights from a firm who work regularly and closely with the design groups of many major OEMs. In this year's first Insight Quarterly, the team highlight the notion of 'designing for export'.

Bonkers KTM X-Bow GT with 435hp

KTM’s X-Bow is the Austrian firm’s answer to the Caterham Seven – a lightweight, two-seater track car that makes no sacrifices when it comes to luxuries. Which is why KTM added a bit more in the way of creature comforts (including a windscreen) for its more relaxed ‘GT’ model. And now German tuners Wimmer Rennsporttechnik have got their hands on the X-Bow GT, playing with the engine to turn up the heat… Please click on the image above to read more on the KTM X-Bow GT by Wimmer Rennsporttechnik…

Ford Mondeo Vignale revealed – it’s back to the days of Ford Ghia

The Ford Mondeo Vignale (picture) has been revealed as Ford’s new range-topper Mainstream car makers have always tried to add some glitz and gloss to their models by tagging on a badge they thought made their cars more exclusive. Like Ford with endless ‘Ghia’ models sitting at the top of the Ford range after they bought Ghia of Turin in 1970. Ford continued to use the Ghia badge to mark out its best-equipped models until very recently (you could still buy a Fiesta Ghia as recently as 2008) but they finally dropped the badge and moved their top of the tree badge over to the ‘Titanium’ moniker.