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Audi A3 Concept (2011): first pictures

Audi has released first sketches of the Audi A3 concept, ahead of its debut at the 2011 Geneva motor show. Audi is previewing the upcoming A3 with this saloon concept. It's powered by the fan-favourite five-cylinder turbocharged engine in 408bhp specification. Quattro four-wheel-drive and a seven-speed S-tronic double-clutch transmission complete the powertrain.  Sizewise, the new A3 saloon is 4440mm long, 1840mm wide and 1390mm high.  That's longer than the current A3 Sportback (4.3m) but shorter than the current VW Jetta saloon (4.64m). The new concept is slightly wider and lower than the current A3.

Porsche 911 (991)

The release of a new generation of the Porsche 911 is always a major motoring event and the launch of the latest – the 991, which will make its debut in Frankfurt next month – appears to be the most significant since the icon switched to water cooling with the 996 in 1998. While quite obviously an evolution of the 997 and every version prior, the 991 is longer (+56mm), wider (+65mm) and lower (-11mm) than its predecessor, while the wheelbase has been extended in order to increase rear leg room and move the model further into the GT segment. Its front lamp graphics offer a visual link to the 918 concept car and sit above a set of angular DRL/turn signal units and enlarged lower mask intakes.

MIT develops self-transforming materials that behave 'like robots without robots'

A cross-disciplinary research lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a suite of programmable materials, including carbon fiber, printed wood grain, textile composites, rubbers and plastics, that self-transform when exposed to an external stimulus. Director of the Self-Assembly Lab, Skylar Tibbits, presented a TED talk on 4D printing in 2013, where he demonstrated how a flat sheet of material could effectively build itself when exposed to water, like a robot without a robot. Following positive feedback from industries including aviation, automotive and manufacturing, his lab has been working on developing materials that change according to different activation sources, including heat, light, and air pressure, in addition to water – all of which have automotive relevance.