Kolpin Gun Boot Bracket on 2040-parts.com

One Lap of the Web: Ditching Miss Belvedere

-- In the Netherlands, the street lights are expensive to run. Who knew? Hence, a much more striking vision of the future: a luminescent paint applied to the roads so its markings glow at night -- for as long as eight hours.

New Mercedes V-Class MPV revealed

The new Mercedes V-Class MPV (pictured) offers a more car-like experience The new Mercedes V-Class is the replacement for the Mercedes Viano, and Mercedes hope potential buyers will view it as a luxury MPV with proper Mercedes passenger car appeal but with room for up to eight passengers. It seems likely Mercedes are also hoping the new V-Class will attract former buyers of the now defunct R-Class, families who’ve outgrown a family car and business users too. If you can get over looks that still say ‘Van with Windows’ despite a complete makeover from the Viano (although the Viano Vision Diamond offered a very upmarket look and fittings), Mercedes should be in with a fighting chance of hitting the mark with the new V-Class.

Why Ford’s Euro design is changing: Joel Piaskowski replaces Martin Smith

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 28 May 2014 14:30 Ford today confirmed that it is shaking up its European design team, as it appoints Joel Piaskowski to replace the retiring Martin Smith. Smith, 64, has led Ford of Europe’s design team for a decade and is the father of the brand’s edgy ‘kinetic design’, but will step down on 1 July 2014, it was announced this afternoon. Before he retires fully at the end of the year Smith will work with the Blue Oval’s vice president of design, Moray Callum, on a global project looking at the future of Ford design.