Who's Where: GM Design announces major global restructuring of design executives

GM Design has announced a major reshuffle of its global leadership team, with Mark Adams, current executive director of Global Cadillac and Buick Design and GME vice president of Design, amongst the movers. Designed to boost the emphasis of the carmaker's various brands, including Buick and Opel, the restructuring – which comes into effect on 1 September – will focus on improving joint strategies, theme development and innovation. Mark Adams will head back to Germany to take up the position as GME vice president of Design and champion for Opel/Buick brand strategies and design language.

McLaren launches Special Operations unit for customers' custom requests

British sports-car maker McLaren has launched its Special Operations unit, which will help the company's well-heeled buyers customize their cars. McLaren previewed some handiwork from the new division at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, with a custom example of the MP4-12C. The customized sports car had a variety of carbon-fiber trim upgrades and special treatment such as unique orange paintwork, a gloss-black roof, diamond-cut-finish wheels with gloss-back inners, 12C-branded carbon sill panels, a carbon steering wheel and carbon-fiber cover vents for the engine.

Concept Car of the Week: BMW Spicup (1969)

The oddly named Spicup, standing for Spider and Coupé, was first presented at the 1969 Geneva Motor Show. Carozzeria Bertone had previous collaborations with BMW such as the 3200CS coupe by Giugiaro. The friendship between Nuccio Bertone and Willhelm Hoffmeister, head of bodywork construction at BMW, must have also contributed to the brand agreeing to provide an early pre-production of the E3 generation 2500 saloon as a base for the concept.