Madjax Octane Golf Wheel - Machined/black [10x7] (4/4) - (3+4) [19-007] on 2040-parts.com

The Hidden Work of Design Consultancies

Most major car companies carry out most of their design work themselves, with dedicated design departments increasingly capable of handling every aspect of the design process. But few car companies do not use the services of external car design consultancies for some smaller projects, and many smaller car companies use such consultancies to supplement their more limited in-house design facilities on larger design projects. Throughout the world there are numerous companies offering these design services to car companies.

Video: The making of Forza Motorsport 4

Turn 10, the studio behind the design of Forza Motorsport 4 video game, has produced a video to revealed the lengthy process behind the creation of each car in their virtual pit garage. The video describes each, painstaking step from sourcing of the cars that will feature in the game to the development of the sound of each car. Some cars are scanned using equipment which gives accurate readings to 1/12,000 inch (around 0.002mm) is used to capture data that's imported into software used by anyone familiar with a design studio.

Views of new Jaguar XJ leak out

Here's the proof that Jaguar has finally junked decades of styling heritage with its dramatically detailed new flagship, the XJ sedan. Although there's a family resemblance to the new XF at the front and in the overall, swoopy fastback shape, Jaguar is entering new territory with the rear styling of the car. In a European context, the rear lights nod toward Italian brand Lancia, and a breakthrough feature is the wraparound, dark-colored panel on the D-pillar, which follows the outline of the sloping rear glass.