National Cycle Peacemaker Slip-on Exhaust N41411 on 2040-parts.com

Ford at CES: Charge your car with science and wash your dishes while you sleep

Ford's C-Max Solar Energy Concept is a "plugless plugin," said Donna Bell, which initially sounds silly -- as if the carefully structured chaos and noise of CES may have finally gotten to her. But as someone who has been managing Ford's electric vehicle infrastructure for the past 20 years, she isn't being facetious. Solar panels on the roof of a car aren't anything new -- the Fisker Karma used them to power the radio and other in-car accessories, to cite a soon-obscure example.

Jaguar XF 2.0 litre EcoBoost for China

Jaguar are to fit the 2.0 litre EcoBoost engine to the XF for the Chinese market as a more affordable entry point for the XF range. Even though Jaguar Land Rover are yet to get official Chinese Government approval for their Joint Venture with Chery, China is already a big market for them and, just like other luxury car makers, they are willing to produce cars just for the China market. According to reports from China, the Jaguar XF is about to get the 2.0 litre EcoBoost engine from the Range Rover Evoque to create a new entry-level Jaguar XF at a more appealing price point.

Videos: Chris Bangle shares his views on design and the future of car design

Chris Bangle is a man that needs no introduction on these pages. Both revered and castigated, Bangle's work has undoubtedly been influential for a generation of designers. His unconventional practices – employed at a time when design was still largely segregated from other departments during the development process – yielded many avantgarde and contentious designs, but Bangle's fundamental understanding of the design process, creative vision and desire for change can never be cast in doubt. While Bangle shares his views on the future of the car in the video to the right, the video to the left provides an insight into the former BMW design chief's thought processes and gives us a glimpse into his home and studio in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.