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Exclusive: Frank Stephenson to become Design Director at McLaren

Thanks to our contacts in the automotive design community, we've become aware that Frank Stephenson, who until recently was Director of Design at Alfa Romeo, will be taking on a new role as Design Director at McLaren. "McLaren is pleased to confirm that Frank Stephenson will shortly join as Design Director," a company spokesperson told CDN, but would not reveal additional details. Stephenson was not prepared to comment.

Middlecott Sketchbattle Experiment crowns first Sketchmaster

College for Creative Studies (CCS) student Graham Wright has fought off competition from artists, illustrators, industrial, product and car designers to be declared the Sketchmaster of the Middlecott Sketchbattle Experiment 2014. Held at Detroit's Kunsthalle Museum of Contemporary Art, the contest – a self-styled fight club of design – carried the theme of lighting because of the museum's many neon and lighting installations. Before the event, design students from the area – mostly from the CCS and Lawrence Technological University (LTU) – were invited to submit early sketches before a shortlist was drawn up for the main event.

Jaguar at Le Mans – the Cat returns

Jaguar returns to Le Mans for 2010 (click for bigger image) 2010 marks the 75th anniversary of Jaguar and a close look at the state of Jaguar after so long in the business of making cars sees it in better shape than at any time for the last forty years. The current range of cars – soon to be joined on the road by the new Jaguar XJ – is the best on offer for a generation, and there’s a new feel about Jaguar; confident; forward looking; innovative. Jaguar is quickly become a desirable marque once more, and the future plans for Jaguar seem set to cement that growing feeling.