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Design Contest: LA Design Challenge 2008

The entrants for the fifth annual Design Challenge, part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers' conference, have now been announced. Nine Southern California automotive design studios - including Audi, BMW, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen - have been pitted against one another and asked to develop a concept which best answers a brief entitled 'Motorsports in 2025'. "Automotive designers have always been fascinated with motorsports and this year's Design Challenge has provided them with the opportunity to use their creative talent to look at these cars with new eyes, using innovative technologies and approaches," said Chuck Pelly, director of Design Los Angeles and partner in The Design Academy, Inc.

Ferrari F450 prototype spied as F430 successor heads for Frankfurt debut

Spy photographer Brenda Priddy serves up a fresh look at the Ferrari F450, the car set to replace the F430 in Ferrari's lineup later this year. From this prototype, spotted being loaded into a hauler, we see that the styling is updated but not a radical departure from the F430. The new model designation comes from an increase in displacement for the V8 to 4.5 liters.

Fisker expanding into Canada

The Fisker Karma sedan will soon be available in Canada. The California-based electric-car manufacturer has partnered with the Dilawri Group, Canada's largest automotive dealer group, and the Field Automotive Group. “Both Dilawri and Fields have the premium-brand experience we want and that the customers expect,” Matt Malfitano, director of North American Market Operations at Fisker, said in a statement.