Test your car's audio quality with iTunes playlist

General Motors audio engineer Matt Kirsch, who did the sound work for the Chevrolet Cruze, has developed an iTunes playlist that helps drivers test their cars' audio quality. The “10 Songs for an Audio ‘Test Drive'” playlist includes: “Don't Know Why” by Norah Jones “Diamonds and Rust” by Joan Baez “No One” by Alicia Keys “Hotel California” by the Eagles “Boom Boom Pow” by the Black Eyed Peas “Rock That Body” by the Black Eyed Peas “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap “He Mele No Lilo” by Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu (from Lilo & Stitch) “Bird on a Wire” by Johnny Cash “Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box” by Radiohead While “Boom Boom Pow” and “Rock That Body” should have accurate and powerful bass beats, “No One” and “Bird on a Wire” should feature clarity in the vocals. Kirsch's playlist is available for download at http://tiny.cc/c2ach.

How Lumiscaphe software delivers for Eagle Ottawa

Real-time visualization software is transforming the speed and ease with which design teams can develop interior proposals, saving time and money in the process, as Lumiscaphe's visualization designer and Eagle Ottawa China's Design Director of the Asia Pacific region discussed with Car Design News. "Until very recently we relied purely on flat and trimmed leather samples and photography when visiting clients," explains Erik Vogas, Eagle Ottawa China's Director of Design, Marketing and Innovation in Shanghai. "Physical samples are always the most compelling, but we are also impacted by the timing and cost constraints of creating those samples.

2009 BMW 335d, the AutoWeek Drivers Log

MANAGING EDITOR ROGER HART: Anyone who thinks Americans won't warm up to a diesel car should drive one of these. I mean, 425 lb-ft of torque has a way of turning people's heads in a different direction. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more fun, more engaging commuter car, all things considered.