Smi Impeller Plate - 176 on 2040-parts.com

Design Services: Car Menu launched

Within almost every automotive design department throughout the world, their comes a time when a junior designer is dispatched to find a picture of some new model's tail lamp, the side view of a particular class leading competitor or examples of several new cars' colour and trim packages. Whilst looking at the competition is not necessarily a healthy way of finding ideas, it is often essential to demonstrate what is feasible, check in-house proposals are not too derivative, or show how advanced a design theme is relative to the same type of cars on the market. But even if the particular aspect of a car can be found, press packs and magazines typically show cars in the flattering light of an exotic location or being drifted around a corner on opposite lock; rarely are these images particularly useful.

Mercedes GLA: New B Class SUV in 2013

Mercedes GLA based on the new B Class (pictured) Another Mercedes niche car based on the new A Class platform will arrive in 2013 as the compact SUV Mercedes GLA. Mercedes’ nomenclature has got confusing in recent years so it’s quite hard to pin down exactly what they’re likely to call a new car we know is coming but which isn’t yet official. But it does now seem clear that the compact SUV we’ll see from Mercedes in 2013 – and based on the same platform as the new A and B Class – will be the Mercedes GLA.

Fancy being the new Jeremy Clarkson?

VW are running a competition to find the best 'Peoples Reviewer' - The next JC? (image copyright Top Gear) But Cars UK aren’t looking for car testers at the moment (although you will be able to submit guest reviews on your car before long), but Volkswagen are – for the new VW Tiguan. They’re running a competition to find the best amateur car reviewer in the UK, which we find quite fascinating.