Stainless Steel Peace Symbol Emblem - Luxfx1743 on 2040-parts.com

GM product chief Bob Lutz to retire

GM boss Bob Lutz Retires By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 09 February 2009 17:41 GM boss Bob Lutz will retire at the end of the year. The vice chairman of global product development – who has been at the centre of the automotive industry for the last 46 years – will be replaced by Tom Stephens, GM’s current veepee for global powertrain and global quality. Lutz, 76, will continue to report to GM boss Rick Wagoner throughout 2009 in his new role as GM vice chairman and senior advisor, before bowing out at the end of December.

Ford B-Max

A production version of the Ford B-Max mini-MPV will make its debut at next month's Geneva motor show – one year after the concept was announced. The production B-Max stays true to the 2011 concept, with the same lack of a B-pillar between the conventional front and sliding rear doors, which creates a 1,500mm aperture. We'll be interested to learn how this affects both weight and rigidity as well as how much real-world advantage it offers.

Jaguar XJ – the ‘All-Star’ car

The Jaguar XJ receives Automobile Magazine's All Star Award No, ‘All Star’ doesn’t refer to celebs who’ve fallen for the charms of Jaguar’s new XJ, from our own Jaguar-loving Richard Madeley to rap’s own Mr Jay-Zed who featured a new XJ in a recent vid. The ‘All Star’ here is the All-Star Award from America’s Automobile magazine who’ve decided that the new XJ deserves an award, just as the Jaguar XF deserved the same accolade in 2009 and 2010. According to Automobile magazine: “The toughest part about this class is that it’s very hard for any one car to stand out in the crowd, and yet the XJ manages to do just that, in both its design and its dynamics.