McLaren managing director on leave, not expected in Geneva

McLaren Automotive's U.S.-born managing director, Antony Sheriff, is expected to be absent from the launch of the P1 hypercar at Geneva next week because he is on extended leave from the company. No reason for Sheriff's absence has been given, although McLaren is at pains to point out that he is “still employed as McLaren Automotive's managing director.” Rumors were circulating about Sheriff's absence from Woking in January, but company spokesmen back then stressed that he was still employed by McLaren and would unveil the P1 at Geneva. Despite those assurances, sources had reported earlier in the year that Sheriff “hadn't been seen in his office” for some days.

College Exhibition: Coventry University Design Degree Show 2004

Sep 1, 2004 - Final year undergraduate students from the Coventry University Transport Design course showed their work in the annual degree exhibition in June. The 2004 show celebrates the conclusion of either 3 or 4 years of study, depending on whether the BA Hons or MDes study routes have been followed. With 35 graduating students on the MDes in Transport Design plus 15 graduates on either BA Automotive Design or Transport and Product Design, the show is the largest in Europe for transportation design graduates.

Mercedes and Daimler crush 300SL Gullwing imposter

Mercedes-Benz Classic recently destroyed an ersatz 300 SL after the body was seized by German customs officials. The case began when a German company built a fiberglass copy of the Gullwing's body. According to a court ruling, the shape remains under copyright protection just as it did upon its introduction in the 1950s.