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Ford and IDSA to host 'Designing Innovation' live design panel discussion tomorrow

Freeman Thomas, strategic design director at Ford, will take part in a live design panel discussion on Wednesday 7 May. The panel, hosted by Ford and the Industrial Designers Society of America, will also include CEO of industrial design firm Fuseproject Yves Béhar, and Christopher Williams, business development director at product design and company Lime Lab. Topics will how technology plays a role in design; how designers shape consumer behaviors and responses to innovative products; and how products both stand out from and fit in with the world around them.

Toyota FT-86 Open Concept: The GT86 Convertible arrives early + video

The Toyota GT86 Convertible – in the guise of the FT-86 Open Concept has arrived earlier than Toyota would like ahead of a Geneva debut. Toyota teased the convertible GT86 with a sketch of the FT-86 Open Concept a few weeks ago – with a promise that all would be revealed at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show – but it’s arrived a bit earlier than Toyota wanted. The intrepid folks at FT86Club have managed to come up with photos of the FT-86 Open Concept (above) – and video – ahead of the official reveal by Toyota – and it looks pretty good.

Mazda design chief Ikuo Maeda brings new meaning to zoom-zoom

Ikuo Maeda, the new design chief at Mazda Motor Corp., earned the nickname "Speedy" for his lead-footed driving on the race course and off. He may be the only standing auto executive to have had his license revoked--twice. It's only natural then that Maeda, who took the design reins last April, views himself as the rightful guardian of Mazda's zoom-zoom brand heritage.