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Redesigned 2013 Lexus LS offers new sheetmetal, safety features

Lexus Division unveiled its new LS 460 flagship luxury sedan that arrives in dealerships this fall, with standard and long-wheelbase editions, a hybrid version and a new F-Sport trim level with improved handling dynamics. Despite its sheet metal changes, the car is actually little changed underneath. Its 4.6-liter V8 engine and eight-speed transmission are basically carryover, at a time when luxury brands are using powertrain technology as a differentiating ploy.

Jeep brings duo of remixed Cherokee concepts to Beijing

China has become and important market for a number of American automakers, and even though Jeep's partnership with local automotive companies goes back decades, it has always faced stiff competition from other brands in the SUV segment. Hoping that the debut of the new Cherokee will revitalize interest in the brand, Jeep has brought a number of concepts to the China auto show in Beijing this week. First up is the Jeep Cherokee Sageland concept, whose design theme and colors were inspired by historical landmarks and scenery of the Shangri-La region, with the SUV's exterior painted in ivory tri-coat pearl with bronze grille collars.

New design app aims to revolutionize design process

The Morpholio 2.0 app has been launched with a host of new tools aimed at revolutionizing the design process across all disciplines. Launched in July last year specifically for architects, this iteration is the result of collaboration between developers and designers in the automotive and fashion fields, among others. "Aside from making design production easier, we wanted to know if better tools could make it smarter by integrating the wisdom of crowds and capitalizing on the power of the touchscreen to capture feedback," says Anna Kenoff, Morpholio co-creator.