West Coast Choppers "patch Beanie" Wccmt129zw Hat- on 2040-parts.com

Maybach reaches end of the line

Daimler AG is set to announce the closure of its Maybach ultra luxury brand this weekend, according to reports. The underperforming 57 and 62 limousines are to be killed off in 2013, following a decision from chairman Dieter Zetsche who has elected not to invest in their respective replacements for 2014. Following a concept car preview at the 1997 Tokyo motor show, Maybach was resurrected in 2002 after Daimler AG failed to purchase either Rolls-Royce or Bentley from then owners, Vickers.

Who's Where: Martin Smith joins Ford Europe design team

Martin Smith has been appointed as Executive Director of Design at Ford Europe. Smith, a native of Sheffield, England, brings a wealth of design experience to Ford, having held positions at Porsche, Audi, and most recently as Director of Design for Opel/Vauxhall. In his new position, he will report to product development chief, Derrick Kuzak and to Ford's global group vice president for Design, J Mays.

BMW Group unveils in-car G-force and tea-drinking engine

BMW AND Mini have today unveiled pioneering new technologies that produce artificial G-force and even let an engine run on tea leaves. BMW has revealed plans for a system called Force Injection Booster (FIB), which when activated fires artificial gravity at the driver and passenger through the air conditioning vents. But the style-conscious needn’t worry, because the German firm has also patented AirNet, the world’s first in-car hair protection technology.