Yamaha Yz250f 2010-12 Two Brothers Racing Aluminum Full Race System on 2040-parts.com

AutoStyle 2010

Earlier this year, we had the pleasure to attend AutoStyle 2010's design competition; a wonderfully familial, small-scale event that takes place in the picturesque village of San Benedetto Po, in northern Italy. Hosted by Berman, an aftermarket supplier of bespoke components to many OEMs, the event is a two-day gathering where many of the industry's designers, buyers and suppliers attend a conference to hear about the trends as perceived by automakers and to see the newest ‘special versions' created by budding designers. The 7th edition of the AutoStyle design competition showcased a wide array of aftermarket designs for the Ferrari California, Nissan Micra, Ford Focus, Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Citroen DS Highrider concept.

Eight hot rods compete for Ridler Award in Detroit

The 59th Annual Autorama has taken over Cobo Center in downtown Detroit with hundreds of hot rods, customs classics cars and motorcycles in what has been billed as America's greatest hot rod show. Judges have selected eight vehicles--dubbed the Great 8--as finalists for the coveted Ridler Award that will be presented Sunday evening at the show's conclusion. The Great 8 are: -- Jim Marciniak from Andover, Minn., with a 1963 Buick.

Brazilian students develop soapbox racers for Volkswagen

Brazilian design students have competed for year-long internships at Volkswagen's Brazilian design studio by designing – and racing – soapbox cars. Established 15 years ago by Volkswagen South America design director Luiz Veiga, the Volkswagen Design Talent Contest refreshed its format for 2013 by challenging students to develop a prototype for a gravity-powered soapbox racer instead of asking for sketch and render-based proposals. According to Veiga, Volkswagen was looking for someone "capable of working away from the desk and able to create design solutions, assess and build them".