Design

Bentley’s design team is offering a rare opportunity to take a glimpse inside the usually secret and closed world of their studios and follow the development of a Bentley vehicle from the first sketch right through to the moment it sweeps through the factory gates. ‘An Unbroken...

One of the key men behind the design of the new XJ and stunning XK at Jaguar will soon be designing Rolls-Royces for a living. Giles Taylor, a former Jaguar designer, has now been hired by Rolls-Royce as its chief of exterior design. Taylor has an industrial design background, with his talents...

Freakishly shaped, crowd-designed, and "open source," the Local Motors Rally Fighter is unique even among the world of purpose-built dirt bashers. It's also a ton of fun to watch as it does its thing. You've already seen the Rally Fighter get freaky in the dirt, but it's up to its antics again...

Designing an effective car interior isn't easy. Car companies need to think about the design, the features, and the ergonomics. After all, you spend more time in there driving your car than you do staring at the exterior. If you've ever driven a car with a particularly poor interior, you begin to...

It’s no secret that Audi has ambitious goals to become the world’s leading luxury auto brand within the decade and is planning to boost its lineup to 42 different models by 2015. Not surprisingly we’ve seen several brand new model additions in the recent past, with cars like the...

Imagine the scenario. You go to your local car dealership for a replacement part. A bracket has sheared in your engine bay and components are rattling against each other making every journey a nightmare. Only trouble is, a replacement part won't be in stock for another few weeks. "Not to worry Sir...

While the new 458 Italia is almost universally acclaimed as one of the best looking Ferraris in years, perhaps even in all time, the recently unveiled Ferrari FF is drawing mixed responses from most that have seen it. Ferrari has certainly ventured into new territory with the FF, which features a...

When the subject of small cars comes up, conversation invariably turns to safety at some point. On roads full of 5000-pound trucks and SUVs, many people can understandably feel a little intimidated driving anything smaller than a midsize sedan. Gordon Murray Design has now conducted a crash test on...

An emerging technology that could have a major impact on the way cars are designed in the future is currently being developed, with the new technology having the potential to save thousands of lives in serious car crashes. The new technology is a special gel called d3o, which was developed by...

We already know that the Dodge Viper will return in the summer of 2012 as a 2013 model, packing a brand new engine and a softer and more forgiving chassis. However, apart from those tentative details there’s not too much else known about the latest generation of Chrysler’s homegrown...

Engineering firm Johnson Controls has unveiled a new concept at this week’s 2011 Detroit Auto Show that’s described as a preview of technologies we can expect to see in vehicle interiors in the near future. Combining intelligent packaging solutions with sustainable motoring concepts...

While it may seem like overkill, Audi is reportedly considering a new four-door coupe model positioned above its current A8 flagship sedan and packed with the company’s most advanced technology. Designed to take on premium rivals like the Porsche Panamera, Mercedes-Benz CL-Class and the...

Daimler's ultra-luxury Maybach brand has been a study in how not to sell cars for nearly its entire revived existence. Exclusivity is one thing; odd-man-out is another. To help fix the brand, Daimler may be turning to an unlikely partner: Aston Martin. Aston, now independently owned after being...

If the Zagato name doesn’t ring a bell, it is one of the legendary Italian design houses and was responsible for the styling of such great cars as the Alfa Romeo 2300 8C and the more recent Perana Z-One and Alfa Romeo TZ3. The important thing to note is that Zagato’s cars are not purely...

Ford’s Australian division is working on its second-generation Territory SUV, which is set to be released next year, and we now have the first spy shots of it in prototype form. While this particular model won’t be sold in the U.S., its styling may very well feature on models arriving...

Chrysler is in a process of rejuvenating its product lineup, releasing new or updated versions of almost its entire lineup over the next couple of years. We’ve already seen significant new models like the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 200 and stylish Chrysler 300 sedan, but...

The world of virtual design concepts often comes up with some wacky ideas, but we have to admit Idries Noah's execution of the 2010 T2 Concept is attractive--and better yet, it gives us an idea of what to expect from a completely different car: the rumored-to-be-reborn Honda/Acura NSX. How is it...

MINI has one of the most iconic designs on the planet and the man credited with bringing the classic shape into the modern era is a man by the name of Gert Volker Hildebrand. But now, after 10 successful years at MINI, Hildebrand is handing over the running of the MINI Design studio in Munich...

Back in 2008 Lamborghini teamed up with Italian fashion house Versace to create a special edition package for its then-new Murcielago LP640 Roadster. Versace’s designers worked closely with Lamborghini’s Centro Stile and specialists from the ad personam project to create unique interior...

This past week’s 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show saw the Cadillac Aera and Smart 454 concepts take out the annual event’s competitive Design Challenge, which every year sees the studios of the major automakers battling it out to see who can come up with the best automotive design for a given...