Design

The Volkswagen Scirocco is proving to be popular with tuners, with famed German performance shop JE Design also releasing its own hotted-up version of the svelte sports coupe. JE Design’s work on German cars has been well documented, especially some of its more outrageous creations based on...

The customer experience at BMW - especially when taking delivery at the factory in Europe - is a unique one, soon to be made more unique by the inclusion of Microsoft's Surface, a multi-touch screen capable of some rather impressive maneuvers. BMW is the first carmaker in the world to implement the...

The youngest Formula 1 World Champion in history, Lewis Hamilton has no shortage of talent behind the wheel. Now that the 'silly season' has arrived, however, he's taken to a more conceptual field, and designed his own personal take on the ultimate F1 circuit. Though the track is thus far nothing...

Ford's drive for a new-generation of 'global' vehicles will receive a boost with the unveiling of a new model at next month's Detroit Auto Show, which will reportedly showcase the company’s latest global design theme. According to Ford's design chief, J. Mays, the new model is not part of a...

Italy's place in the automotive design business is legendary, inspiring passion for cars in generations of people all around the world via cars from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lancia and Alfa Romeo and more. Both Pininfarina and Bertone have spent time at the leading edge of design, and Jason Castriota...

Today, the design entry from Mazda R&D of North America was chosen as the winner of the Los Angeles Auto Show's 2008 Design Challenge. This year's theme, Motor Sports 2025, asked nine of Southern California's automotive design studios to form their vision of the future by depicting a motor...

Honda has revealed today at the Los Angeles Auto Show a new concept vehicle powered by an advanced hydrogen fuel cell drivetrain. Showing that alternative energy doesn’t have to be boring, the new concept vehicle has been developed as a sporty three-seater and showcases the flexibility of...

German tuner Lumma Design will be unveiling an extensively modified Porsche Cayenne GTS at this year's Essen Motor Show in Germany. Set to debut near the end of this month, the Lumma Design CLR 550 R takes the latest Porsche Cayenne GTS and gives it a new aerodynamic profile, as well as improved...

The Art Center College of Design has turned out some of the most highly regarded designers in the automotive industry, including Chip Foose, Chris Bangle, Henrik Fisker and Frank Stephenson. One of the college's current students has now unveiled a prototype carbon fiber child seat modeled after a...

German tuning house JE DESIGN previously specialized in customizing cars from Seat, such as the Leon Cupra hot-hatch we reported on last year. Gradually, the tuner has taken its hand at customizing large SUVs from the Volkswagen Group, such as the VW Touareg and Audi Q7. The firm has now developed...

Ferrari designs have been instant classics for the last five decades, inspiring imitators, fans and even competitors both on track and on the street. In that spirit, but on a somewhat more whimsical note, the Zobin Concept gives a glimpse at what a modern single-seater Ferrari might look like...

Specialist Mercedes Benz tuners Inden Design has just released a new tuning package for the CLK cabrio that is inspired by the limited-edition CLK DTM AMG model that Mercedes released a couple of years ago. The Inden Design package is essentially a replica of the CLK DTM package, and like the...

Carmakers have employed a number of methods to improve the fuel-economy of their cars in the recent past, most notably turbocharging smaller engines and reducing weight. However, the battle to improve mileage and efficiency for cars is stepping up in view of impending CAFE requirements and general...

Like Ford's flotilla of concepts, seemingly dozens of Dodges will be making the SEMA show this year as well. Its muscle-car stance a ready platform for modification, the Challenger is first among them, and the Classic Design Concepts Group 2 widebody kit will certainly catch its share of attention...

As Russia’s auto sector continues to grow and embrace all facets of the industry, we are starting to see more and more local automotive start-up companies crop up that just a few years ago would have been unheard of. The latest is a small automotive design firm based in Moscow, which has...

Three-wheeled vehicles are a classic and quick way to get around the typical automotive certification standards, since such 'cars' are classified as motorcycles in many countries, including the U.S. In the case of the Energya, however, the three-wheeled design is also a performance feature, helping...

The next generation of high-performance car design is apt to be as much about innovative use of materials as it is about aggressive shapes and huge horsepower numbers. The VanAsperen '202,61' is a step in that direction, combining coachwork of recyclable plastic and a lightweight steel spaceframe...

Volvo has been forced to postpone redesigning two of its vehicles due to a lack of funds and increasing focus on new technology and vehicle segments. Originally, Volvo's XC90 SUV was scheduled to be redesigned for 2010, but will now instead receive a facelift, with the redesign expected to be...

General Motors has traditionally designed many of its compact and mid-size cars at its Opel operations in Russelsheim, Germany. Now, however, the company may be looking to shift some of that duty to its U.S. offices, the better to design a car that will suit both U.S. and European tastes. Primary...

With the likes of Aston Martin and Porsche set to release sporty four-door coupe models and even Lamborghini planning to join the fray with the unveiling of a new saloon concept at next week’s Paris Motor Show, it didn’t take long for budding designers to create their own personal...