1982 Cadillac Exterior Selections-color Paint Chip Brochure on 2040-parts.com

Volvo confirms 395bhp four-cylinder for new 2015 XC90

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 08 July 2014 08:00 Volvo has confirmed engine details on the new 2015 XC90 - and it'll be crowned by the XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid, a 4x4 with 395bhp and around 60g/km of CO2. The Swedish seven-seat crossover hasn't been unveiled yet (expect full pictures in August 2014) and Volvo is busy building up the publicity machine with snapshots inside the new XC90 and now teasing us with engine details. The first photograph here is the XC concept car from the Detroit motor show 2014.

Saab 9-X Air concept

We saw the 9-X BioHybrid concept at Geneva, and at Paris we can expect to see this car as a cabriolet version called the Saab 9-X Air Concept. The core innovation in this design is the roof which in Saab's words is: "a powered, flat-folding roof developed from a Targa top principle". Relating to this, the rear C-pillar buttresses are also unique.

The Future Role of the Vehicle Designer

The vehicle design department at the Royal College of Art hosted the second in a series of five lectures looking at the future of the profession last week. Moving on from the previous week's topic of sustainability, this debate explored the future roles and responsibilities of the vehicle designer. Head of department Dale Harrow began by posing the question "Is it time to rethink – do we still need the car?" Although still relevant, Harrow's ultimate answer to this was that the profession was about to see marked change, with the end to an era where "designers are locked behind closed doors in studios".