1999 Xc 700 Motor Sport Polaris Sniwmobile on 2040-parts.com

Hongik University's transportation design process

Hongik University in Seoul, Korea, is one of the preeminent design schools in the country with a diverse range of programs. But the school's transportation design department has also developed a unique approach for concept ideation. At the International Transportation Design Forum in Pforzheim, Germany, Professor Joo Hyun Chung from the school's Transportation Design course gave Car Design News an exclusive insight into the process, explaining how students express their ideas into 3D surfaces directly, using materials such as paper and wire for the first exploration of the form rather than the traditional 2D to 3D process.

BMW ready to shift small coupes, convertibles to even-number nameplates

Reports in Europe say that BMW is planning a shake-up in the naming strategy for its smaller coupes and convertibles, as well as planning to shift its 1-series cars onto a front-drive platform. The nameplate shake-up will have coupe and convertible variants of the 1-series become the 2-series, while coupe and convertible variants of the 3-series will become the 4-series. The changeover is expected to start in 2013, according to a report on the Web site of Car magazine.

Making of the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo (video)

Porsche has released a video chronicling the development of the Panamera Sport Turismo as the first model extension of the Panamera. Earlier this month we had a video from Porsche of the Panamera Sport Turismo on the move with comments and insights on the design process, and now we get a more detailed look at the development and thinking behind the transition from ugly duckling Panamera to stunningly good looking Panamera Sport Turismo. Porsche don’t want to call the Sport Turismo a Station Wagon, but that is effectively what the Sport Turismo is (and it can’t be a true Shooting Brake with four doors).