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Formula 1 2012: The Cars [w/video]

Nine of the 12 Formula 1 teams have released images and details of their cars for the 2012 World Championship as the first day of pre-season testing draws to a close at the Jerez circuit in Spain. Motor sport may fall slightly outside of Car Design News' usual remit, but the big story this year is the new 'stepped nose', which all teams bar McLaren have introduced to comply with new safety regulations, much to the chagrin of aestheticists. And with designers such as Daniel Simon (he produced the livery for HRT last season) and Peter Stevens (most notable for the Brabham cars of the 1980s) involved with the sport over the years, it's always interesting to check out the season's new machines.

The UK's most vandalised car is BMW's X5

BMW X5 buyers beware: you own the UK's most vandalised car. The big BMW has long been a fixture in the top 10 – 7th in 2011, 4th in 2012 – but now it has risen to the top of the table that summarises a nastier side of our society. The data is collected from swiftcover.com's annual Vehicle Vandalism Index, and this year's results highlight a dramatic shift in the type of vehicles listed in the top 10.

Ssangyong XIV-1 concept

Ssangyong is the latest car manufacturer to confirm they will be showcasing a new concept car at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show, the XIV-1. The XIV-1 B-segment concept, previously known as the XUV-1, is a crossover concept that underlines the importance of the car's interaction with its driver and passengers, with the vehicle's name coming from the phrase 'eXciting user Interface Vehicle'. Ssangyong will also be premiering the SUT-1 sports utility vehicle, first shown in concept form at the 2011 Geneva motor show and debuting the petrol-powered Korando crossover.