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Who's Where: Giles Taylor appointed Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design director

Giles Taylor has been appointed Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design director, with effect from 1 July 2012. He previously held the position of head of exterior design. Taylor will report directly to senior vice president BMW Group design, Adrian van Hooydonk and will replace Ian Cameron who retires from his position to become a brand ambassador until his retirement in April 2013.

Used cars set for soft landing

THE USED CAR MARKET is set to see a gentle slow down towards the end of the year, avoiding the price crash feared by some in the industry. Experts at CAP Automotive say there are no shocks on the horizon as used car prices are not reducing as quickly as previously expected. This is due to high demand for quality used cars and limited supply.

Volvo XC90 grabs IIHS Top Safety Pick+ on its way out

The Volvo XC90 may be the oldest car in Volvo's lineup, with 2013 being the last year for the XC90 before it's replaced by an entirely new model, but it has just captured the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick+ award. The award is a relatively new title, requiring a car or truck to achieve "Acceptable" or "Good" ratings on each IIHS test. Crucial to the Volvo XC90's achievement of this award was its performance in the new small overlap front tests, which test how a vehicle behaves in an front offset crash with a stationary object at high speeds.