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Design Contest: LA Design Challenge 2008

The entrants for the fifth annual Design Challenge, part of the Design Los Angeles automobile designers' conference, have now been announced. Nine Southern California automotive design studios - including Audi, BMW, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Volkswagen - have been pitted against one another and asked to develop a concept which best answers a brief entitled 'Motorsports in 2025'. "Automotive designers have always been fascinated with motorsports and this year's Design Challenge has provided them with the opportunity to use their creative talent to look at these cars with new eyes, using innovative technologies and approaches," said Chuck Pelly, director of Design Los Angeles and partner in The Design Academy, Inc.

MG's return: how the Chinese will relaunch MG in 2011

MG TF roadster likely to die this year MG is relaunching in the UK first - in summer 2011 with the arrival of the 6 hatchback and saloon. It's a half-sized family car straddling the C- and D-segments, a bit like Skoda's Octavia, and will be priced aggressively. The company says the MG 6 will cost from £17,000-£20,000 when first deliveries happen in April 2011.

AA Survey says 40% of UK roads are in a ‘Terrible’ state

40% of our roads are in a ‘Terrible’ state We all moan about how bad the UK’s roads are after several years of extreme weather and even more years of underinvestment in road repairs. Now the AA has revealed that a survey of 29,911 of their members reveals that 40 per cent of local roads are considered to be in a ‘Terrible’ state, 34 per cent of main roads the same and just 11 per cent of local roads considered ‘Excellent’. None of which will come as a surprise to Cars UK readers; we get endless emails on the subject from disgruntled readers bemoaning the dangerous state of our roads and asking what can be done.