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Who's Where: Peter Arcadipane appointed BAIC's design director

Peter Arcadipane has joined BAIC as its new design director. Based at its new hi-tech design facility in Beijing, China, he oversees a team of around 130 designers. The Australian designer, formerly of Mercedes-Benz, has been challenged to steer state-owned BAIC towards a more coherent and strategic position within China, with its chairman wanting to take the carmaker more upmarket.

Mercedes CLA starts to roll off production line in Hungary

The Mercedes CLA – the baby Mercedes CLS based on the new A Class – has started to roll off the production line at Kecskemét in Hungary. But that’s probably unfair; based as it is on the new A-Class, the CLA is a very good car under the skin, even if its big USP is the dramatic styling. Now, just over a week after the CLA got its first public reveal (if you don’t count the Mercedes Concept Style Coupe on which its based), the first production car has rolled off the line at the Mercedes plant in Kecskemét, Hungary.

2014 Hyundai Elantra, Tucson FCEV and a new Nu engine at the LA Auto Show

Hyundai made a boatload of news at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday. The Korean company unveiled the redesigned 2014 Elantra coupe, sedan and GT, the Veloster R-Spec hatchback and some interesting info on its upcoming fuel-cell program. The biggest news is Hyundai's revamped 2.0-liter Nu engine that now makes 173 hp, instead of 145 hp, and 154 lb-ft of torque, as opposed to the 130 of the old engine.