AW Design Forum: Ralph Gilles talks technology - with style

Chrysler Group is known for its rough and tough trucks and menacing muscle cars, but its design boss said technology is going to be the game-changer for car designers going forward. Ralph Gilles, who is also CEO of the Dodge brand, said cars must be able to adapt to evolving technologies while remaining striking and pleasing to the eye. Smartphones, touch screens and colorful interfaces are all becoming common inside cars.

Drink Driving rules get tougher

There’s been talk for some time that the government are planning to reduce the current drink driving limit, but, sensibly, it seems they’ve decided, at least for now, that there’s little to be gained by shooting drivers for having a rum baba for desert. Instead, the rules are to be toughened up to make persistent drink drivers jump through more hoops before they can get their licence back. No longer will it be enough to simply get to the end of their ban, they’ll have to prove they are no longer reliant on alcohol and pass a medical.

Toyota to release ‘back to basics’ GT 86 for JDM tuners

Toyota is releasing a back-to-basics version of its GT 86 in April, specifically for the Japanese aftermarket tuning scene. The RC version is intended to be a blank canvas for customers to modify and customize according to their preferences. So wing mirrors, door handles and front and rear bumpers are unpainted, and front foglamps, tailgate lamp, intake manifold cover, stereo and speakers are all removed.