Spyker confirms Peking to Paris will be a V8

Spyker confirms that the Peking Paris luxury 4x4 will be a V8 not a V12 [ad#ad-1] We brought you an exclusive the other day that Spyker will drop the planned V12 version of its uber-4×4 – The Spyker Peking-Paris D12 – in favour of a supercharged V8 – The Spyker Peking-Paris D8. But it’s always nice to have confirmation from the horses mouth and today, with a financial statement from Spyker, comes a tacit admission (or actual proof, as we like to think of it!) that our story was indeed correct. Spyker talk about the Peking-Paris in their statement, but only ever refer to it as the D8, dropping all references to the D12, which is probably as much as they’re willing to reveal until the car turns up at Frankfurt in September.

CDN–GM Interactive Design Competition winners announced at NAIAS

The winners of the CDN–GM Interactive Design Competition have been announced at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Following a guided tour of the auto show with the GM design team, the finalists gathered on the GMC stand in Cobo Hall where Mark Adams and Ken Parkinson – heads of design for Cadillac & Buick, and Chevrolet & GMC respectively – were joined by Car Design News' Editor Owen Ready to present the winners of each brand's competition brief. Joining them on stage were the mentors from GM's design teams who interacted with the entrants throughout the competition to critique and help develop their work, making this a truly unique contest.

Beating the motoring bullies

A NEW INITIATIVE has been launched to help women protect themselves from aggressive drivers and potential dangers if their car breaks down. The Women in Gear scheme includes an evening workshop course to teach basic maintenance and useful get-you-home tips. These are aimed at helping women sort out minor problems with their car rather than having to wait at the roadside for help.