2010 LA Design Challenge entrants revealed

Entries for the 2010 Los Angeles Design Challenge have now been revealed. The futuristic proposals, which called for designers to envision a 1000lbs (454kg) 2+2 vehicle that delivers comfort, safety and satisfactory driving performance without sacrificing the emotional connection today's consumers demand from their vehicles, come from the west coast design studios of seven automakers – General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo. For the first time since the Challenge's inception, studios outside California have also been allowed to enter the competition.

Toyota FT-86 concept car: first official photos (2009): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 07 October 2009 13:31 Toyota will show off the new FT-86 'Toyobaru' – its new joint project with Subaru to build an affordable, rear-wheel drive sports coupé. The FT-86 will form the centrespiece of the 2009 Tokyo motor show later this month.Although dubbed a concept car, CAR understands the new Toyota FT-86 is in fact a near-production ready model that will launch Toyota back into the sports coupé market to battle the VW Scirocco and Honda CRZ. It's pretty compact at just 4160mm long and 1760mm wide, making it smaller than a TT or Scirocco.

Renault says Saturn supply deal ‘just didn't add up'

In the eleventh hour of Roger Penske's venture to acquire Saturn from General Motors Co. to keep the brand alive, Renault's executive committee in France concluded, “Ca fait deux.” Rough translation: “It's not going to come together.” Despite Penske's statements that his organization had been in discussions with automakers around the world, ultimately his hopes had been pinned on only one: Renault SA. Penske and Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn are friends and talk frequently.