New Volvo Concept XC Coupe for Detroit

Volvo has revealed the first details and images of the Concept XC Coupe, a new show car for the Detroit Motor Show in January 2014. The second of what will be three concepts based on Volvo’s new ‘Scalable Product Architecture’ (SPA), the Concept XC Coupe follows on from the Volvo Concept Coupe that debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. On Bing: see pictures of the Volvo Concept XC Coupe Find out how much a used Volvo costs on Auto Trader As its name suggests, the Concept XC Coupe represents a possible next chapter in the Volvo Cross Country and XC product portfolio – in other words, the firm’s more off-road orientated models.

Fitness-focused autonomous vehicle pedals to victory in Interior Motives Design Awards

Earlier tonight, on the eve of the first Paris Motor Show press day, the world's top designers and automotive journalists assembled at L'Espace Clacquesin in Paris to witness sponsors Ford and Volkswagen announce the 2014 Interior Motives Student Design of the Year: ‘Life Cycle' by Jason Chen and Dirk Wan of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, USA. Launched in January of this year and themed ‘Beyond Styling: a Design for Life', the competition asked students to create projects around three diverse but specific briefs: ‘Beyond Autonomous', which posed the question of what would happen if we were to combine the latest developments in computing and robotics with automobile design; ‘An Interior for Life', in which students were asked to focus on one feature or element of a car's interior and adapt it for dual use in a user's ordinary life; and ‘Pickup Truck of 2030', which challenged the young designers to extrapolate what the future might hold for this popular and versatile mode of transport. This year's contest attracted more than 200 entries from students based at 57 schools in 24 different countries.

German Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton beats Vettel to pole

Lewis Hamilton in the Mercedes (pictured) takes pole at 2013 German Grand Prix It looks like ‘Tyre-Gate’ has been quashed before it started at the German Grand Prix, with a new tyre from Pirelli, no punctures and teams under order for minimum tyre pressures. But new tyres or not, it’s still Mercedes and Red Bull at the front of the grid, with Lewis Hamilton snatching pole position from Sebastian Vettel in the last throw of the dice in final qualifying by 0.103s. Behind Vettel was Mark Webber in the second Red Bull, followed by Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean in Lotus and Daniel Ricciardo in the Toro Rosso.