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The next F1: McLaren plans replacement for supercar

Formula One powerhouse McLaren secretly has begun work on a replacement for its legendary F1 supercar, while it also gears up to become a mainstream sports-car maker. McLaren's Technology Center in Woking, England, has built some 2,000 McLaren SLR supercars a year for Mercedes-Benz, but McLaren boss Ron Dennis reportedly has his sights set on producing 1,000 of its upcoming Ferrari F430-fighting P11s a year starting in 2011. The number, Dennis said, will rise to 4,000 cars by mid-decade as future models such as the Porsche 911-challenging P8 come on line.

Center stack is new high-stakes battleground; showdown with safety regulators looms

For auto suppliers and gadget companies eager to get a piece of the auto industry, the hottest chunk of vehicle real estate now is the center stack. That corridor of interior space, running from the driver's right hip up through the center of the cockpit to the bottom of the windshield, has become a California gold rush of opportunity. But it is less so for traditional suppliers of molded plastics, cables, levers, buttons and radios.

Speakers confirmed for Interior Motives China Conference 2009

Seven new speakers have been confirmed for the 2009 Interior Motives from Car Design News conference in Shanghai, which will run from 21st - 23rd April. Brought to you by the team behind Car Design News and its quarterly interior design publication, Interior Motives, the conference will take place immediately after the two Shanghai Auto Show press days, and bring together the biggest names in Chinese, Asian and Western car design for a two-day program of interactive debate. Chaired by Director of the China Automotive Design Institute and former Nanjing Auto design director, Li-Chih Fu, this two-day summit will see some of the biggest names in the business gather in Shanghai to discuss the issues facing Western and Chinese carmakers searching for success in China.