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Who's Where: Peter Arcadipane appointed BAIC's design director

Peter Arcadipane has joined BAIC as its new design director. Based at its new hi-tech design facility in Beijing, China, he oversees a team of around 130 designers. The Australian designer, formerly of Mercedes-Benz, has been challenged to steer state-owned BAIC towards a more coherent and strategic position within China, with its chairman wanting to take the carmaker more upmarket.

McLaren Automotive launches bespoke operations division

McLaren Automotive has today announced the launch of the McLaren Special Operations division, which will be responsible for the delivery of bespoke projects for McLaren sports cars. The division celebrated its launch with an example of the new MP4-12C, finished in Volcano Orange with a number of bespoke carbon upgrades, at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Bespoke designs featuring on the vehicle are diamond cut finish wheels with gloss black inners, MP4-12C branded carbon sill panels, a carbon steering wheel, front wheelarch louvres and carbon fiber engine cover vents, rear deck vent and wiper system cover.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster Pebble Beach debut alongside DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo

Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster Pebble Beach debut With Pebble Beach looming this month we’ll be getting plenty of high-end debuts and expensive four-wheeled works of art art to drool over. We’ve already had the news that Jaguar Land Rover will be debuting 3 cars from the new Special Operations Division – the Range Rover Sport SVR, Jaguar F-Type Project 7 and Jaguar Lightweight E-Type – and now we learn Aston Martin will have a couple of treats for Pebble visitors too. The debut of the Aston Martin you can buy at Pebble will be the new Aston Martin V12 Vantage S Roadster.