2008-09 Honda Accord Audio/information Display Screen (ppmd15/262kc1) on 2040-parts.com

Mugen Honda CR-Z Hybrid – but don’t get too excited

The Honda CR-Z Hybrid gets the Mugen treatment Honda are trying to tell anyone who will listen that the Hybrid Honda CR-Z is a modern version of the Honda CRX. You know, all fun and sporty and nimble and on the right side of warm, but with all the green goodness people think they have to want. We haven’t actually come across anyone who buys in to the idea, but Honda aren’t giving up on the marketing pitch of the Honda CR-Z as the first ‘Sporty’ hybrid with the production version of the CR-Z debuting at Geneva next week.

Middlecott Sketchbattle Experiment crowns first Sketchmaster

College for Creative Studies (CCS) student Graham Wright has fought off competition from artists, illustrators, industrial, product and car designers to be declared the Sketchmaster of the Middlecott Sketchbattle Experiment 2014. Held at Detroit's Kunsthalle Museum of Contemporary Art, the contest – a self-styled fight club of design – carried the theme of lighting because of the museum's many neon and lighting installations. Before the event, design students from the area – mostly from the CCS and Lawrence Technological University (LTU) – were invited to submit early sketches before a shortlist was drawn up for the main event.

Adrian van Hooydonk named Director of BMW Group Design

In the wake of Chris Bangle's decision to resign from the top job, Adrian van Hooydonk takes over as Director of BMW Group Design with immediate effect. In his new position van Hooydonk will be responsible for the design development for the BMW, Rolls-Royce and Mini brands. "I am honored and extremely excited to take on this new responsibility," says van Hooydonk.