2013 Yamaha Rhino Front Bumper on 2040-parts.com

SAIC's Mobiliant wins 2013 LA Design Challenge

SAIC has been revealed as the winner of this year's LA Design Challenge. The Chinese carmaker's entry, a single-seat urban public transit vehicle, was declared the victor after intense judging sessions took place throughout the LA auto show's second press day. The panel – which included Tom Matano, executive director, School of Industrial Design at San Francisco's Academy of Art University, and Stewart Reed, chair of Transportation Design at Pasadena's Art Center College of Design – combed through the entries, discussing their merits and how closely they fit the brief, before hearing the teams' presentations in the afternoon.

Ford EcoSport small crossover spied on U.S. roads

Ford may need a smaller crossover in its lineup, and the new EcoSport--created in Brazil and designed for markets such as India--could fill that opening. Need evidence? This camouflaged prototype has been spotted on the streets in metropolitan Detroit.

Lotus chief exec Dany Bahar suspended: what's next?

Group Lotus chief Dany Bahar has been suspended while complaints about his conduct are carried out by parent company DRB Hicom. Weekend newspapers reported that the dispute was over expenses for building work carried out on one of Bahar's homes. Bahar was suspended on Friday and the new owners stressed that Lotus Cars continued to run in his absence.