6" Soft Foam Interface Pad on 2040-parts.com

Infiniti Etherea concept (2011): Shiro Nakamura's guide

The global unveiling of the Etherea concept car and a tie-in with reigning F1 champions Red Bull Racing made for a busy start to the year for Infiniti. In between endless meetings and flights, we collared Nissan and Infiniti design chief Shiro Nakamura to get the low-down on the Etherea… When did you start work on the Etherea? 'It was about 18 months ago.

Marcello Gandini laments today's 'fake' concepts

Marcello Gandini has branded current concept cars fakes and "little more than maquettes" in an interview about Bertone's extensive concept car history. The enigmatic designer, whose work with the design house stretches back to the late ‘60s, expressed his dislike of today's "fiberglass cars" and claims they can't hold a candle to the well-built concepts of old. He praises Nuccio Bertone's vision and his insistence on producing fully working, "almost driveable" concepts throughout the coachbuilder's existence.

Electroluminescent Lumilor coating transforms any surface into a lamp

Thanks to advances in LED and lasers, an emphasis on lamp design is a rapidly growing trend. But what if any or all of a car's surfaces, inside or out, could become lamps at the flick of a switch? That question has been partially answered by Darkside Scientific.