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LA Auto Show Design Challenge entries unveiled

The 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge entries have been revealed a few days before the show is set to open. As in previous years, several of the major players in the automotive design world are participating and automakers and design studios such as BMW DesignworksUSA, Subaru, Mazda, and China's SAIC and Changfeng will be exhibiting concept art. The theme of this year's design challenge is called "Biomimicry & Mobility 2025: Nature's Answer to Human Challenges.” With nature coming to be seen as one of the best R&D labs for design, and with biological knowledge doubling every five years, design studios were challenged to design vehicles that use biomimicry to increase the efficiency of mobility itself.

Dream – Cars of the Future Since 1950

The city of Turin has been celebrating as World Design Capital 2008 this year with a series of over 200 separate events and exhibitions. One of the highlights has been a series of three themed shows running throughout the year, entitled '20th Century', 'Speed' and 'Dream'; the final exhibition of this trilogy. Housed at the Giovanni Agnelli Espositione - the wonderful Nervi-designed hall on Corso Massimo D'Azeglio that used to host the Salone di Torino in the 1950s - 'Dream' is a fabulous exhibition but, regrettably, one that hasn't been well publicized outside of Turin city.

Last summer of speed?

If you want to enjoy driving on the unlimited-speed German autobahn, you might want to get in gear. If the opposition Social Democratic Party wins in this September's elections, party leader Sigmar Gabriel promises to form a coalition with the Green Party -- and both say they'll limit autobahn speeds to 120 kmh (about 75 mph), the German publication Bild is reporting. Not so fast, says the SDP's actual candidate for German chancellor, Peer Steinbrueck, who said he saw “no reason” to reignite the long-running debate over autobahn speeds, Bild reported.