Auto Meter 5778 Phantom Series Black 2-1/16" (52.4mm) Range: 6:1-20:1 Afr Fits: on 2040-parts.com

Hartmut Warkuss to receive 2014 EyesOn Design Catalyst Award

Hartmut Warkuss, former head of Volkswagen Design, will be awarded the 2014 Catalyst Award by EyesOn Design at next week's North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Warkuss, who is credited with overseeing the design of the Bugatti Veyron, the VW Concept (new Beetle) and the Audi TT Concept, will be presented with the award by Peter Schreyer, Hyundai's president and chief design officer and the 2014 recipient of the EyesOn Design Lifetime Design Achievement Award. Schreyer, who met Warkuss when he was an intern at Audi in 1978, says, "He was chief designer at that time...

Dan Darancou appointed Chief Designer at CH-Auto

Former GM design manager Dan Darancou has become Chief Designer at CH-Auto, a major Chinese car design studio that supports numerous domestic car manufacturers as well as international car companies looking to sell vehicles in the burgeoning automotive market. Darancou, who started his new role on November 1, will be overseeing all design activities as well as facilitating the liaison between the styling and engineering departments so the company can deliver complete ready-for-production vehicles and services. As well as tackling these initiatives, Darancou will also be promoting the organization, furthering the company's goal to become the premier car design studio in China.

Peugeot puts RCZ designer on Twitter

Like many automakers, Peugeot is now making conspicuous use of social media platforms as a component in its new car launch campaigns and in order to manage customer relations online. For its new RCZ coupe, Peugeot in the UK has been running a social media campaign under the strap line "It chooses you", with associated Twitter and Facebook accounts – which culminated with a member of the public winning an RCZ last week. For auto designers, there was little interest in the campaign up until last week, when Peugeot put RCZ designer Boris Reinmöller behind a computer terminal and opened him up to a public Q+A session through its Twitter account.