Barometer - Polished Brass **new** on 2040-parts.com

Commentary: Victoria Beckham appointed Creative Design Executive at Range Rover

On hearing that Victoria Beckham (aka Posh Spice) had become Range Rover's Creative Design Executive last week, initial reaction was to check the date – was it April 1st? Apparently Land Rover wasn't fooling anybody, instead sending shockwaves through the automotive industry with the announcement, made at the unveiling of the Evoque at Kensington Palace, London. Celebrity brand tie-ups are nothing new – Justin Timberlake is currently the Audi A1's brand ambassador – yet the implication is that Beckham's involvement with Range Rover will go much further.

Mercedes' mystery building revealed!

Last year, Mercedes-Benz USA was working out a lease on a huge 1.1-million square-foot former aircraft factory across the street from the Long Beach Airport that used to build DC-10s, MD-80s and Boeing 717s. Mercedes wouldn't say what it planned to do with the massive space. Was Benz building airplanes?

AutoStyle Design Competition 2010

Berman SpA, an OEM parts and genuine accessories designer and supplier, will hold the 7th edition of its AutoStyle Design Competition on October 14th and 15th in the company's home city of Mantua, Italy. Held in Polirone Abbey in San Benedetto Po, the two day workshop sets the stage for members of the automotive industry to evaluate and better understand the processes of research and experimentation in the creation and evolution of car models. It will give designers, vehicle technicians and design aficionados an opportunity see model advancement from four different perspectives.