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Peugeot Onyx concept [w/Gallery]

Peugeot has previewed its Onyx concept, set to debut at this month's Paris motor show, just days after the first teaser images were released. Very much a supercar in terms of its proportions and form, the Onyx is not the first time Peugeot's previewed super and super-sports cars in concept form, but the Onyx looks a lot more promising than previous efforts, from these photos at least. Conforming to the modern, eco-conscious supercar norm, the Onyx features a hybrid drivetrain - following in the footsteps of the BMW i8, Honda NSX and Jaguar CX-75.  Peugeot's stated aim is to push itself upmarket and become a more premium brand, so the Onyx could be read as a sign that the company feels it needs more of a 'halo' car in order to achieve that aim.

Video: Fiat creates café racer 500 for SEMA

Fiat is preparing a café racer-style 500 for this week's SEMA show by stripping down an Abarth version to take it "down to the essence of what you need to drive a car." The café racer philosophy of ‘more speed, less comfort' was born around the 1960s British 'biker scene and while initially focussed on increasing performance, quickly developed into a culture as concered with 'the show' as 'the go'. "It takes something like this to really get noticed at SEMA," says Craig Buoncompago, Project Manager at Fiat Product Design. "The Café Racer is really going to be one special car that you guys should really come and see." The 500's roof has been chopped, while also shorn of its door handles and being fitted with hot rod billet rims.

Design Sevices: MCE Design Workshops

Independent design studio Motorcity Europe (MCE) is launching another series of two- and five-day design workshops aimed at broadening the skills, experience and job prospects of anyone working - or looking to work - within the field of automotive design. Based on the massive success of the MCE Summer Seminars, these follow up workshops in February 2010 will be an intensely improved version, open to all skill levels of design. Top sponsors including Autodesk, Wacom and RLE Int'l will also be supporting this event.