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Michelin Challenge Design 2009

As the 2009 Michelin Challenge Design - focusing on the search for ‘America's Next Iconic Vehicle' - drew to a close at the NAIAS in Detroit, culminating in a press preview and an exhibition of scale models, the theme for next year's competition was announced: ‘Electrifying! Beautiful, Innovative and Radiant'. While it may sound like a slogan for a new line of women's cosmetics, this theme does in fact center on the increasingly relevant field of electric vehicle (EV) design; or more specifically the need to combine sustainable powertrains with attractive, well executed design.

BMW unveils Super Bowl spots, digital shorts

According to said Dan Creed, Vice President of Marketing, BMW of North America, "The BMW 3 Series is the global benchmark for a sports sedan. With these shorts, we turn a spotlight on the innovations that make the 3 Series the standard to which others aspire." Funny, we always thought the 3's sterling reputation lay squarely on its continually-stellar dynamics and excellent powertrains. Despite the fact that the tagline, “We only make one thing, the Ultimate Driving Machine” is repeated at the end of each of these six digital shorts, only one of them actually shows the car in motion--the one to be broadcast in the Los Angeles area during the Super Bowl.

MG CS SUV Concept heading for Shanghai Motor Show

MG are still struggling to make much of an impact on the car landscape, but one car that could change that is a funky urban crossover / SUV to give cars like the Nissan Juke a run for their money. That looked to be on the cards last year when MG turned up at the Beijing Motor Show with the MG Icon, an SUV.Crossover Concept that took the ‘Ugly but Cute’ style cues from the Juke but grafted on a nose that looked like it could have come from MG’s sports car past. The Icon was a decent effort – and even won an award for ‘Best Concept’ at Beijing from Autoweek – but it looks like MG has decided the design of the Icon was just a bit too radical, so they’ve toned it down with a new concept heading for this year’s Shanghai Motor Show – the MG CS Concept.