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GM's Tom Peters on breaking Corvette design tradition [w/Video]

GM design director of performance vehicles and full-size trucks Tom Peters has defended his decision to break from Corvette tradition by abandoning round rear lamps for the 2014 Stingray in an Autoweek video. The rear lamp design of the new model has been criticized as being "too Camaro" by some, to which Peters challenges them to park one alongside the other before he highlights just how different they are. Functionality also played a key role in the rear lamps' redesign, he explains, such as rear aerodynamic considerations, new LED technology previously unused in Corvette design, and depth of sculpture opportunities.

New BMW M3 and M4 CONFIGURATOR now LIVE

New BMW M3 and M4 Configurator now live No customer has yet had the chance to drive the new BMW M4 (or its saloon sibling, the 2014 BMW M3) but that hasn’t stopped UK buyers clamouring to place an order. BMW UK has revealed that more than 200 UK customers have already placed and order for the new M Twins, with expectations that there will be almost 2000 sales in the first year (60/40 in favour of the M4 Coupe). But even though those first UK buyers for the M3 and M4 haven’t driven their new baby yet, they can now go online and play with the both the new M3 and M4 configurator to spec up their new toy just as they did with the dealer, but get a much better idea of what to expect.

Mazda diesels on the way

Word at the New York auto show has Mazda bringing its Sky-D direct-injection diesel engines to the United States in 2012. The first Mazda oil-burner here will be a Mazda 6-size vehicle, said Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi. He wouldn’t say exactly what car, though.