2005 Interior Motives Design award winners announced

 The Interior Motives Design Awards were held on the second press day of the IAA in Frankfurt. Now in its third year, the awards ceremony is a regular fixture, inked into schedules as a chance to meet and make acquaintances. Each year, Interior Motives proposes a range of design briefs to leading universities, giving their young talent the opportunity to have their work viewed by leading designers and win up to $5000.

Yaris To Launch This Summer Bursting With Kit

JAPANESE car maker Toyota is launching its new Yaris supermini this summer, and hopes to broaden the car’s appeal with a revised range. The firm is offering more choice, more equipment options and a wealth of advanced features for on-board comfort, communications, safety and style as it launches the Yaris into an increasingly competitive market sector. Established Active and Icon grades are joined by new Sport and Excel trims.

Ford eyes dandelions as sustainable alternative to synthetic rubber

Ford, in conjunction with Ohio State University, is turning to the humble garden weed as sustainable resource, researching the dandelion's potential use as an alternative to synthetic rubber. While the automaker already makes considerable use of sustainable materials in its vehicles – such as soy foam seat cushions and straw-filled plastic for interior trim – this latest discovery opens up a wealth of new possibilities for automotive applications. According to research conducted by Ford, a milky-white substance that is found in certain dandelion roots can produce a sustainable rubber that could be used to create plastic parts for vehicle interiors.