Lars Thrane Lt-3100 Satellite Phone on 2040-parts.com

Ford's NA Design Director aims to shorten product lifecycles

Peter Horbury, Ford Motor Company North America Design Director, has told Automotive News he intends to shorten product lifecycles at the ailing company from an average five years to three years starting this decade. "We feel there is no value in minor changes but a huge value in major changes," Horbury told the industry weekly. Ford needs to ensure that buyers continue visiting showrooms as the giant automaker struggles to retain market share.

Bentley Continental Flying Spur [w/Gallery]

Bentley's new Continental Flying Spur has been revealed ahead of tomorrow's official debut through a series of leaked pictures. The images, which surfaced earlier today, show the latest incarnation of the Flying Spur is sharper with a more upright grille and taut elegance than the outgoing model. The DRG's character has been subtly altered by placing the larger pair of lamps to the outside rather than sitting closest to the grille, visually widening the car.

Suzuki Jimny SZ4 released

Suzuki has launched a new higher-spec Jimny - The Suzuki Jimny SZ4 The Jimny is pretty much in a league of its own, but that’s probably because no one else wants to play, rather than the Jimny being exceptional in any way. It’s not exactly a comfortable car, although it seems to cope with big bumps reasonably well, it’s just everything else it has trouble with. But we can’t argue that it’s not well put together, because it is.