Skoda Yeti, Octavia and Superb Tour de France Special Editions launched

The Skoda Yeti Tour de France (pictured) – just one of three Skoda TdF Specials It’s always nice to have a hook to a limited edition car, and Skoda are hanging their latest limited editions of the Yeti, Octavia and Superb on the Tour de France. The 2014 Tour de France will see its first three stages run in the UK, so Skoda are doing a ‘cycling enthusiast’ version of the Yeti, Superb and Octavia with some ‘le Tour de France’ badges, waterproof covers for the seats and bike wheel bags as well as throwing in a centenary edition of the Rouleur Tour de France book and a chance to win a VIP Tour de France experience. Just 198 examples of each car will be built – that’s the number of entries for this year’s Tour de France – and you can only have one in Red, White or Blue.

BMW i and Wallpaper* Megacity project

BMW i and Wallpaper* magazine have joined forces for ‘Sustainable Neighborhoods', a global project exploring how design and technology will serve in keeping megacities of the future moving. Students teams from each of the six chosen neighborhoods – from Los Angeles, Paris, London, Hangzhou, Berlin and Tokyo – have been tasked by the two companies, and their school course, to research their nearest megacity for a suitable case study to act as a catalyst for creative thinking about how short term cultural and technological evolution will have an impact on the way we live tomorrow. A series of workshops and in-depth discussions took place with students, tutors and members of BMW's global design team to examine the evolution of cities and research six different city zones, with the aim of defining a new infrastructural, cultural or social project that will scale seamlessly into the future.

Porsche approves the Cajun, a junior 4x4

Porsche's supervisory board today confirmed it would build the Cajun, a junior SUV to slot beneath the Cayenne in its range. The announcement from Stuttgart confirmed the 'working name' Cajun and said the new model would increase growth. Critics will surely say that the Cajun represents yet another move away from Porsche's sports car roots, but don't forget the effect that Cayenne sales have had on the company's balance sheets.