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Brits take the world steam land speed record – twice +video

The British Steam Car Challenge team has set a new land speed record for a steam car at 148.308mph All of which tends to suggest – admirable though the achievement is – that steam technology has not moved on much in 100 years. An improvement of around 1mph a decade. Still, a challenge is a challenge, and the team on the British Steam Car Challenge rose to the occasion.

2013 Dacia Duster costs from £8995

Renault has revealed that the Dacia Duster compact SUV will cost from £8,995 in the UK for the 2WD version.  Renault threatened that the Dacia brand’s arrival in the UK – and in particular the Dacia Duster SUV – would offer ”Shockingly Affordable Prices’. And they’re not wrong. We thought the Dacia SUV would dip under £10k, but Renault has priced the new Duster in its basic form - admittedly with FWD – at just £8,995.

Who's Where: Wulin Gaowa appointed design director of GM China Advanced Design

Wulin Gaowa has been appointed to fill a newly-created role as GM China Advanced Design's first Design Director. She will start her new role with immediate effect. Gaowa, who was most recently the Advanced Design Director of Exterior Design and Interior at the Beijing Automotive Technology Center, will be based at GM China's Advanced Technical Center in Shanghai, due to open later this month.