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Toyotafest: Accelerating into history

When you think of automotive history, the names that come to mind are carmakers celebrating their centennials such as Alfa Romeo, Ford and Mercedes-Benz. But the younger carmakers deserve some historical props, too. Toyota has only been in existence 77 years and on sale in the United States for only 50, but it has a small and growing cadre of dedicated enthusiasts nonetheless.

Suzuki Cervo

Suzuki is a relatively low-key brand without the variety of models nor media exposure afforded by rivals, so it might be surprising to learn that over the past fifty years they have not had an annual loss, while their growth rate in Europe since 2000 is on a par with Toyota's. With sales figures now snapping at the heels of Renault, Suzuki has just launched the Cervo, a new car for the K-class segment in Japan. The Suzuki Cervo follows the popular Grand Vitara and award-winning Swift, and has also been dubbed stylish and sporty.

Concept Car of the Week: Mazda Ibuki (2003)

With the Ibuki, Mazda designers synthesized the most successful of the first generation MX-5's iconic elements and evolved their forms to make them even more memorable and simple. To do so, they used a strong geometric theme throughout the car inside and out: LED headlamps; front air intake; tail lamps; rear view mirrors; release handles and interior details down to the pedals – every shape follow the same oval theme. Zooming out, the silhouette – as well as the top view – is also oval, making the Ibuki look more like a toy than a car, which is a real bonus for a small roadster.