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JAC SC-9 concept promises new brand identity, hi-tech interface for Beijing

The JAC SC-9 concept is the latest concept to be announced ahead of next week's Beijing motor show. A statement from the company describes this crossover as combining the "exclusivity of a luxury Gran Turismo, the flexibility of a genuine off-road vehicle and the excitement of a high performance sports car" and we're interested to see how these characteristics are brought together. Designed in JAC's Turin-based Italian Style Centre under design director Lou Tik, the SC-9 is also said to introduce a new brand identity for the Chinese carmaker as well as featuring "ground-breaking interface technology".

Kia Picanto (2011): the first design sketches

Kia will replace the Picanto city car in spring 2011 - and these are the first pictures of the new 2011 small car. The production Picanto will be shown at the Geneva motor show in March, with UK sales slated to begin soon after 'from late spring 2011.' It's yet another design from Kia's European styling studio in Germany led by ex-Audi man Peter Schreyer. This time a three-door will be sold alongside the five-door Picanto.

Volkswagen creates R division for sporty cars

Volkswagen is officially creating a company to develop sporty cars; it will be called Volkswagen R GmbH. This may sound familiar--VW already calls some of its specialty cars Rs--and now it's bundling sales and development all into one unit. VW has the Scirocco R and the Golf R for cars, as well as the dynamic R Line of design trims.