1992 1100 Suzuki Gsxr Mid-right Fairing Blue/white on 2040-parts.com

Hyundai's record year – can it continue? (2013)

Hyundai’s metamorphosis is complete – it’s now one of the ten most popular car brands in the UK, and the first Korean manufacturer ever to crack into the Premier League of UK car buying habits. Sales in 2012 soared by 18.1% to 74,000 units, while its Kia sister brand scored 66,000 registrations last year, according to the new SMMT figures out this week. The Korean double-act isn’t just a thorn in the side of the established French mainstream brands: it’s killing them off completely.

Future products: Kia seeks lively, upscale look

Kia's redesigned Optima sedan and the Cadenza replacement for the Amanti, both due next year, reflect an emphasis on creating a livelier and more upscale look for the once-bland brand. Indeed, styling has been a crucial element of Kia's new-product push in the past 18 months. The team at Kia Design Center America near Los Angeles--part of the automaker's global design network led by onetime Audi design chief Peter Schreyer--has helped set the new styling direction.

Freelander 2 hits 200,000

Land Rover Freelander 2 - 200,000 built The original Freelander was, for a car that was pretty much cobbled together from the Rover parts bin, a remarkable success. Sadly, it wasn’t a remarkable car, particularly with the K Series engine many Freelanders had succumbing to head gasket failures. It could have been so different.