1996 Lexus Gs300 Gs 300 Dealer Sales Brochure~original Showroom Auto Catalog on 2040-parts.com

The Name Game: Why the next Buick will be called the Verano

Verano means “summer” in Spanish, though it could easily be a type of coffee or even a brand of crystal. But the idea behind the latest Buick was to snare an upscale, forward-sounding name to lure to new customers. Buick could have gone with an alpha-numeric designation, or even dipped into its heritage for a storied moniker from the past.

Schreyer: More than a designer of products I wish to be an architect of Hyundai's brand image

There's no denying Peter Schreyer has been instrumental in turning around Kia's image from a manufacturer of wheeled white goods in a creator of design-led products. Now his attention turns to sister company Hyundai in his role as chief design officer for both companies and his plans are no less ambitious. "More than a designer of products I wish to be an architect of Hyundai's brand image," he told an audience at Hyundai's European headquarters, explaining how his job is not simply 'styling' but communicating the brand's message right down to details such as the seatbelt warning buzzer.

First Fiat 500s will have stick shifts

The 2012 Fiat 500 , heading to U.S. dealerships later than first expected, is enduring another hiccup: The first units arriving in dealerships in late February will have manual transmissions, the company said. Moreover, only about 20 percent of the 130 Fiat dealerships will be open when those first cars arrive, said Laura Soave, head of the Fiat brand in North America, at the Detroit auto show last week.