UK 2011 car sales analysis: winners and losers

The UK car market fell 4.4% in 2011 to its worst year for at least a decade. Brits bought 1,941,253 vehicles last year as private motorists put off that new car purchase and stuck with their existing wheels or went secondhand. Retail sales took the brunt of the fall, with a 14% collapse on 2010's figures.

Hyundai Elantra

Hyundai is set to add another vehicle to its list of successes: the new Elantra, which was revealed at the LA auto show this year. Created by principal designer Cedric d'Andre, the Elantra was the last car conceived under the direction of Hyundai's former design boss, Joel Piaskowski. The new car shares the 'fluidic sculpture' design theme of its larger sibling, the Sonata and has an impressively low 0.28Cd.

NHTSA safety consultant dies at 64

Miami trauma surgeon and preeminent car-crash researcher Jeffrey Augenstein would often tell the story of the time he was talking to a crash victim who collapsed and died from hidden injuries in the middle of the conversation. The experience led Augenstein to research and then call attention to the unexpected injuries that could occur when drivers interacted with airbags. It's but one example of the achievements of Augenstein, who died recently at age 64.