Chrysler Group names new chief for Fiat in North America

Chrysler Group on Monday named Timothy Kuniskis head of the Fiat brand for North America, replacing Laura Soave, who "has left the company and will pursue other interests." Kuniskis, 44, most recently served as director of marketing for the Chrysler and Fiat brands. The change is effective immediately, Chrysler said in a statement. Soave, 39, who supervised Chrysler's efforts to reintroduce the Fiat brand in North America after a 17-year absence, attended the rollout last week of the Fiat 500 Abarth at the Los Angeles auto show but did not participate in the press conference, raising further questions about her tenure.

McLaren MSO 650S going in to production – debuts at Goodwood & costs from £252,500

The McLaren MSO 650S Concept (pictured) becomes a production model In April, we revealed the McLaren MSO 650S Coupe Concept, and such has been the reaction from McLaren buyers that McLaren has decided to put it in to production, with a total of 50 cars being built in both Coupe and Spider guise and debuting this week at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The production MSO 650S carries over many of the elements of the Concept, but McLaren’s Design Director, Frank Stephenson, has had input to make more changes including a number of carbon fibre styling upgrades with a satin finish, a three-piece rear bumper with carbon fibre centre section and a more aggressive rear diffuser. The MSO Concept came in Agrigan Black, but the production version will be available in ‘Papaya Spark (a take on McLaren orange), Sarigan Quartz ( new metallic silver with gold infusion) and the Agrigan Black of the concept.

Skoda has its best year ever

Skoda UK - Record sales in 2011 Skoda UK has reported sales for the first 11 months of 2011 have already beaten total sales for 2010. Long gone are the days when Skoda was thought of as a skip on wheels. In the little over a decade since it was brought in from the cold by VW, Skoda has gone from strength to strength.