Kia Soul (2008) : first pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 22 May 2008 11:55 Kia’s Soul is here, and looks nearly identical to the trio of concept cars that appeared in Geneva earlier in 2008. The faux-4x4 will be launched at the Paris Motor Show later this year, before going on sale in the UK in March 2009. Underpinning the Soul is an all-new platform but it will lift engines and transmissions from the Ceed hatch, led by 1.6 petrol and diesel engines.

SEAT Altea Copa & Altea XL Copa Editions launched. Price from £16,425

The SEAT Altea Copa and Altea XL Copa Editions have been launched by SEAT with more equipment for no more money. The SEAT Altea has been with us for a very long time and is not quite as enticing as it once was as a sporty take on a compact MPV – based on the SEAT Leon with a higher roofline and slightly raised suspension  – so SEAT are launching the Altea Copa (and Altea XL Copa) to try and breathe a bit of life in to Altea sales. In the process of launching the Altea Copa, SEAT are also simplifying the Altea range a bit by dropping the ‘S Emocion trim along with the 1.4 litre 85 PS and 1.4 TSI litre 125 PS petrol engines, which leaves three engines to choose from in the Altea range - 1.2 TSI 105 PS, 1.6 TDI 105 PS, and 2.0 TDI 140 PS.

2012 Audi R8 facelift, more power & S-tronic ‘box

Audi R8 getting a facelift - and more power - in 2012 The supercar with a mainstream car maker’s badge attached that is the Audi R8 has been something of a success as a halo car for the Audi range since it arrived in V8 form in 2007 (well, probably 2008 by the time most customer cars turned up). Since the original V8 R8 arrived we’ve had an absolute deluge – in supercar terms – of R8 models from Audi including the R8 V8, R8 V8 Spyder, R8 V10, R8 V10 Spyder and the rather costly R8 GT and R8 GT Spyder. But through that time the engines – apart from in the R8 GT – have remained the same, as has the woeful R-Tronic gearbox.