Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

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.

Car collector and artist makes you look twice

As with most artists, Louis Carvell simply sees the world differently than others, and his passion for cars and car collecting led him to create a thought-provoking (and clever) body of work he entitled: “Reincarnations: Car Parts ReBorn.” The photographic collages are of spare vintage-automobile parts inspired by, “the dream cars of the Eisenhower era,” Carvell said. “These pieces are art in and of itself. Initially, I photographed them [alone] against white, seamless.” Eventually, Carvell decided to expand and refine his concept and place the parts into surrealist tableaux, to give one pause to consider these objects outside their defined roles.

Volvo XC60 at Geneva

By Ben Whitworth Motor Shows 04 March 2008 13:31 So what’s new on Volvo’s Geneva Motor Show stand? It’s all about the new XC60 on the Volvo stand. Based on the V70/XC70 architecture – there’s no commonality with Ford’s new Kuga – the XC60 is the SUV with a conscience.