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Kia, Chrysler, VW set pace as December sales advance 9 percent

Kia, Chrysler and Volkswagen posted some of the strongest sales gains for December as the industry closed out 2011 on a high note. Automotive News estimates December volume was up 9 percent to 1.24 million from a year earlier--in line with analysts' forecasts. Total industry sales were projected at 12.78 million for the year, up from 2010's total of 11.6 million and the 27-year low of 10.4 million in 2009.

Jeep Grand Cherokee (2011) first official pictures

Jeep has paraded its new Grand Cherokee 4x4, the pinnacle of its range of SUVs and its second biggest seller in the UK after the Patriot. The Grand Cherokee is a new model, not just a facelift although the underpinnings are carried over – albeit in spruced-up form.The 2011 model year Grand Cherokee evolves the chunky Jeep look and packs a whole load of new technology under the skin, according to Jeep. And the interior (one of the weakest points on Jeeps for years) has been improved, too.So what's new on the 2011 Grand Cherokee?Apart from those more chiselled lines that give the 4x4 quite a different character, Jeep promises better on-road dynamics thanks to the adoption of independent front and rear suspension systems and a much stiffer body structure.

Fioravanti Thalia concept

Fioravanti will be represented at the Geneva Motor Show by this, the Thalia, named after one of the three Graces of Greek mythology. The rear hump means a staggered silhouette, reflecting the rear seating which has been elevated to accommodate 'the most recent alternative energy technology.' Along with its unusual architecture, the sketch also shows a unique graphic break, with the dominant sweep and rear-biased mass reminding a little of the Mazda Senku concept. It will be interesting to see the model in Geneva.