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Ford Focus ST facelift (2007): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 09 November 2007 11:45 Facelifted Ford Focus ST: the first pictures Yesterday Ford announced the run-out ST500 special edition of the old Focus, today it's shown the new one.We saw the revised Focus at this autumn's Frankfurt Motor Show, but Ford only teased us with humdrum models. Now the Blue Oval has released the first details of the new ST, with a refreshed look to emphasise its sporty position at the top of the Focus tree.So there's a new bumper, much shallower grille and more rectangular, swept-back headlamps at the front, giving a more techincal look. The rear has been refreshed, too, but the changes are less noticeable.

Hyundai Concept Genesis Coupe

Korea's largest automaker is poised to unveil the Concept Genesis Coupe at the 2007 Los Angeles International Auto Show next week. Though these sketches are admittedly exaggerated, the coupe uses the concept Genesis sedan, unveiled it the 2007 New York International Auto Show in April, as the basis for the structure. According to our sources, the sporting coupe concept hints at the forthcoming design direction for a future rear-wheel drive sports coupe from Hyundai called the BK, a luxurious sport coupe specifically for North American market.

Kia Borrego

Kia has released photos of the Borrego, a full-size SUV for the North American market. The production model, which was originally previewed as the Mesa Concept at the 2005 Detroit Auto show, would have taken exactly three years to be transformed from a show car to a full production model when it makes its official debut at the NAIAS in 2008. Overall proportions and design details have been adjusted and toned-down noticeably from the Mesa concept, with details such as more realistically-sized alloy wheels, the body-To-DLO ratio, a no-frills interior and, perhaps most apparent, the more subtle greenhouse graphics.

Ford Focus ST500 (2007): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 08 November 2007 02:28 Ford Focus ST500: the lowdown Ford is a past master of doing limited editions, and there have been any number of Fiesta, Escort and Mondeo specials over the years. Now it's the turn of the soon-to-be-refreshed Focus hatchback - and specifically the ST hot hatch. Just 500 ST500 models will be made, presumably to shift the outgoing model before the new one arrives this winter.

MG TF delayed

By Ben Pulman Motor Industry 08 November 2007 11:10 The relaunch of MG in the UK has been delayed by at least six months, CAR has learned. Production of the revised, and Lotus-tuned, TF roadster has slipped back into 2008. CAR Online was told in May that the car would start to roll off the Longbridge line in September 2007, but the roadster's journey back from its deathbed has taken another twist.

Bullitt Mustang (2007): first official pictures

By Liz Turner First Official Pictures 07 November 2007 12:01 And about time too… Yes, this is the one we’re been waiting for, but they had to make it a 2008 car to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Bullitt and the best car chase of all time. So pull on your turtlenecks; Ford will reveal the new Mustang Bullitt at the forthcoming LA Motor Show, and will sell only 7700 at a reasonable $31,075, from January. You can have it in the original Highland green (unique to this model), or black.

Toyota Matrix

Toyota unveiled the second-generation Matrix at the 2007 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show last week. Based on the Corolla sedan, the sporty five-door 'crossover' has been totally redesigned for the 2009 model year. Development of the new Matrix focused on svelte exterior styling with enhanced interior utility and improved performance.

Nissan inaugurates new studio in Taiwan

Nissan opened its new Yulon Nissan Design Center (YNDC) in San-Yi, Taiwan yesterday, November 5th. The recent addition joins the global stable of Nissan studios responsible for bringing top talent and the best in creative design thinking to the company's global products. The YNDC studio joins Nissan's Atsugi and Harajuku Design Centers in Japan, the Nissan Design America studios in Farmington Hills, Michigan and San Diego, California and the Nissan Design Europe facility in London, UK.

Ferrari Theme Park is go

By Ben Pulman Motor Industry 05 November 2007 02:47 This past weekend the foundation stone for the Ferrari Theme Park was laid on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi – one of seven Emirates making up the UAE - along with a time capsule. Under the rule of Luca di Montezemolo Ferrari has gone from strength to strength, and having its own theme park will surely cement Ferrari’s future. The theme park will sprawl across 250,000sq m, with 80,000sq m under cover.

Fiat 500 prices announced

By Ben Pulman Motor Industry 05 November 2007 10:00 Fiat has just announced prices for its gorgeous 500, and it’s not been greedy. As well as the 1.3-litre 75bhp diesel, and 1.4-litre 100bhp petrol, the range will now start with a 1.2-litre 69bhp petrol engine that Fiat had originally said wouldn’t be coming to the UK. A base 1.2-litre in Pop spec will start at just £7900, rising up to £10,700 for a top-level 1.4-litre.

Show Review: La Festa Mille Miglia 2007

Those who arrived early for the Tokyo Motor Show may have had the chance to see Japan's take on the Mille Miglia, the 1000 mile race held between 1927 and 1957 in Italy. Never a nation to take their hobbies anything less than seriously, La Festa Mille Miglia is a popular recreation by Japanese enthusiasts of the historic race, which replaces the Tuscan countryside with ten of Japan's states. Now in its eighth year, this time the race also commemorated the 80th anniversary of the first of the original series.

Maybach Landaulet study

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 02 November 2007 11:50 Oh dear… Don’t worry, it’s still just a concept so it may never happen. Actually it will. This is the Maybach Landaulet study, due to be unveiled in Dubai later this month, and it’ll go into production at the start of 2008.

SEMA's good, the bad and the ugly II

By Phil McNamara Motor Shows 01 November 2007 12:26 Alpine R-class Believe me, that is an R-class. Hidden away in the depths of the wheels and tyres hall lurked this mutated MPV, slammed on 30-inch wheels. Surrounded by the DUB editorial team, the project car attracted manic attention - presumably because it was the biggest freak at SEMA 2007.

SEMA's good, the bad and the ugly

By Phil McNamara Motor Shows 31 October 2007 07:09 Dodge Charger It's Halloween today, so we thought we’d bring you some monsters from the SEMA show. Muscle cars dominate the world's biggest automotive accessories fair, and this Dodge Charger epitomises the wild style motors that pepper SEMA's 1m square feet of show floor. Created by King of Cars.com and Vertical Doors Inc, this Charger rolls on 26-inch rims which resemble a stainless steel lemon juicer.

Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagon TDI

By Phil McNamara Motor Shows 31 October 2007 11:17 What's that: a cool and understated Golf wagon? You'd better believe it. And it's more than a modified Golf estate, it's the spearhead for Volkswagen's renewed diesel push into North America.

Hyundai i10 (2007): First official pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 31 October 2007 12:49 The i10? Isn’t that a highway? It is, and ‘the 10’ stretches all the way from California to Florida.

Ford Mustang Flashback concept (2007): first official pictures

By Phil McNamara First Official Pictures 31 October 2007 12:56 There's something fishy about this '67 Mustang... Well spotted. This achingly beautiful Mustang was the most intriguing car on Ford's SEMA show stand.

Volvo XC70 Surf Rescue

By Phil McNamara Motor Shows 30 October 2007 01:38 The lowdown: XC70 Surf Rescue Volvo is adding a touch of Baywatch glamour to the XC70, with this Surf Rescue concept car. The jacked up, yellow and red rescue vehicle was unveiled at the world's biggest aftermarket show – SEMA in Las Vegas – which starts today (Tuesday 30 October). CAR is reporting live from the show, which establishes key automotive design trends.

RML SLR 722 GT (2007): first official pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 30 October 2007 09:04 Yet another McLaren Mercedes special edition SLR? It’s another special edition, but it's nothing to do with Mercedes, apparently. Northamptonshire-based RML (Ray Mallock Ltd) have tweaked the SLR for rich racing enthusiasts.

Ferrari FXX Evoluzione (2007): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 29 October 2007 03:40 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione: when money really is no object When Ferrari launched the FXX back in summer 2005, it claimed it would use client feedback and ex-works driver Michael Schumacher to develop the 'ultimate' Ferrari. Well, two years on, it's done just that. The result?

Fiat 500 wins EuroCarBody 2007 award

The new FIAT 500 has won the EuroCarBody 2007 award, the world's most prestigious prize for car bodies. The ninth edition of the Forum organised by Automotive Circle International was held in Bad Nauheim/Frankfurt from 16 to 18 October, attended by 600 experts in the development of the design, materials, processes and manufacture of car bodies. The EuroCarBody 2007 award highlights the mixture of "creativity and skill" that is necessary to develop an innovative, winning bodyshell.

Nissan Pivo 2

By Gavin Green Motor Shows 25 October 2007 02:40 Haven’t we seen this weird Pivo before? We have. Two years ago, Nissan showed the first Pivo, an urban car that features some clever tech specially designed for the challenges of the city jungle.

Nissan NV200, Intima, and Round Box

By Gavin Green Motor Shows 25 October 2007 02:40 So what else did Nissan have at Tokyo beyond the GT-R and Pivo2? Three other concepts, the best of which was the NV200 van, designed in Nissan’s London design centre. It’s a van just as useful for leisure as business.

Lexus LF-Xh unveiled

By Guy Bird Motor Shows 25 October 2007 02:45 Is this the RX400h replacement I see before me? Reckon so. The next-generation large SUV concept unveiled today at the 2007 Tokyo show features an advanced hybrid system with a V6 petrol engine, an electric motor and all-wheel drive, just like the RX’s, but now it’s wrapped up in a more modern and purposeful exterior skin.

Daihatsu Mud Master-C concept (2007): first official pictures

By Guy Bird First Official Pictures 25 October 2007 04:02 Surely the best concept name of the show? Possibly. Although it sounds like an early 80s rap MC with dirty habits, this concept is actually designed to showcase a possible all-terrain vehicle able to transport keen mountain bikers to extreme locations – as well as providing shelter to fix their rides under its twin gull-wing doors with built-in LED lamps.

Subaru Impreza WRX STi at Tokyo

By Jonny Smith Motor Shows 25 October 2007 04:21 Hang on, I thought the Impreza had got even uglier? In non-WRX form it is a despicably hideous beast but this is the STi and it looks cooking. Ok so it's no longer a super saloon but a hyper five-door hatch, which means Subaru has jumped straight into the ring with VW (Golf), Audi (S3) and Ford (ST) and many others.

Volkswagen Space Up unveiled

By Jonny Smith First Official Pictures 25 October 2007 04:40 Mmm, this looks ever so slightly similar to the Up! Concept at Frankfurt... And you wouldn't be wrong.

Toyota Hi-CT

By Jonny Smith Motor Shows 25 October 2007 04:51 And the winner of bravest car design goes to… You won't forget the proportions of the Hi-CT in a hurry. It is intentionally unconventional. If Judge Dredd lived in Tokyo and needed to downsize… The Hi-CT 3330mm long, 1695mm wide, 1780mm high.

Mazda Taiki unveiled

By Tim Pollard Motor Shows 25 October 2007 10:55 You're not telling me that Mazda is about to launch a car with out-riggers and a freaky body, are you? Yes. And no.

Toyota 1/X

By Jonny Smith Motor Shows 25 October 2007 11:05 What is the point of this contraption exactly? Toyota has a habit of building mind boggling concept cars that fire up the public imagination and then deliver forgettable production dross. The 1/X may just change that.