Bosch 97118 New Water Pump 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.

Mercedes-Benz Bionic car at MoMA

Unveiled in June 2005, the Bionic car was developed by designers, engineers and biologists working hand in hand. Its template was a sea dweller from tropical latitudes: Ostracion Cubicus - more commonly known as the boxfish. Despite its unusual-looking shape, the fish is extremely aerodynamic and can therefore move using a minimal amount of energy.

Big fall in insurance premiums

DRIVERS are set to be quoted happy after it was revealed that insurance premiums have fallen by more than 14% over the last year. The typical quote for annual comprehensive car insurance cover was £533 in January, which was also a record 4.6% slide on the previous quarter, according to the latest AA Insurance premium index, which takes the average of the five cheapest quotes on the market. The AA British Insurance Premium Index, which has been running for 20 years, found that the North West remains the most costly region to insure a car, with the average premium for someone who shops around standing at £809, although this region also saw the biggest price drop over the past quarter at 6.3%.