Mercedes CLA 45 AMG (2013) first official pictures

If you liked the ballistic performance of Mercedes' 355bhp A45 AMG but couldn’t bring yourself to drive a hotted-up hatchback, then take a look at this: the new CLA 45 AMG. Using an identical 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and four-wheel drive system, the CLA mixes the storming performance of its hatchback brother with mini-CLS four-door coupe looks. Read on for the full specification.

Citroen DS4: UK Price & Models

Citroen DS4 - starts at £18,150 in the UK The Citroen DS4 has already been voted ‘Most Beautiful Car of the Year‘, despite not even being on sale yet. It’s a bit like the LEAF being voted Car of the Year before it’s actually got in to the hands of consumers. Except the DS4 is a cracking looking car.

Michelin Challenge Design 2007: The not so ugly truth about rising vehicle safety standards

Can cars be safe and beautiful at the same time? That may not have been the case a few decades ago when automakers were forced to hang those big, ugly so-called federal bumpers off the ends of their vehicles.  With vehicle safety standards on the rise around the globe are designers today feeling a little '70s deja vu when it comes to meeting the challenges of making cars safe as well as more fuel efficient? "(Back then) we said it was the end of automotive styling," says Patrick Le Quement, senior vice president for corporate design at Renault and one of the world's most influential automotive designers.