Chevrolet UK has its best ever year

Now admittedly, Chevrolet UK is not starting from a point of market dominance in the UK, but any manufacturer who has managed to increase sales in 2008 is obviously doing something right. Chevrolet UK has announced that in 2008 it managed to increase its market share in the UK by 12.5%, from 0.76% to 0.86%, with total sales for the year of 18,372 cars (which is only a smidge higher than 2007, but the lower total sales for the UK Car market in 2008 meant a significant increase in market share for Chevrolet). Chevrolet Cruze - Launches in the UK in 2009 These are not figures that are going to frighten the pants off Ford and Vauxhall, but they are an indication that a certain part of the car buying public in the UK are looking at price as a major factor, and are prepared to sacrifice a degree of driving joy to get in to a new car at a lower price.

Mercedes introduces illuminated three-pointed star [w/video]

Illuminated badges and emblems on cars aren't a new idea – those old enough to remember will recall the warm glow of the old Wolseley grille emblems – but in recent history they have been the reserve of concept cars and the aftermarket. Mercedes is set to restart the trend however as it begins to offer an LED-illuminated star as a dealer-fit option on the E–, GL–, M– and CLS–Class. We've started to see lighting spill out onto the exterior of concept cars for a while and this move is sure to have other OEMs and aftermarket firms alike following Mercedes' lead.

Audi digs at Mercedes with the help of a pair of Spocks (video)

Audi likes nothing more than a bit of ‘celebrity’ kudos, which is why you’ll find endless celebs (and royalty) running round in Audis thanks to ‘enhanced’ lease deals and freebie cars. But it’s not just individual celebs that Audi loves, they also love a blockbuster film or two, which is why you’ll also see Tony Stark running around in a car with four rings in Iron Man 3 and, although there aren’t many Audis in space (or on the Enterprise), you’ll find Audi pitching in for a bit of PR on the back of the new Star Trek film – Star Trek Into Darkness. Audi has enlisted the services of Mr Spock in the guise of the original (Leonard Nimoy) and the new (Zachary Quinto) to highlight the benefits of driving an Audi, and getting a dig in at Mercedes in the process.