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Kia Soul: more details and photos

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 02 September 2008 09:37 Kia has issued some more details and photographs of its new tallboy supermini alternative, the Soul. Kia calls the Soul 'a segment-busting urban crossover' model, but we'd pigeonhole it as an intriguing new rival to the likes of the Honda Jazz and Vauxhall Meriva, with a small dose of Mini charm thrown in for good measure. So what exactly is segment-busting about the Kia Soul?Is Kia right to label the Soul its value answer to the Mini?

Mercedes-Benz axes Maybach

High ranking Mercedes-Benz sources have confirmed to Autoweek that the underperforming Maybach brand will be officially killed off in 2013. The decision to disband Mercedes-Benz’s upper luxury marque comes after a decade of disappointing sales for the Maybach 57 and 62 and a recent decision from the German car maker’s chairman Dieter Zetsche not to push ahead with the development replacement models – the likes of which were tentatively due out in 2014 – owing to what one insider describes as a “positive move to focus greater attention on the Mercedes-Benz brand” . “We’ve come to the conclusion that it is better to cut our losses with Maybach than to continue into an uncertain future with a brand that has failed to live up to original sales expectations," the insider said.

Vauxhall Astra GTC gets new 1.6 litre 197bhp engine

Vauxhall Astra GTC gets new 1.6 litre 197bhp engine If you want a quick Vauxhall, you’d normally opt for a VXR. But the new 1.6 litre turbo petrol Vauhall has fitted to the Astra GTC may make you think otherwise. Vauxhall has taken the 1.6 litre petrol turbo from the Cascada and planted it in the Astra GTC where it manages to be 30 per cent more powerful than the old 1.6 litre and still manages to improve economy and emissions.