Dodge Neon 03-05 Grille Grill on 2040-parts.com

Driving the Nissan EV: We get seat time in a prototype

We got to fling a prototype of the coming Nissan electric vehicle around the parking lot at Dodger Stadium and, like the Dodgers themselves on Opening Day, it was a winner. The prototype body was a previous-generation Cube, but the drivetrain of the car was "99 percent there," according to Nissan. So we drove an old car with the new drivetrain.

MINI Cooper Rauno Aaltonen Edition – another MINI special

MINI Cooper Rauno Aaltonen Edition MINI has produced yet another special edition, this time as a tribute to Finnish Rally ace Rauno Aaltonen. Available as MINI Cooper and Cooper S. It doesn’t seem right if we don’t get at least one new special edition MINI a month to report on, and with this being the last day of March we wondered if MINI’s PR had gone on holiday.

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.