Dorman 520-390 Control Arm/ball Joint Assy on 2040-parts.com

Changes coming to LA Auto Show

The toughest opponent for the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show has never been the weather, which is always perfect, nor the location, in car-crazed Southern California. It's been the calendar. After decades of being run on the exact same dates as the larger and more globally recognized Detroit auto show, LA finally stepped out of the shadow of the Motor City several years ago and grabbed its own spotlight -- in November.

Mercedes E 63 AMG S: UK price from £83,740

The E63 AMG S is the extreme version of what is already an extreme car in the E63, with a power boost that takes it from 549bhp to 577bhp – and throws in an extra 60lb/ft of torque for good measure too – and promises real extreme performance. The problem is, getting that power down to the road. In left hand drive markets that’s solved by simply offering the Mercedes 4WD option – 4MATIC – which does a much better job of transferring power to the road than the regular RWD layout.

Kia four-door sports sedan concept

Kia isn't giving much away about its Frankfurt-bound concept car, indeed it hasn't even released its name yet, referring to it as the 'four-door sports sedan concept.' The press release talks of it as 'signalling a distinctive new design direction' for the Korean brand, yet the now-familiar 'tiger-nose' grille and Optima-esque A-pillar/cant rail/C-pillar highlight are very much in evidence. "No matter from which perspective you look at it - this concept car is roaring with energy and ready for take-off," says Peter Schreyer, Kia Motors Chief Design Officer."I believe the car is a strong statement from Kia: we are ready to fast forward to an all new chapter." We'll bring you full details (and hopefully a name) from IAA next month. Photo gallery: Kia four-door sports sedan concept