KTM's four-wheeled future

By Ben Purvis Motor Industry 25 February 2008 11:26 KTM's X-Bow track day car is just the start of a five-model line-up that will include Dakar and Le Mans endurance racers. Stefan Pierer, the youthful-looking 51 year-old CEO of KTM, has revealed to CAR how he intends to turn his company into the Austrian equivalent of Lotus. The unveiling of the production version of the Audi-engined, carbon-monocoque X-Bow at the Geneva Motor Show on March 4 2008 is exactly one year on from the first showing of the prototype.

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.

Chrysler, Nissan postpone plans to share two vehicles

Chrysler LLC and Nissan Motor Co. have postponed plans to share a North American-built small car and a full-sized pickup until they can reduce costs. A third vehicle-sharing project, in which Chrysler will sell a version of Nissan's compact Versa sedan, will continue on schedule, the companies said late Thursday.