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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.

Ford Fiesta (2008): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 15 February 2008 00:01 You’re looking at Ford’s new Fiesta. The new supermini shares around half its parts with the Mazda 2 – which means the newcomer is the same size as today’s Fiesta but slightly lighter. Its diet will pay dividends in sensible things like emissions and fuel economy, but should also make it fun to drive.After months of speculation, we can finally see how closely the Fiesta has followed the Verve concept car, shown at numerous international motor shows.

Juan Pablo Montoya hustles Corvette ZR1 around GM track

WITH VIDEO -- Juan Pablo Montoya's day job is to push Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's Chevy Impala around NASCAR tracks to collect trophies and points. And his extensive career includes stints in Formula One, Indy cars and Grand-AM racers. Recently, Montoya's patrons at Chevy brought him to the development track at the proving grounds in Milford, Mich.--known among fans inside the automaker as the "Lutzring." While he took some laps in the Chevrolet Cruze and the Camaro, what caught our eye is this video of Montoya pushing a Corvette ZR1 to the limit on the track.