The scramble for scarce tires

North American automakers are struggling with a nagging shortage of tires, caused in part by tire plant closings and rising demand for low-volume specialty tires. Automakers are paying much higher prices -- double-digit percentage increases from a year ago -- as tire makers gain pricing power. "We have been bombarded from every side for additional tires, and we can't keep up," said David O'Donnell, Continental Tire's vice president of original equipment in the Americas.

Toyota Hybrid-R concept is 400hp Yaris

Toyota Toyota has confirmed the Hybrid-R concept is based on an existing production model – but it won’t be a souped-up version of the GT86 sports car as we initially suspected. Instead a new picture reveals something far more radical: the Hybrid-R is a 400hp petrol-electric Yaris. Yes, Yaris.

2011/2012 Kia Rio Revealed

2011 / 2012 Kia Rio With the inexorable move by Hyundai and Kia to higher quality, Euro-centric cars the Kia Rio is overdue to be Euro-fied. After all, it’s two years since the Hyundai Getz got brought in to the 21st century by morphing in to the i20. So after a tease for the new Kia Rio last month, the bland (albeit it cheap) Kia Rio makes way for the Kia version of the i20 – the 2012 Kia Rio – which will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in a couple of weeks, with the five door Kia going on sale in September and the three door on sale in early 2012.