Mercedes Early W114 280 Rear Deck Lid Emblem on 2040-parts.com

Lamborghini Aventador Roadster sold out for the next year

It seems that the newly launched Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster is already sold out until the middle of 2014. That North American East Coast outing comes just a few months after Lamborghini revealed its open-topped Aventador at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November with the same 6.5 litre V12 engine as its tin-topped sibling and a 0-62mph of a scant 3.0 seconds. At a UK price expected to be just the right side of £300k you might think, especially in these financially constrained times, Lamborghini might struggle to find buyers for its ultimate toupee wrecker.

Video: Peter Schreyer on premium proportion

Kia has released a short film featuring Peter Schreyer that provides an insight into the world of premium car design in which he explains the importance of proportion. In the presentation, Schreyer sketches the company's new K9 sedan, describing how a rear-wheel drive platform affects the car's design, with its generous wheelbase, short front overhang and the 'prestige distance' between the center of the front wheel and the A-pillar. Related stories: Interview: Peter Schreyer, Chief of Design, Kia

Ralliart unit folds, but Mitsubishi keeps name

Mitsubishi will continue using the “Ralliart” brand name despite the demise of the Japanese racing parts company this week. Ralliart Inc., a wholly owned Japanese subsidiary of Mitsubishi Motors Corp., informed global distributors on Wednesday that it would cease business operations March 31. In the United States and Europe, Mitsubishi markets a Ralliart sports version of its Lancer, which has become a sporty halo car for the brand.