Center stack is new high-stakes battleground; showdown with safety regulators looms

For auto suppliers and gadget companies eager to get a piece of the auto industry, the hottest chunk of vehicle real estate now is the center stack. That corridor of interior space, running from the driver's right hip up through the center of the cockpit to the bottom of the windshield, has become a California gold rush of opportunity. But it is less so for traditional suppliers of molded plastics, cables, levers, buttons and radios.

Ford S-MAX Concept at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

Ford is clearly pretty pleased with the performance of its S-MAX model line, and why not? The car has carved out an enviable niche for itself as the big MPV for people who don’t want to be saddled with a borderline minibus by their over-productive loins. The new S-MAX Concept, unveiled at Frankfurt by Barb Samardzich, Ford Europe’s vice president of Product Development, continues those themes.

Subaru XV and Coupe 'to double UK sales'

Subaru will launch a trio of new models in the next year to shore up flagging UK sales. The new XV and new sports car will expand the UK Subaru range by 50% and put the malnourished brand back on the map, the UK's managing director told CAR. The new Subaru XV is a Nissan Qashqai rival and will change little from the concept car shown at the 2011 Shanghai auto show.