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Survey: Toyota, Honda, Ford are top brands for consumers

Toyota, Honda and Ford rank as the best brands in consumers' minds, an annual Consumer Reports survey found. Toyota finished first for the third consecutive year of the study, which involved randomly questioning more than 1,700 U.S. adults in early December.

Lexus reveals 2013 GS sedan, launches new styling direction

Lexus on Thursday pulled the wraps off the redesigned 2013 GS sedan, revealing a sharper look that was previewed last spring with the LF-Gh concept car. The 2013 Lexus GS rides on a new rear-drive platform, although the car's wheelbase and exterior dimensions are nearly identical to the current car. Under the hood is a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 306 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque--marginally better than the output of the current Lexus GS 350.

First Sight: Fenomenon Stratos

The Geneva Show sees a surprising newcomer to its stands in the shape of Fenomemon Ltd and their concept Stratos project. This new London-based vehicle design agency is led by a current student on the Royal College of Art's Vehicle Design course, Chris Hrabalek, who has masterminded a complete full-size mockup of a reborn Lancia Stratos concept for this year's Geneva Show. In a world where multinational companies spend several million dollars on a concept car and stand, that's a phenomenal achievement.