Hyundai Performance Brand by 2015

The next gen Hyundai i20 will be the first performance Hyundai One Hyundai had made the tricky transition from budget to credible, there were only two routes open for progress – luxury and performance. The luxury route still looks like it will happen in the UK, with the next generation Hyundai Genesis Coupe heading our way, but we can also look forward to some proper performance cars from Hyundai too. That has been confirmed by Hyundai’s WRC boss, Michel Nandan, who told Australia’s Drive that all the money Hyundai is spending on Motorsport – including a new testing facility at the Nurburgring – is not just for the glow it will cast on Hyundai’s everyday cars, but for a new performance brand too.

Chinese car maker Geely to launch in UK in 2012

Chinese car maker Geely – better known for its ownership of Volvo – will launch in the UK in late 2012. Parent company Geely International Corporation has struck a deal with Manganese Bronze Holdings to be its distributor in the UK market. MBH is the parent company of The London Taxi Company, which manufactures the iconic black cab in Coventry.

UK gamer turned racer signed by Red Bull

When Nissan and PlayStation got together to develop the GT Academy, and started offering Gran Tursimo gamers the chance to become real-life racers, surely no-one expected the programme to be so incredibly successful. GT Academy graduates have raced all over the world, competing in all kinds of cars and succeeding in many famous events – including at Le Mans. Now 2011 GT Academy winner Jann Mardenborough could well be on his way to Formula One.