Standard/t-series Sr121t Starter Relay on 2040-parts.com

Ford improves top design on its 2015 Mustang convertible

Ford revealed details on its forthcoming 2015 Mustang convertible, whose top features several highly welcome improvements over the outgoing model’s, making it quieter, more compact and easier to operate. Though Ford continues to call the cloth top a two-layer design, it now sports a 10-mm thick cushion between the twill covering and the headliner layer, serving as both insulation and sound deadening. Ford says with the top up, the cabin is almost as quiet as the coupe’s on the road.

Kia Ceed (2012) first official pictures

The first Kia Ceed, launched in 2006, signalled a step change for the Korean car company. Not only was it designed and built in Europe (in Germany and Slovakia respectively) but it was also good enough to be considered a worthy rival for the Focus, Golf, Astra et al. From Soul to Optima, from Picanto to Rio, nearly everything that's followed has been good or great.

Design Contest: Interior Motives Awards 2011

Shortlisted entries have been announced for the 2011 Interior Motives Student Design Awards. After individual deliberation by our panel of renowned senior designers, students being tutored at colleges in a diverse range of countries including Israel, the Czech Republic, Australia, Taiwan, Canada and China, as well as in the established centres of Europe, the USA and Japan/Korea, have made the 68-strong shortlist of potential winners. Full details of this year's contenders can be viewed here.