The Jam Remix Sunglasses Jet W/purple Ion Lens on 2040-parts.com

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.

Driven: Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Just over 25 years ago, in November 1982, Mercedes Chief Designer Bruno Sacco introduced his new 'baby' 190, codenamed W201. Billed as the new compact Mercedes, it was a successful model that lasted a full ten years until being replaced by the first C-Class (W202). This model – the first with the triangular tail lamps – lasted until 2000 when it was replaced by the W203, a more softly-styled update of the W202 model, with the 'peanut-shaped' linked double headlamps.

European brands eye U.S. market for new small luxury cars

As head of Mercedes-Benz USA in the late 1990s, Mike Jackson was determined to keep the ungainly, expensive A-class small car out of the United States. "The original A-class, you would say, 'Oh, my God. I will never be able to sell that to anybody.