Trailfx Recovery (t8r) W35b on 2040-parts.com

Kia preparing a range of sporting models

Kia is quietly readying a string of sportier models to pep up its humdrum image, CAR has learned. The burgeoning sports car plan is likely to sire everything from hot hatches to standalone sports cars. On our trip to Korea this week, sources at Kia HQ confirmed a range of performance models, designed to mix some excitement into a brand that now commands respect from mainstream buyers after its crawl upmarket to the volume market alongside Europe's mass-market brands.

Volkswagen Golf R 400 revealed – and it looks production ready

The VW Golf R 400 (pictured) revealed ahead of Beijing A few days ago we had a teaser sketch for the VW Golf R 400, a 395 bhp version of the Golf R, which we assumed would be nothing more than yet another uber-powerful Golf Concept. But with underpinnings largely taken from the production Golf R, and a fully functioning interior, this Golf R 400 looks more production ready than any Golf Concept before. The Golf R 400 still uses the regular Golf R’s 2,0 litre Turbo, but VW has managed to squeeze an extra 99bhp and 52lb/ft of torque to produce supercar-rivalling performance of 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 174mph.

Packard 1108 Twelve wins Pebble Beach concours

The 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve that won the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in a perfect coat of dark green paint was once a lowly taxi cab prowling the streets of Puerto Rico in roughly applied red and orange livery. "A gentleman named Ricardo Ricasta bought it in New York in 1934 and the car returned to Ricasta's original home in Puerto Rico for a while," owner Joseph Cassini said. "When he passed away and the family had no interest in the car, it became a taxi cab for a while." Imagine hailing a cab in downtown San Juan and this magnificent Packard rolls up.