Grand General 55251 Red 12-gauge Primary Wire on 2040-parts.com

Driven: Range Rover Evoque

As Sam Livingstone opines in his review of the latest Porsche 911, we are in a period of car design consolidation, with the new 911 the ultimate expression of a slightly suffocating trend. Yet every so often, a vehicle appears that breaks these rules and – through a combination of factors that can be difficult to quantify – captures the imagination, becoming a symbol of the times and an overnight market success. Such vehicles tend to emerge once a decade or so, yet the late 90s and early noughties were extraordinary for giving birth to three – the Ford Ka of '96, Audi TT of '98 and Mini of '01.

Subaru WRX concept stars at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

The Subaru WRX concept starring here at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show is striking to say the least – it’s like someone has driven the Japanese firm’s BRZ sports car into the back of an old Impreza WRX STi performance saloon. In fact, that’s exactly what the WRX concept could become – the next Subaru Impreza WRX STi. Subaru killed off the rally-bred saloon in the UK this year, but we’re sure the Brits would welcome it back with open arms if it looked like this.

Kia goes (dark) green

By Jesse Crosse Motor Industry 23 September 2008 11:00 Kia has unveiled a portfolio of new environmental technologies, including a 1.4-litre Ceed with stop-start (due in the UK in 2009), a Ceed hybrid and the latest version of its fuel cell-powered Sportage. The Korean manufacturer is investing heavily in research and development and will increase its spend on R&D from £2.2 billion this year to £2.6 billion by 2010, combined with a 40 percent increase in manpower at its research centres around the globe. The money is being spent on developing downsized, turbocharged engines, efficiency improvements to conventional engines such as friction reduction and the separation of accessories like water pumps from the engine.