Exclusively for the european market, the sporty KIA Picanto 3-door version was honored with 2012 iF product design award. 2012 iF product design award recognizes design quality alongside a number of criteria, like innovativeness, workmanship or eco-friendliness. This is the 4th iF product design award in 3 years, the company received one in 2010 for the Venga B-segment and in 2011 for the Sportage compact SUV and Optima mid-size sedan.

Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is despatching two new stars to the Los Angeles Auto Show 2011: the Porsche press conference in the Convention Centre on 16 November at 12:05 p.m. (PST) will put the spotlight fair and square on the debut of the new 911 Carrera on the American continent and on the world premiere of a model boasting impressive performance and dynamic looks, exuding unadulterated driving pleasure.

Volkswagen has today released the first images of its new CC, which will be officially unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 16. If it looks familiar, don’t be surprised: over 270,000 people across the world have been won over by its predecessor the Volkswagen Passat CC’s blend of four-door practicality and sleek coupé-like styling. At the front, the new radiator grille has strong horizontal lines that represent Volkswagen’s new design DNA, flanked by new bi-xenon headlights and topped with a reprofiled bonnet. The bumper is different, too, with a new extra air intake, and silver-coloured ‘winglets’ that frame the fog lights. Along the side, the frameless doors are carried over from the previous model, but more sculpted sills, revised bumpers and the new bonnet add up to create a subtly updated silhouette.

In the spring of 2012, Peugeot will launch its new model in the ‘B’ (Supermini) segment. The new car will be available in two distinct body styles; 3- and 5-door. Today, when creating a vehicle capable of appealing to and uniting a wide variety of customers with ever changing expectations, simple renewal is no longer enough. Therefore, from the outset, the ‘A9’ Project adopted the most ambitious specification overhaul ever undertaken by the Marque to create a vehicle that represents a true generation leap. Peugeot has not hesitated to rewrite the rulebook, with the desire to reinvent the principles on which the success of icons like the 205, 206 and 207 were built and to ‘re-generate’ them, to create: The Peugeot 208.

Following on from the successful release of its MX-5 Anniversary turbocharger conversions, renowned Mazda tuner BBR has developed an exciting range of engine and suspension upgrade packages for the Mazda’s performance flagship Mk2 3 and 6 MPS models. The BBR performance packages transform the characteristics of the 2.3 DSI turbo engine, turning the Mk2 Mazda 3 MPS into a Focus RS beater and the Mazda 6 MPS into a true performance saloon car, with handling enhancements to match. BBR offers a choice of three engine tuning upgrades for the 256 bhp Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 MPS, with a choice of power outputs at 290, 320 and a sensational 350 + bhp.