2007 Kawasaki Ninja 650r Ex650a Rear Back Wheel Brake Caliper on 2040-parts.com

UK car sales reach six-year high

Ford New car sales have reached their highest level since 2007, says the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Figures for 2013 show an increase in registrations of 10.8% compared with the previous year, to 2,264,737 - most of which was driven by growth in the private car market. Ford dominated the best-seller list, with the Fiesta and Focus winning 200,000 sales between them The UK market’s performance easily outstripped that of the European Union as a whole, with an increase of 9.9% for the 11 months to November compared with a drop of 2.7% for the EU region.

Chevrolet Code 130R

The Chevrolet Code 130R Concept is one of a pair of concept cars designed as a direct result of feedback from Millennials – a demographic which car companies are desperate to engage with the automobile. The Code 130R is a four-seat coupe with a classically European proportion and size and more than a passing resemblance to the BMW 1 Series coupe. The car's muscular fenders, short front overhang and power-bulged hood provide reference to the classic muscle car era that engaged the youth of the 1960s and '70s.

Video: Exploring the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class

To coincide with the announcement that its new C-Class has entered production, Mercedes-Benz has released a video exploring its design. Featuring design chief Gordon Wagener and other key members of the team, the video explains where their inspiration came from and how they experimented with proportions during its development. While the dropping bodyside feature line is a key element of the exterior, it's also found inside the C-Class, where the typical Mercedes sports car interior is combined with the floating, vertical center console.