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Striking new Kia concept for Frankfurt

It wouldn’t be a motor show without a wild and outlandish concept car from Kia and it looks like the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September will be no different. Kia has announced details of the as yet unnamed concept that “hints at a possible future B-segment contender ready to take on the urban environment with style and tenacity”. It’s also said to be “playful but gutsy, sturdy yet impish” – so could it be a small crossover?

New high-performance VW Golf R Evo and Polo R under consideration

It has not been two minutes since the Volkswagen Golf R was unveiled, but that hasn’t stopped an even more hardcore Golf R Evo concept being mooted – the more focused prototype could make its debut at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show in April. It’s not the only go-faster Volkswagen that’s under consideration, either. Linking in with its assault on the World Rally Championship, VW is also analysing a potential 250hp, four-wheel-drive Polo R variant.

Ex Ford, Mazda designer to head styling at Renault

Former Ford Motor and Mazda designer Laurens van den Acker will succeed Patrick le Quement as head of design at French automaker Renault. Van den Acker, 43, quit as head of design at Mazda earlier this month. He will join Renault on May 15 and assume le Quement's full responsibilities starting on Nov.