1961-1962 Chevy Impala Fender Tie Bar on 2040-parts.com

Ford S-Max

Following the 'concept' unveiled at the Frankfurt show a year ago, Ford has now released pictures of the near-identical production version of the second-generation S-Max. The car will make its public debut at the Paris Motor Show next month, and goes on sale in early 2015. Although it's designed in Europe for the European market, the S-Max has still received the One Ford global design treatment.

Behind The Scenes: Hot Wheels Design Studio [w/Video]

Hot Wheels' vice president of design Felix Holst has spent some time chatting to Cool Hunting about the brand's design philosophy at its Design Studio at Mattel's headquarters in El Segundo, California, in a new video. According to Holst Hot Wheels has evolved from being focused on muscle cars and V8 engines to being all about technology as a reflection of the new generation they're designing for.  He explains the benefits of designing over 240 vehicles a year that aren't limited by rules and regulations, saying in a studio that's driven by pushing the boundaries, it's a question of just how wild they can get.  The video really captures not only the men's passion for their jobs but the fun they have doing it. Small wonder Holst says he'd never go back to car design, and reveals the studio is packed with qualified car designers who chose Hot Wheels over conventional jobs in the industry.  We also hear from Hot Wheels Car Maker's designer Julian Payne, who explains how the new Car Maker – which gives you the chance to mold your own custom Hot Wheels at home – works.

Kia Optima 2011 revealed

The 2011 Kia Optima will replace the Kia Magentis in the UK A week or two ago we reported on the first info on the 2011 Kia Magentis we expected to see at the New York Motor Show this week. But because we thought that Kia would change the name before bringing it to the UK and Europe, we headed that story up with both the Optima and Magentis moniker. But not this time.