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Future products: Kia seeks lively, upscale look

Kia's redesigned Optima sedan and the Cadenza replacement for the Amanti, both due next year, reflect an emphasis on creating a livelier and more upscale look for the once-bland brand. Indeed, styling has been a crucial element of Kia's new-product push in the past 18 months. The team at Kia Design Center America near Los Angeles--part of the automaker's global design network led by onetime Audi design chief Peter Schreyer--has helped set the new styling direction.

New Ford Technical Support Center focused on motorsports

Ford is opening a new technical and racing support center in Concord, N.C. The compound will be fully operational this summer, supporting racing teams as they develop and test their cars. The 33,000-square-foot building will eventually help in development of future Ford performance vehicles.

NASCAR: Rule changes to be clarified

The 29th annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Media Tour opens on Monday in the Charlotte, N.C., area. It's a four-day smorgasbord of announcements, team-shop tours, optimistic predictions and the unveiling of new race-car paint schemes, team members and sponsorships. More than 150 writers, broadcasters and photographers will get a steady diet of claims such as “we're excited,” “we've been working harder than ever,” “we feel we've got everything in place” and “we can't wait to get started.” The tour will visit almost every team that plans to run the full series schedule in 2011, teams such as Earnhardt-Ganassi, Stewart-Haas, Penske, Michael Waltrip, Richard Childress, Kevin Buckler's TRG, Team Red Bull, Furniture Row, Richard Petty, Hendrick, Roush-Fenway and Joe Gibbs.