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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.

Caterham creates next car online

By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 05 November 2008 10:08 Caterham has turned to cyberspace to design its next model – the low-volume carmaker is calling on fans around the world to log onto a bespoke website to submit their ideas and designs for every aspect of the new Caterham, before ultimately voting on what makes it to the final vehicle. The website – www.splitwheel.com - will act as a forum, hosting blogs, articles and what Caterham calls ‘a Wikipedia-style user-edited knowledge base’ to turn user input into a workable vehicle design. A comprehensive voting system that covers all aspects of the car will then be initiated, and once the final specification is agreed a prototype will be produced with initial production slated for 2011.

Nissan might delay U.S. EV output

Japan's earthquake and tsunami may force Nissan to delay the start of U.S. production of its Leaf electric vehicle, now scheduled for late 2012. "The earthquake is putting us in a very difficult situation," said Hideaki Watanabe, head of Nissan's Global Zero Emission Vehicle Business Unit.