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Kia, Chrysler, VW set pace as December sales advance 9 percent

Kia, Chrysler and Volkswagen posted some of the strongest sales gains for December as the industry closed out 2011 on a high note. Automotive News estimates December volume was up 9 percent to 1.24 million from a year earlier--in line with analysts' forecasts. Total industry sales were projected at 12.78 million for the year, up from 2010's total of 11.6 million and the 27-year low of 10.4 million in 2009.

Suzuki Regina, Q-concept, Swift EV (2011) first pictures

Suzuki is showing its vision for an aerodynamic city car at the 2011 Tokyo auto show: the regally named Regina. It's pitched as a radical 'next-generation global compact car', which sounds suspiciously as if it could have production intent. The new Suzuki Regina is all about minimalism: it weighs just 730kg, so it only requires a small capacity petrol engine, which brings emissions down to 70g/km and appetite for unleaded at a rate of 90mpg.

Bentley appoints new CEO, poached from Porsche

Bentley has announced the appointment of Wolfgang Dürheimer as its new chairman and chief executive officer. He will also head up Bugatti, as did predecessor, Franz-Josef Paefgen. Dürheimer, who joins Bentley from Porsche where he headed the research and development team, will start his new role at Crewe on 1 February 2011.