Engine Harmonic Balancer Dorman 594-433 on 2040-parts.com

Volvo drops plans to compete in the luxury F-Segment car market

In fact, at the Shanghai Motor Show in 2011, Volvo delivered the Concept Universe car which we all though was pointing the way to what could be a Volvo S90; Volvo’s luxury car for Chinese plutocrats. It sported a rather strange ‘East meets West’ design language with a very odd nose and lots of curves, and it wasn’t exactly showered in plaudits. But that didn’t stop Volvo coming back at Frankfurt in 2011 with an altogether more convincing concept – the Volvo Concept You – that sported a much clearer vision for a future luxury Volvo.

Kia Sportage KX-4 range topper

Kia has added a new model at the top of the Sportage range – the Kia Sportage KX-4 – with plenty of toys, a 181bhp 2.0 litre CRDi and 4WD. Just like sister company Hyundai, Kia no longer looks to be the cheapest on the block and is instead looking to offer the best it can, including range-topping cars with decent levels of power and plenty of toys. So step forward the new Kia Sportage KX-4 with a 181bhp version of the 2.0 litre CRDi diesel engine, 4WD and plenty of toys making it the most powerful Sportage on sale – and the best equipped.

Driven: Mini Countryman

There has been no more contentious a car launched this year than the Mini Countryman. It's been labeled by some as sacrilegious to the very essence of the Mini brand, of 'selling out' and, yes, of being ugly. But does the concept of a four-meter Mini translate to use in the real world?