4x4 prices rise sharply

FOUR-WHEEL-DRIVE cars are soaring on the used car market, according to car auction house British Car Auctions (BCA). Off-roader values rose by up to 16% in October as the first signs of winter emerged. With some medium-term weather forecasts highlighting a colder-than-average winter, BCA is predicting that 4x4 prices may keep rising.

BMW 6-series Gran Coupe (2012) first official pictures

If you want proof that the Mercedes-Benz CLS was an influential car, look no further than the new BMW 6-series Gran Coupe, unveiled at the weekend. It's a four-door 6-series, based very closely on the Gran Coupe concept car shown in 2010. The executive car market has changed a lot in recent years, and BMW is now chasing the same buyers as the Merc CLS, Audi A7 et al.

Video: GM's Frank Saucedo, Niki Smart and Gael Buzyn on the Elmiraj concept

GM director advanced design Frank Saucedo features in a new video explaining the design process behind the new Elmiraj concept. Saucedo, who oversaw the concept's development at GM's advanced design studio in North Hollywood, California, talks about how the Elmiraj – the second in a series of three concept cars that began with last's year Ciel – is a study of how they can progress and evolve the carmaker's ‘Art and Science' design philosophy. GM's interior design manager Gael Buzyn and exterior design manager Niki Smart also feature, with Smart explaining how the Elmiraj concept is focused on the notion of ‘the drive' and has been designed to reflect dynamism while the Ciel was about ‘the journey', represented by a luxurious interior.