Reese Wt Distribution Head. Trunion-bolt on 2040-parts.com

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.

Reuss: GM considering 'something really fun' for Buick

Buick dealers still salivating over the Riviera concept that General Motors unveiled at last month's Shanghai auto show should take a deep breath: There's little chance that the flashy coupe will ever grace a Buick showroom. But they should view the Riviera -- which GM says points to the brand's design direction -- as a signal that GM is serious about adding pizazz to the Buick lineup now that the 110-year-old brand, which barely survived GM's bankruptcy four years ago, is getting comfortable in its born-again skin. "We've very carefully built Buick back to a brand that has respect," GM North America President Mark Reuss told Automotive News.

Chevrolet Cruze Estate: The Cruze Station Wagon arrives

It's a Chevy Estate - the new Chevrolet Cruze SW The first photo of the Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon – the Cruze Estate – has been revealed ahead of a launch at next month’s Geneva Motor Show. Smallish Estate cars are not exactly something that floats the average American car buyer’s boat. But it’s a different story in Europe, which explains why GM has decided to bolt a small shed on the back of the Cruze to deliver the Chevrolet Cruze Station Wagon for us ‘Old Continent’ car buyers.