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Kia Carens (2012) first offical pictures

Another Paris motor show attendee has been confirmed today: the lower, sleeker, altogether less mumsy 2012 Kia Carens. Ex-Audi design guru Peter Schreyer looks to have treated the Carens to the now-trademark Kia grille and more European-style design, but all we've got to go on so far are these rather 'negative' teaser images from Kia. Kia's 2012 Carens: the details Judging by these Photoshopped teaser photos, the new Kia Carens is a world apart from the more squared-off, minivan MPVs that have gone before.

General Motors fires back at Volkswagen

General Motors issued a terse response this week to published comments by Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn, who suggested to the German press that Opel could be sold to a Chinese competitor. Detroit-based GM called Winterkorn's comments “regrettable” and accused him of “fanning speculation.” Opel was nearly sold to Magna and Russian investors in the wake of GM's 2009 bankruptcy. But then-CEO Ed Whitacre and the corporate board reversed that decision, igniting controversy from German political and labor leaders who have long chafed under American oversight.

BMW to build plug-in hybrid sports coupe

BMW has thrown its hat into the eco-supercar ring by confirming plans to place the Vision EfficientDynamics concept into production. The futuristically styled plug-in hybrid was first revealed at the Frankfurt motor show in 2009. It is set to undergo an accelerated development program that aims to place the low-slung four-seater on sale in all of BMW's key world markets, including North America, by October 2013.