Volkswagen Grill Badge 221 853 601 B on 2040-parts.com

Yearly driving costs rise 3.4 percent

This won't be a surprise to anyone--it's costing more to own and drive a car. Higher prices for fuel and tires, and a larger drop in the resale value of cars, pushed the average cost of owning a sedan to $8,776 a year, according to AAA of Heathrow, Fla. That's up 3.4 percent from a year ago.

Peugeot HX1 Concept – a low-riding MPV – to debut at Frankfurt 2011

Peugeot HX1 Concept – a low-slung MPV Don’t look at the Peugeot HX1 Concept and think you’ll be walking in to your local Peugeot showroom next year and driving off in one, because you won’t. The HX1 is a showcase for where Peugeot sees the brand going in terms of “…architecture, aerodynamics, modularity, equipment, interior materials, the environment and powerplants.” Just like so many concepts from Peugeot of late – the funky HR1 Concept and the almost Aston Martin-esque SR1 spring to mind – the HRX1 is a crackingly good-looking car. A bit like a Mercedes R-Class with a proper injection of Gallic style and flair.

GM moves Korean design studio to Seoul

General Motors is moving its Korean advanced design studio from Incheon to the trendy Gangnam district of Seoul. The studio, one of 10 design studios worldwide for GM, employs 30 designers. It has prime responsibility for GM's small cars, such as the Chevrolet Aveo, Spark and Cruze.