The company, taking the already-impressive standard car as a base, has added sporty, styling tweaks inside and out which enhance the regular Fiesta’s looks.

The new model is powered with a 179bhp 1.6-litre turbo-charged engine. Add in stiffer suspension, a sports exhaust and a pair of supportive Recaro seats, and what you have is a thrilling Fiesta ST package, from just £16,995.

That it undercuts rivals Renaultsport Clio and Peugeot 208 GTi by around £2,000 makes it even more special.

The ST-2 will probably top the model’s popularity stakes, and the ST’s arrival coincides with the face-lifted version of the regular Fiesta hatchback.

But, the ST gets its own version of the enlarged trapezoidal front grille, flanked by narrow projector headlights.

The car also features a more aggressive-looking front bumper, which houses a pair of foglights.

All models are three-door only, which adds to the sporty look, but it comes at the expense of practicality.

Both ST and ST-2 trim levels have smart 17-inch alloys as standard, while there’s a bigger wing and chunkier bumper at the rear.

Inside, all STs get the supportive Recaro seats, piano-black trim and a sports steering wheel, which combine to give the car a smart, subtly, sporty look that just about sets it apart from the rest of the Fiesta range.

Ford has two types of performance models – range-topping RS and warmer ST. And as this car falls into the latter category, it has been designed with everyday use in mind.

The steering is light, direct and offers plenty of feedback and, for such a small unit, the engine sounds great,

It is helped, no doubt, by a sound symposer which pipes bassier engine notes into the interior, while throttle response is instant and it shows a good turn of pace.

An over-boost function delivers 200bhp for 15-second bursts, while 240Nm of torque indicates there’s excellent, in-gear flexibility.

The suspension is 15mm lower than the regular car, and around 12% stiffer, which ensures extremely engaging handling and a pretty comfortable ride.

Standard torque vectoring and a three-mode traction control system also help, although the ST is keen to spin an inside wheel when accelerating out of tight bends.

Although it’s a performance model, underneath the ST is just a three-door Fiesta, which means that it still retains a decent-sized boot, and rear-seat space isn’t too compromised by the Recaro seats.

Despite the larger engine, six-speed gearbox and wider wheels, the turning circle isn’t really compromised.

The front seats are set nice and low and are really comfortable, while the ride is firm but nice and supple.

Engine noise is well suppressed at 70mph, too, making it a comfortable car to drive longer distances.

Like any performance car, the harder you drive, the greater your motoring expenses.

Ford’s fuel claim is 47.9mpg, but this is bound to plummet once you open it up.

Two models are available, ST and ST-2, – and both are priced competitively. All cars get 17-inch alloys and Ford’s SYNC system, while ST-2 models add part-leather upholstery, heated front seats and a Sony stereo.

A styling kit, with grey alloys and illuminated ST door sill plates, is the only option.

Plus, there are only three exterior colours to choose from: blue, red or go-faster Molten Orange.

But that’s a hardly a problem with this zippy, mouth-watering little machine.

In fact, the company are offering a total of just 3,500 examples globally, with UK deliveries arriving in September.

The original Beetle GSR – short for Gelb Schwarzer Renner, or Yellow Black Racer in German – was first sold in Germany 40 years ago.

That was also limited to 3,500 units, and featured a matt-black bonnet, bootlid and bumpers, and black side-stripes above the door sills.

Now, VW have re-interpreted the GSR with their latest Beetle, which made its debut at the Chicago Motor Show earlier this year.

The new car, also painted with the bumblebee yellow and black colour scheme, adds extra GSR lettering, R-Line bumpers and black door mirror caps. But, unlike the original, the new GSR can also be ordered in grey and black.

It features 19-inch alloys instead of the original’s 15-inch wheels, while this car benefits from black R-Line racing seats, with contrasting yellow stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a numbered plaque and a rear spoiler.

Driving its front wheels is a 2-litre, TSI turbo-charged petrol engine with 207bhp and 207lb ft of torque, making it four times more powerful than the original 1.3-litre GSR.

It is also 10bhp healthier than the existing Beetle Turbo, the standard version of which will now gain this newer tune of engine.

It’s enough to hustle the Beetle GSR from 0-62mph in 7.3sec, while the top speed is 142mph.

Volkswagen claim the Beetle GSR will return fuel economy of 38.7mpg and emit 169g/km of CO2.

It can be ordered with a six-speed manual or DSG gearbox. The manual version costs £24,900, while the DSG model will set you back a further £1,500.

The company say the non-GSR 2.0-litre turbo Beetle will benefit from same 207bhp version of the engine – up from 197bhp – for cars ordered now.

It takes the 208 supermini as its base, sharing engines and many of the interior components. It is front-wheel-drive only and all variants weigh just over a tonne.

As a result, fuel economy is as high as 74.3mpg in the 1.6-litre e-HDi 92 model.

There’s a hint of 208 in the styling, but the 2008 is both wider and longer, as well as riding 96mm higher, and Peugeot hope to attract buyers away from cars like the Juke.

But if you’re thinking about buying a 208 ­- prices are expected to range from around £17,000-£24,000 – take note that it’s also worth looking at the 2008 because Peugeot say the price gap between the two models is only about £800.

That said, the 2008 is clearly inspired by the 208, featuring the same stylish, swept-back headlights, bold chrome grille and defined creases.

A set of roof rails come as standard, while the slightly squared-off wheel-arches and rugged cladding help lend the 2008 a bit of an SUV look.

Entry-level Access+ models don’t get alloy wheels; nor do they get some of the chrome additions which are reserved for the more expensive models.

Inside, it’s best to go for Allure trim because then you get stylish blue LED surrounds to the dials, and a laser-cut LED pattern in the roof-lining.

Even so, even the cheaper models still look classy, with gloss black-and-satin chrome inserts throughout.

There’s a range of eight engines for buyers to choose from, and the most favoured is the 1.6-litre e-HDi diesel, with either 91bhp or 113bhp.

Both provide more than enough punch, and both are incredibly refined on motorways – even more so than the 1.6-litre petrol engine, which can sound a little strained.

And from early next year, a three-cylinder, turbo-charged petrol will replace the 1.6 petrol, improving refinement, performance and emissions.

The 2008 rides comfortably, despite a hint of firmness at slow speeds, and handles with a little more verve than you’d expect of a high-riding car.

The steering is quick but a little lifeless, which means the 2008 corners well but lacks a bit of the fun factor. It’s a small price to pay, however.

All the 2008 models come with six airbags as standard, and while it hasn’t yet been tested by Euro NCAP, it should get the same five-star rating as the 208.

It’s a bit early to discuss reliability, but as the 208 has stood the test of time remarkably well, it’s likely the 2008 will perform just as well.

It is 200mm longer than the 208 supermini and is definitely a lot more practical. The boot is 75 litres larger, at 360 litres, and the back seats are more than spacious enough to seat tall adults.

Peugeot have concentrated on making the boot loading-lip nice and low, and you really notice it when you’re lifting heavy bags in to the back.

The 1.6-litre e-HDi diesel is the most efficient engine in the range, with CO2 emissions of 98g/km and fuel economy of 74.3mpg when combined with the EGC gearbox.

But the manual pushes fuel economy down to 70.6mpg, no matter whether you pick the 115bhp or 92bhp version.

The entry-level 1.4 HDi diesel performs just as well, with an official fuel economy of 70.6mpg.

The petrols aren’t quite as good, with the 120bhp 1.6 VTi managing 47.9mpg and the 82bhp 1.2 VTi claiming 57.6mpg.

Expect the three-cylinder turbo engine, to better both of these figures, when it arrives early next year, while boasting as much as 130bhp.

It shows the new seven-seater version of the Fiat 500L in its full, elongated glory.

As you can see, it looks similar to the 500L from nose to C-pillar, but it has a longer rear overhang and larger rear, quarter-light windows.

There has not yet been official information from the company concerning the latest member of the Fiat 500 family.

But the 500XL is expected to measure around 200mm longer than the 500L’s 4,147mm length.

The 500L and XL will mirror the five-seat Ford C-MAX and seven-seat Grand C-MAX model line-up.

So it is expected to feature a similar interior to the 500L, but with the addition of two, third-row rear seats, which can be folded up from the boot floor.

The engine line-up will probably mirror that of the 500L’s, which includes the 105bhp 875cc TwinAir two-cylinder and 95bhp 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engines, together with the 85bhp 1.3-litre and 105bhp 1.6-litre Multijet diesels.

A Fiat spokesperson has confirmed that it is likely to debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, with cars going on sale inEuropeby the end of the year.

The 500XL becomes the fourth member of the expanding Fiat 500 family, joining the supermini, convertible and 500L.

And the range will also continue to grow with the arrival of the 500X crossover next year.

But although the 500XL name makes the most sense, it is not guaranteed for the production version because it could cause confusion with the 500X.

True, the seven-seater is a pleasant looker, with two diesels and one petrol engine available, with an automatic gearbox reserved for the high-powered diesel only.

The South Korean company are confident it will follow on from their highly-successful Picanto, Rioand Ceed.

But most mainstream manufacturers are already competing for sales from the same sort of driver – usually those with young families, who want three proper seats in the middle row and a third row to be available for other children or relatives.

The previous generation Carens tempted 3,000 buyers a year who fitted the identikit, and Kia have faith in this up-to-date version.

They believe the extra space in the redesign, together with a much higher brand profile these days, will give this model an edge – enough to improve sales by as much as 50%, perhaps.

The new machine continues Kia’s familiar look, which means a distinctive centre-pinched grille and swept-back headlights.

The sides have a high window-line, which make the doors look large and solid, though reducing visibility for passengers in the third row of seats.

There’s also another practicality about the model, apart from the seating, because the boot has a comfortable, wide opening.

Overall, the Carens occupies a happy middle ground, and it’s a similar story with the engine line-up.

There are two 1.7-litre turbo-diesels, producing 114bhp or 134bhp, and a 1.6-litre petrol, which produces 133bhp.

It gives the cars adequate performance, the quickest version being the higher-powered diesel with a 10.4sec 0-60mph time and a top speed of 120mph.

The lower-powered diesel is more leisurely, with a top speed of 113mph and a 0-60mph time of 13secs dead.

Fortunately, the economy figures, particularly from the latter diesel, are far more competitive, with a 60.1mpg average, even if they are not quite class-leading.

And because most buyers will be focused on economy and running costs, this lower-powered diesel will be the biggest seller.

Mind you, Renault have a similarly-powered Grand Scenic which is also capable of 68.9mpg.

The Carens’ engines are refined at everyday speeds, while there’s little wind or road-noise intrusion on the motorway.

As for the interior, Kia have obviously given it more attention to detail. Though the car is slightly shorter than the outgoing model, the interior space has increased, thanks to some clever packaging.

This means there is plenty of leg and headroom in the first two rows of seats, and it will cheerfully carry five adults if required.

As with just about every car in this class, the third row of seats is suitable for children only, while in seven-seat mode, there is minimal boot space at 103 litres.

However, the rear seats fold easily with one-pull mechanisms and can be stowed flat in the boot’s floor giving a very useful 492 litres of space up to the window line.

The middle seats also fold, as does the front passenger seat if space is needed.

In keeping with their recent trend for competitive rather than aggressive pricing, the Carens will range from £18,000-£25,000.

On the practicality front, it appears to be a really strong contender and will have rivals worried.

However, though the Carens does the important people-carrying things perfectly well, it doesn’t have a stand-out reason why buyers should make a dash for their nearest Kia showroom.

But with the brand’s seven-year warranty, on top of realistic pricing, the South Koreans could well have another winner in this mid-sized, family MPV.

And the company couldn’t be happier with their all-electric SP:01 sports car because 35 orders were received for the car within an hour of it going on sale earlier this month.

The SP:01, which will be available in Britain, is based on the Lotus Elise platform, like the Tesla Roadster.

The big difference is that the SP:01 is supposed to be the fastest pure-electric production car so far.

According to DE’s own figures, 0-62mph takes just 3.7sec – the same as the Tesla Roadster Sport’s – but its top speed is said to be an impressive 155mph, which is 30mph more than its closest relative.

These figures come courtesy of an air-cooled electric motor, which makes 201bhp and 166lb ft of torque, while the transmission is a four-speed manual that helps improve the SP:01’s performance.

The gearbox is the six-speed unit from the Elise, with fifth and sixth gear blocked off. The electric motor’s instant torque means that swift progress will be made in any gear.

Detroit Electric will restore the fifth cog, if a client ticks the correct box in the options list, for those “wishing to explore the vehicle’s impressive top speed”.

Customers will have also the option of a two-speed automatic transmission, “specially developed for electric and hybrid vehicles”.

The bespoke body is made out of carbon-fibre to help contain the weight down to 1,090kg.

The battery pack has a fantastic capacity of 37kWh, which gives the SP:01 a range of 190 miles. A full recharge is achievable in just over four hours, say DE.

Every car will feature a smartphone mounted on the dash, named SAMI (Smartphone Application Managed Infotainment system), which will allow the driver to manage the car’s subsystems, such as the navigation, music player, charge status and other vehicle telemetry.

The company will make 999 SP:01s in their new, downtown,Detroitproduction plant.

Prices will start at $135,000 (£88,627) when production begins in August, although theUKprice has yet to be determined.

But as I always say, if you can afford to even consider that sort of dosh for a car, then you’re not going to quibble over a few quid here and there!

Since their takeover by Renault, however, in 1999,Daciahave been making steady progress in theUKmarket and beyond as a subsidiary of the renowned French firm.

They’re cheap, they’re cheerful (well, to a degree), and January 2012 saw the brand relaunched inBritain, having proved successful in many Eastern European countries includingRussia.

Twelve months on and their amazing SUV Duster was delivered to the company’sUKaudience at a rock-bottom, basic price of under £9,000.

And though it has its critics, a slightly more upgraded Duster model is proving extremely popular – even with one of the leading rental companies inTenerife!

Now,Daciahave launched their new Logan MCV Estate, with prices starting from £6,995 (8,240 euros).

And that makes it the cheapest estate car you can buy in theUK, at £4,000 less than an entry-level Skoda Fabia Estate.

To be fair, it’s a tidy-looking motor for that price and I can see plenty of drivers, whose pockets aren’t exactly lined, taking a good look, especially those with families.

The Logan MCV (Maximum Capacity Vehicle) joins theDacialine-up of Sandero, Sandero Stepway and Duster, and becomes the Renault budget brand’s fourth model.

The MCV, essentially a five-seater estate version of the Sandero, features a 573-litre boot with the seats up, which swells to 1,518 litres with the seats down and that makes it 253 and 318 litres bigger respectively than the Sandero hatchback – and more spacious than the Ford Focus Estate.

As with the rest of theDaciarange, three trim levels are available – Access, Ambiance and Laureate -and two petrol and one diesel engine are on offer.

The Logan MCV Access includes body-coloured bumpers, 15-inch steel wheels, ABS, traction control and four airbags and can be had only with the tried and tested 74bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine.

For an extra £600, you can upgrade to the MCV Ambiance, which adds a radio/CD player, USB input, Bluetooth, remote central locking and electric front windows.

The top-spec Logan MCV Laureate, which starts at £8,995, is expected to be the biggest seller in theUK.

It includes air-conditioning, electric door mirrors, cruise-control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, electric rear windows and front fog lights.

Both the Ambiance and Laureate are available with the choice of the 89bhp 0.9-litre three-cylinder petrol and 89bhp 1.5-litre four-cylinder diesel, in addition to the 1.2 petrol.

Despite the small engines, however, Renault are anxious to point out that the heaviest Logan MCV weighs just 1,090kg.

Options include a seven-inch touchscreen sat-nav (£250), rear parking sensors (£250) and leather upholstery (£600) on Laureate models.

On Ambiance and Lauriate models, metallic paint costs £495 and 15-inch alloys are £425.

On the economy front, the Logan MCV ranges from a respectable 48.7mpg for the 1.2 to a healthy 74.3 for the diesel. The turbo petrol returns 56.5mpg.

Orders for the Logan MCV are being taken byDaciadealers now, with the first cars scheduled to arrive in July.

SAY hello to the car of tomorrow, but don’t even begin to look for the front and back wheels because it hasn’t any!

Okay, there are two at the rear at the moment, but that’s because it is in its early development stage and they are there to prevent Hyundai’s new concept tipping from side to side.

The E4U is an egg-shaped, open-topped, single-person transport similar to a Segway, and Hyundai have great hopes that it will eventually become a much-desired city car.

Instead of a traditional two-wheel Segway design, however, the E4U uses a “rotating semi-spherical part” like the lower half of a ball, which is constantly spinning.

The machine is static when standing vertically, and moves at about walking speed when tilted forward.

Hyundai’s idea is to have a vehicle which can move in multiple directions without turning. And they are trying desperately hard to succeed!

Their incredible dream was unveiled at the recent Seoul Motor Show after just four months in the design shop.

So you can imagine just much the project will advance in the next few months.

Don’t laugh, because that could be you on your way to work in the next year or two.

Production of the company’s exciting £65,000 Karma model, which is made by Valmet inFinland, was suspended last July and sadly, Fisker is on the verge of bankruptcy.

Sources say Fisker were set to start making capital repayments on a US Government loan at the end of this month.

The company were offered up to £350m in government loans, but payments were suspended last May after Fisker had drawn down around £131m.

Yet they claimed to have delivered nearly 1,800 Kamas by the end of last year.

Fisker spent much of last year looking for new sources of investment, but they have also been hit by a number of blows, some beyond their control.

Some early production models had to be recalled and repaired, while A123 Systems, the company’s battery supplier, folded in 2012.

Last October, around 300 Karmas were destroyed when Hurricane Sandy flooded the dockside at Port Newark inNew Jersey. And last month, 49-year-old founder Henrik Fisker resigned.

It began life in 2007, founded by ex-Aston and BMW designer Fisker and Bernhard Koehler. The Karma saloon was first shown in 2009 but didn’t go on sale until autumn 2011.

Work on the Fisker Atlantic sports-hatch version of the Karma, and on Project Nina (a 5-series-size car that was to have been built in theUS), was also suspended last year.

It features a brand-new chassis and a design inspired by the stylish Track’ster concept.

The current Soul was a huge hit in the States, and the firm have clearly updated the design rather than overhaul it.

The profile and stance are still recognisable, but the 2013 Soul gets a trapezoidal lower-air intake, a new grille inspired by that of the Track’ster – and a new floating body colour panel in the bootlid.

The interior has been reworked fully to give it upmarket feel, and there are now soft-touch materials on the instrument panel, centre console and doors. And there are glossy, black-trim highlights throughout.

There’s a clear circular theme to the cabin, as well, with a “triple-circle” instrument cluster, rounded window controls, door locks and a circular gear knob.

As well as that posher feel, Kia are also promising a more refined and spacious cabin.

Front passengers are treated to a fraction more room in all dimensions, while a 20mm longer wheelbase should do its part to increase rear legroom.

Total boot space, meanwhile, will please the family man because it is up by 14 litres to 685 litres.

Improvements in insulating foam, together with additional noise-deadening, should reduce interior noise levels by around three decibels, according to Kia.

And the front and rear suspensions have also been reworked to help improve handling and ride.

The US engine line-up includes a 128bhp 1.6-litre petrol and a 162bhp 2.0-litre petrol engine. In theUK, buyers can expect to see a 126bhp 1.6-litre diesel introduced to the range, most likely in place of the 2.0-litre petrol.

Sales in the US are expected to begin towards the end of this year, while UK sales will likely start early in 2014 with a starting price of around £13,000.

And here’s another one they’ve dreamed up!

JUST to make it even more interesting on the Kia front, the firm’s CUB concept was unveiled at their home motor show in Seoul.

It is based on the Soul’s compact chassis platform and is actually a four-door coupe with an eye-catching set of pillar-less doors and striking exterior design.

This was devised inSeouland overseen by Peter Schreyer, Kia’s Design Director and President, who claims the smooth styling and 2+2 layout were inspired by the Kee concept from back in 2007.

It definitely looks meaner than the Soul, with turbine-like 19-inch alloy wheels, the latest interpretation of the “tiger-mouth” grille with a slimmer look than before.

There’s also an intake on one side to feed air into the 1.6-litre GDI turbo engine from the Pro_cee’d GT, which develops a decent 201bhp and 265Nm of torque.

Innovative features include a set of rear-opening “suicide” doors and a set of “turning vanes”, which stick out of the side-sills and are designed to “add definition” to the overall shape.

The interior follows the same high-quality design as the MINI-rivallingprovoconcept, revealed at theGenevashow earlier this month, and features some impressive kit as well.

A new safety feature that monitors the driver’s biorhythms, via contact patches on the steering wheel, and touch-sensitive climate controls add to the luxurious feel.

There’s even a special camera which allows the driver to use gesture commands to control the infotainment system.

Will it ever be spotted on the road? Tom Kearns, Kia’s US designer, says he is “very serious” about turning Soul offshoot models like the Track’ster and this concept into reality, as part of the brand’s new direction.