With the new change soon to take effect, the US buyers can choose their Kia models from among different alphanumeric names. In home country South Korea, the Kia line up has already been given partially alphanumeric names. For instance, the mid-sized Optima sedan has been named the K5, while large sedan Cadenza comes with theK7 name. The Kia Forte is to be called the K3. This doesn’t mean that all Kia models have been renamed. The Morning, Pride, Koup, Soul and Sportage have retained their nomenclature. The thought of renaming the vehicles with alphanumerics in the US car mart stems from the belief that such a move could enhance the strength of the car brand.

For those out of the know, the new Aston Martin One-77 is a limited edition supercar — only 77 units slated for production. As exclusive as it may sound, 10 of these scorching speedsters have been ordered by some crazy fanatic hailing from the middle-east. That is surely a whopping order as the guy is paying $17M for 10 units and the speculation is that each of these 10 cars will get a unique exterior color and cabin. The new Aston Martin One-77 features a 7.3-liter V12 engine capable of producing 700bhp, and can hit a top-speed of 355km/h.

That’s another reason why I hate being poor. Don’t you ?

This has to be one of the most inexpensive packages for a premium brand endorsed commuter we so dearly call the MINI Countryman. The Getaway package costs a modest €89 and it includes two folding seats and a wooden board which can turn one of the seats into a table. An additional €35 will fetch all you Countryman owners another board just in case you do not like eating alone even in your commuter. Other than the extra table there are other additional accessories like the boots for €39, a parka for €139, a t-shirt for €29 and a five-in-one cover for €65. I do not quite understand the idea behind a package such as this but I am still sure the MINI Countryman fanatics will find it interesting.

Saab has lined up a couple of interesting new models, with the new 2012 Saab 9-5 Wagon, also known as the SportCombi, the most interesting to make it to the market. A fresh image of the commuter has surfaced courtesy of a sales presentation and the leaked image reveals the sleek design with a distinctive profile. It gets sloping C pillars which will, by all means, reduce the luggage capacity of the estate wagon and it will hold 540 liters of cargo with the seats folded down. The wagon will share the engine from its sedan variant which runs on three options — 162 kW turbocharged 2.0-liter petrol, a 118 kW 2.0-liter turbodiesel, and a turbocharged 2.8-liter V6 with 221 kW output. The 2012 Saab 9-5 Wagon will probably break cover at the Paris Motor Show later this year.

There’s a new online competition to celebrate the launch of the Auris X, with prizes including R15 000 cash and a PS3. But even if you aren’t out to win the competition is still worth checking out – it’s a challenging and entertaining game that will test your mental agility as you embark on a journey which will see you hunt for Xs all over the internet.

It works like this:

The game is based here, where you will find a map of South Africa. There are Xs all over the internet. You need to find them and then place them on the map you will find on the site, in order to mark your turf and eventually find a hidden Auris X Showroom. For now, you need to do is register and start hunting for those Xs. In case you need some help there are bunch of clues from Buddy the Boxer and his friend Chi Chi the Chihuahua to help you on your way.

The hunt will take you all over the net and even back in time, you will have to answer questions, find clues and play games within the game. Some Xs are easy to find, others will really test your mental strength. The more Xs you use to mark your turf the better your chance at winning prizes worth R30 000 smackeroos!

The prizes are:

1st Prize: R15 000 Cash

2nd Prize PS3 120GB Console

3rd Prize: PSP Black

4th Prize: Apple iPod nano 8GB – Black

5th Prize: Apple iPod Shuffle 2GB

Enjoy the ride, it’ll Xhilarate you! Happy hunting. You never know, there may even be an X hidden somewhere on this page!

But what about the new Auris X?

The Auris X is the next generation Auris, offering a sleeker and more sophisticated driving experience than its predecessors, and it’s also more fuel efficient. The idea is to deliver superb economy with minimal environmental impact, and with 74kW and 132Nm it delivers class-leading performance, along with a whole bunch of extra attention to quality and safety. For more on the Auris X including full specs, go here.

The other two finalists challenging the Polo were Mercedes Benz E Class and the Toyota Prius. The mandatory conditions for the cars to be nominated included sales in at least two continents in the year 2009 and a minimum of 500 units of each nominated vehicle produced in 2009.

As per one of the jury members, the VW Polo MkV is one of the classiest small VWs ever been built. The winner even achieved 5-star Euro NCAP crash-test rating. Chevrolet Camaro also managed to bag the World Car Design of the Year prize while the entire Volkswagen BlueMotion lineup was awarded the World Green Car of the Year.

The exclusive model comes with a 2.5-liter five-cylinder motor that produces 345hp with 460Nm of torque. Compared to the basic current generation Ford Focus model, this edition dashes 0.3 seconds quicker to the 100km/h mark , clocking a hasty 5.6 seconds. The top speed is also an appreciable 265km/h thanks to an updated ECU, a bigger air filter, a larger air intercooler and a widened downpipe. Custom RS500 limited edition signs include a console-mounted metal plate engraved with the car ID number, Recaro seats, a six-disc Sony Audio System and dual-zone climate control.

Can you imagine that for some people, simply owning a Lamborghini Gallardo is not enough? That seems to be the case with this guy who’s showing off with a custom bike (bearing the Lambo moniker) and a custom trailer to carry it around town. So if we’re to make the math, it’s $250k for the car, some $150k for the bike and another $10k for the trailer — a total of $410k, just to be seen. Not bad, eh?

More power is complimented with a widened track both at the front and the rear, while the suspension has been made tougher and lowered by 15mm. The design pattern is basically similar to the DS3 standard but the Racing edition does get carbon finished body panels. Other attractions include 18-inch sport wheels, chrome-finished exhaust pipe and LEDs at the front. The particular model showcased in Geneva was done in orange and gray twin-tone with the roof, brake calipers, grill and the rim all done in a carroty tinge. With only 1,000 units of the DS3 Racing to be produced, the commuter shall hit the dealer stores by Q3 2010.

Collecting rare automobiles is always special and here’s another opportunity for those hardcore aficionados who cannot just do without a rare beauty in their garage. The offering comes from Pagani and it is dubbed the Pagani Zonda Tricolore which has specially been created as a tribute to the Italian National Aerobatic Team-Frecce Tricolori. The one-off model marks the 50th anniversary of the Aerobatic Team and Pagani made it to the Geneva event with this rarity. Based on the Pagani Zonda Cinque, the Tricolore differs with a carbon fiber and titanium wired tub and front LEDs which replicate a tailfin of an airplane. The engine too is a Cinque derivative which churns 669hp with 780Nm of torque. The only Tricolore ever manufactured will cost a whopping $1.76 million (US).