New 2012 Honda Civic Hatchback Priced from £16,495 in the UK

Honda has released UK pricing and equipment levels for the new Civic, which made its world premiere at the 64th International Auto Show in Frankfurt earlier this month. Buyers can order their car now with first deliveries set to take place in January.

In Britain, the ninth-generation Civic will be available with three engines and a choice of four trim levels. Prices for the five-door hatchback start at £16,495 for the entry-level 1.4-liter petrol model and top out at £26,595 for a fully equipped 2.2-liter diesel.

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Take it Easy Big Fella…Buick Driver's Seat Breaks at Lift Off in Drag Race

In one of those embarrassing moments than can haunt you for a very, very long time (especially when the mishap occurs in front of a crowd with hand held cameras…), a driver of what looks like a modified second-generation Buick Regal Coupe from the early 1980s, gets ready to impress by beating his rival in a drag strip race.

And then it happens; as he leaves the line in full force the seat breaks and he falls back… Watch the funny incident in the video after the jump.

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New Hyundai Veloster gets Turbocharged for Upcoming SEMA Show

We already know for a fact that Hyundai is planning to launch a more powerful version of its new Veloster sports car fitted with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine delivering 208HP for a 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint time of under 7 seconds (Carscoop has officially confirmed all numbers), with European sales to start in early 2012.

We still don't know when and if this engine will be offered in North America, but those interested in a more hardcore Veloster will have a chance to see plenty of aftermarket options at this November's SEMA show in Las Vegas.

Among the many Veloster proposals that are expected to be displayed in SEMA, is a highly modified model created by Hyundai in partnership with ARK Performance.

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Kia will Focus on Quality, not Quantity says co-CEO

Kia Motors does not intend to build new plants despite increased worldwide demand for its products, the automaker’s co-CEO, Lee Sam-ung told Autonews in a recent presentation. The Korean company will instead focus its efforts on quality.

“Quantitative growth is important, but qualitative growth is also important. We plan to focus on improving product quality and our brand," Sam-ung said at the launch of the new Rio.

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Color me Matte: New Renault Clio RS 200 “Ange & Démon” Edition to be Produced in…666 Units

Renault is playing the good versus evil card with its new limited run Clio Renaultsport 200 “Ange & Démon”, which is French for Angels and Demons. Deviously, the bespoke version of the Clio RS will be produced in a…fiendish 666 units worldwide - as most of you already know, that's the number of the Beast in the Book of Revelation.

Buyers can choose among three different matte shades, including Toro Red, Givre Nacré and Hologramme Grey, all of which feature a gloss black finish for the roof, upper tailgate, rear spoiler, rear diffuser, F1-style blade in the front bumper, the door handles and exterior door mirrors.

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New Chrysler Ypsilon Supermini Makes its Debut in Britain [50 Photos]

The Fiat-Chrysler alliance has said that the two groups will work hand-in-hand towards the development of all future models, with the Italian branch handling the smaller and compact / medium segments and the American, the medium and larger categories.

We'll have to wait to see the first (real) results, but for the time being, the group is making use of one brand's vehicles to supplement the lineup of another brand through the age-old approach of rebadging.

Following the European premieres of the Chrysler 200, 300 and Town & Country with Lancia badges and names, the table has turned around with Chrysler welcoming a Lancia model into its range, the new Ypsilon supermini. But it's not for U.S. consumption.

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New Citroen C4 AIRCROSS: PSA's Second Take on the Mitsubishi ASX

Is it sibling rivalry or pure coincidence? No matter: the PSA Peugeot Citroen Group unveiled today not one but two compact crossovers: the Peugeot 4008 and the Citroen C4 Aircross.

Both models are based on the Mitsubishi ASX and were created as part of an OEM agreement between the French automaker and it’s Japanese counterpart.

The differences between the two French models are purely cosmetic, with each variant featuring bespoke front and rear ends along with some other signature styling traits such as the Citroen's C-column trim.

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