Volkswagen has announced that the small sibling of the Touareg SUV will be called the Tiguan, following a poll conducted by German magazine Auto Motor und Sport. Somewhere between a big cat and a lizard, the name aims to suggest 'travel, adventure and excitement', and copies Ford in involving the public as they did with the Mondeo 15 years ago. Previewed by the Concept A shown in Geneva this year, the Volkswagen Tiguan will be produced in Wolfsburg with sales commencing in 2008.

Kia has revealed the first image of its new Cadenza sedan, the production version of the VG concept car unveiled at the Seoul Motor Show earlier this year.

Positioned above the Magentis in the Korean company's global line-up, the Cadenza is defined by a dynamic character line lending it a sporty, sleek appearance. The prominent front grille, headlamps and taillights are a continuing expression of Kia's design DNA, instigated by Peter Schreyer, while the Cadenza name - derived from an Italian musical term - is said to symbolize the car's design philosophy and premium image.

Though there are no photos of the interior, Kia says it highlights the automaker's innovative design approach and features a futuristic 'floating' dashboard, complemented by a mood lighting strip.

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This is Alfa Romeo's latest compact car, the MiTo. The new car draws its name from the abbreviations of two Italian cities: Milan, the city that brought the car's style into being, and Turin, which will be responsible for its industrial production.

The first new Alfa Romeo to be built since the 8C Competizione, the MiTo borrows many characteristic element from its larger 'halo' sibling: the shape of the frameless side windows, the distinctive frontal treatment, the shape of the headlights and the LED tail lights. The contemporary design is 4060mm long, 1440mm high and 1720mm wide.

Inside, a highly 'personal' dashboard and seats are said to ensure the 'ultimate expression of Italian style' for the interior. It is claimed to be welcoming yet sporty, with top-quality materials and close attention to detail; all wrapped in a compact and dynamic shape.

The new car is expected to be available in European markets by July this year.

First introduced in China in 2003, the Changhe-Suzuki Ideal has been revamped as the Ideal II. Designed in Italy by Bertone, the styling is a little more adventurous than the name: the exterior has grown larger headlamps and more volume is given to the body-side, aided by the groove feature. Thick A-posts give further strength to the design, framing the clean window graphic and holding in place the deep roof.

Inside, the symmetrical IP uses a clear twin-hoop theme to graphically define driver and passenger areas, hinting at the potential for right-hand conversions for exports. The second-generation car has grown by 40mm in width and length, now measuring 3.6m, with a 1.4 four-cylinder replacing the 1.1-litre unit.

Nissan has announced it will release a new family of global cars over the next two years with sales of the first variant to start in China in 2006. The Livina Geniss, the name of the Chinese variant, will be the first Nissan car to be released in China ahead of other global markets, and will make its world premier at the Guangzhou International Motor Show later this month.

Based on the concept of a luxurious, yet practical vehicle, the model seats up to seven people and accommodates a wide variety of customer needs. The bold exterior design is complemented by a highly flexible interior that provides multiple seating arrangements. The Livina Geniss was designed at the Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi, Japan and will be built on a Renault-Nissan Alliance common platform. It will be powered by a 1.8-liter engine and will be manufactured at Dongfeng Motor plant in Guangdong Province.

Aside from the Rinspeed, the last car called 'Splash' was a Ford concept in 1988, a small organically-styled off-roader that conceptually previewed the Suzuki XC-90. Now Suzuki is using the Splash name to identify a Mazda2/Renault Modus rival that will be on show in Paris next month.

Based on the Suzuki Swift, the Splash has a taller body for greater interior space, its practicality complementing the more dynamic Swift Sport, which will be launched alongside. Main themes on the Splash sketch include the diving swage and bold DRG, while the absence of body color on the roof keeps the car's mass relatively low. Seating five, key dimensions are: length 3780mm, width 1780mm, height 1650mm. The Suzuki Splash will be powered by a new 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine.

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