Adnan Ebrahim

I'm a sucker for a good car advert . I giggled at the Volkswagen Jetta Star Wars advert. I cringed at the recently released Honda CR-V advert featuring Matthew Broderick, digging up Ferris Bueller from the grave (no link needed, you've definitely already seen it). But at least the latter was directed by Todd Phillips, known best by his directing of The Hangover.

Kia Motors Manufacturing Slovakia today announced the production of their 1,000,000th car from their factory in Zilina , five years after the first car rolled off their line. The lucky millionth car? A white, diesel-engined cee’d SW. That alone doesn’t really tell the whole story though, so allow me to explain why I think Kia is winning; not just in the UK but overseas too.

Custom, custom, custom . Let me say that again, custom. I'm not just ripping off a catchy EA tagline when I say "It's in the name" because it really is - the smart BRABUS Tailor-Made is tailored to you and it's likely you won't find another one on the road quite like it. So when this fortwo Cabriolet rocked up on my doorstep, I ignored the annoying lack of capitalisation on smart and fortwo and took it for a test drive.

Whilst your humble Car Throttle author is keen to show-off his motoring madness via a late entry into the Mongol Rally this year , chances are it won't have anything on the mighty Dakar.

To give the team its full title , Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will launch their new race car for 2012 in February. The car is known as the MP4-27 (yes, McLaren have a knack for numerically-boring names) and the world will get its first glimpse of it on the first day of the month when it is revealed at the Team’s HQ in Woking, and just 6 days later it will begin its first 4 day test at a race track in Jerez.

Car Throttle presents our live coverage of the 2012 Detroit North American International Auto Show . We've got exclusive photographs from the event thanks to our attending Team CT photographer, write-ups from all our team, press unveilings and editorial opinion. Where else would you go for the latest car news, eh?

If you're an avid Car Throttle fan , you'll know that we have a strong tendency to not do things "by the book". Take a simple car video review. Our "in-depth" research on YouTube has found far too many boring car reviewers (read: 50-year-old, bald blokes) who love to spout performance figures, chassis materials and snigger subtle digs at manufacturers who produce car fodder.

The innovative and long-standing brand Honda , has developed over the years to become an iconic household name with a range of different vehicles under its belt. From the 1972 Civic to the new Honda Civic 2012 , the Civic car has undergone several facelifts in the past 30 years. Yet, it remains true to the very first design and holds the same values at heart.

What's green, potentially venomous and loves to slide? Okay, so your Car Throttle correspondent still hasn't mastered the set-up of a good one-liner, but the answer as you probably guessed isn't your back-garden adder. No. It is instead Skoda's 2011 Fabia vRS and whilst you might laugh that off from merely glancing at the car, let me explain why you'd be foolish to cast this off as a poor man's Polo GTI.

The 'Brains from Bradford' have done it again . Not content with the standard styling of the Range Rover Evoque which went into production in July of this year, A. Kahn Design have come up with their own take on the 3 or 5 door compact crossover SUV and boy does it look good.

Infiniti has presented its long-overdue three-row crossover at the Los Angeles International Auto Show , which opened on Nov 18. The 2013 JX fits between the sportier Infiniti FX and the full-size QX, bringing the number of crossovers offered by the Japanese manufacturer up to four.

The 2+2 sports coupe segment is one of the most competitive in the auto industry . In the corner of the rings are heavyweights such as the Audi TT and Porsche Carrera, all the way up to cars with undisputed championships belts such as the Ferrari FF. However, a new fighter has emerged from Continental Europe in the form of the Peugeot RCZ.

It's not everyday that one of your favourite bands hooks up with one of your favourite manufacturers . Okay so JLS - X Factor Runners Up - may have a fan-base with an average age in the low teens, but your slightly embarrassed author loves a good ballad or three and Marvin, Oritse, Aston and JB certainly know how to craft a top-selling single. The fact that they have already racked up 5 UK Number 1's is a testament not only to "Jack the Lad Swing" but their innate ability to create a catchy tune.

For the average motorist , it has been observed that the cost of car insurance has risen by over 50% this year alone according to the Automobile Association. Ordinarily this would be a cause for concern, as insurance is one of the most costly running expenses involved in owning your own vehicle. However, for young drivers the situation is even more dire. Many first-time, "just passed" drivers struggle to even pay for their first year's insurance.

It used to be that when you bought a car you went on to the lot , selected from what was available, and when you purchased it you got what you paid for, and no more. It goes without saying that now, if you want something to be a certain way you can have it. The world is jam packed full of options and now you are no longer limited to what your car can look like, and you can also control how well it can perform.

When looking for a used car , many people consider the purposes for which they will be using the vehicle. After all, some models of cars serve certain purpose better than others. One thing that some people want to do with their vehicle is travel off road. With this activity, certain features are a necessity for off road driving. Of these features, perhaps being four wheel drive is one of the most important. There are certain four wheel drive cars that work quite well for traveling off road.

Whilst you're probably well aware of Volvo's success in the world of luxury vehicle production , you may not be as well versed in the world of sailing, and the fact that this Swedish-based manufacturer has been a key sponsor of British sailing since 1999. Volvo UK has supported everything from youth development at grass roots through to Britain’s top sailors at the pinnacle of the sport.

When it comes to consistently innovative car invention and creation , Honda is more often than not very much at the forefront. This reputation for looking ahead and moving onto the next level is sure to be enhanced by the launch of its latest set of three and five door saloons, civics and hybrid cars ; all of which look set to get Britain’s roads purring.

Love him or detest him , Flo Rida has been on the up ever since his floor-banger collaboration with T-Pain, "Low". The song which is still played to this day in many of London's best and worst clubs catapulted the tattoed American rapper into the limelight, and since, he's gone onto collaborate with David Guetta, Rihanna, and even our very own "OK.com" Alexandra Burke. It's no wonder then that Mini, who we've covered a lot already in the Car Cameo series, has jumped the hurdles necessary to associate themselves with the Flo Rida brand.

Nobody is content with their age . The young and juvenile will do anything to grow up quickly and start living life, whilst the old will do almost anything they can to regain their youth. It's one of the overriding themes of life and it's a thought which springs to mind when I muse over Volvo's 2011 V60 sports wagon.

This post brought to you by Untitled Jersey City Project . All opinions are 100% mine. As competition for advertising space and opportunities heats up within the automotive space , worldwide manufacturers are looking for new and novel ways in which to spread the word about their latest vehicle products. Whether it's product placement in music videos, billboards or in TV dramas and feature-length films, the race is on to reach the mass market.

Take two "B's" - Beyoncé and Bugatti and combine them in a music video. What do you get? A party. literally. In this ghetto-themed video, Beyoncé does some cooking, blows some bubbles and wears some revealing outfits. Nothing out of the ordinary then. But I thought you told the world you were pregnant, B? If so someone has either been very generous with AfterEffects or this video has been a long time in the making.

On the back of Mini getting brand placement time in Taio Cruz' latest video "Hangover", the historic German company appear to be continuing to spread their seed all over the industry. Whether it's Jamaican reggae-inspired beats in Sean Paul or certain big-name American producers in Timbaland, the dynamic company is trying to gain mass market appeal and visibility-wise, the strategy certainly seems to be paying off.

Today's Car Cameo features a young British female known for her good looks, catchy songs and tight outfits. Admittedly the latter point isn't the only reason I like this particular video, no, it's because our friends at Citroën have managed to team up with Pixie Lott, Pusha T and Mercury Records to place one of their DS3 Racing hot hatches into their music video, "What Do You Take Me For?"