The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is just 20 kilometers long, but it has 156 curves and rises to 4,300 meters. A new electric car designed by VW has pulverized speed records in the famous Race to the Clouds.

Birthday – the Audi TTS turns 20. Korean-European – the KIA Ceed is sportier than ever. Late but great – the Mercedes GLC 350e SUV-Coupe. Velomobiles – an attempt at a world record. And: Pikes Peak – a legendary race up a mountain in the US.

Is the Mercedes SUV Coupe crossover blatant plagiarism? The idea was certainly lifted from BMW. DW puts a GLC 350e Plug-in Hybrid through its paces to find out.

In her velomobile, Nicola Walde set out to break a world distance record. Powered only by her legs, the enclosed recumbent bike hurtled around a track for 24 hours. The goal? To make it 1,219 kilometers.

The compact KIA Ceed has gotten a little sleeker and sportier. Designed and developed in Germany, it's rolling off the assembly line in Slovakia. DW takes the latest version of the model out for a spin.

One of Audi's most iconic models has been given a facelift just in time for a big birthday. The latest TTS has a flatter grille and larger air intakes, while its permanent four-wheel Quattro drive makes handling even hotter.

Toyota's Yaris GRMN is powerful enough to compete in international rallies. It's also fun to drive around town. The "GR" comes from Toyota's rally division, "Gazoo Racing" and the "MN" from "Master of Nürburgring".

Barcelona's urban geography is well-suited to testing new mobility concepts. At the Seat Metropolis Lab, developers are coming up with software, including apps, that could make driving easier for commuters and other residents.

Hyundai is making automotive history by producing the world's first subcompact SUV with all electric drive. It comes in two power versions, but neither has all-wheel drive.

Mercedes' popular C-Class gets a make-over, and that includes the C 300 convertible. Lots of new design improvements make this particular Mercedes a joy to drive.