This week on RPM TV, we attend the launch of the long-awaited Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG supercar. The modern successor to the immortal, gull-winged 300SL, the two-seater mixes nostalgia with advanced technology and brutal performance.

This week on RPM TV, France meets Italy as the stylish, avant-garde Citroën DS3 crosses swords with the sporty, hot-blooded Alfa Romeo Mito Quadrifoglio Verde.

Here at RPM, we’ve been watching the rising fortunes of Kia Motors with interest. The Korean vehicle maker was initially stuck with ordinary, but well-priced vehicles, yet managed to create a strong and appreciative following.

It’s sleek, it’s sophisticated – and it’s a real head-turner. This week on RPM TV, we test-drive the latest drop-top from Mercedes-Benz. And the E500 Cabriolet is certainly a sophisticated machine, with lots of gizmos, and ample get-up-and-go.

Kia’s current crop of vehicles is winning the Korean car maker many friends. The Sorento SUV is a good case in point: it offers a well-rounded, comprehensively equipped and thoroughly convincing motoring package – and it’s not scared of getting its boots dirty.

The Laguna nameplate has not been the most successful for Renault in South Africa, but the Laguna Coupé is a far cry from its more mundane predecessors