1942 Cadillac Rear Bumper 1003 42021 on 2040-parts.com

Mini Vision concept: what does it say about the brand's future?

The sight of Mini design head Anders Warming presenting a holographic, 3D projection of the Mini Vision concept as if appearing in his own cartoon was certainly a new one on us, but it captured the quirky, slightly left-field image the subsidiary of BMW Group has cultivated since its relaunch 13 years ago. As the 'Vision' tag suggests, this is billed as a marker of intent for the brand's future design direction rather than a pre-production teaser of the new Mini hatchback (Cooper in most markets) we'll see later this year. However if the third-generation 'new' Mini doesn't look remarkably similar we'd be amazed, such is the level of productionized detailing on this purely digital model.

Clean cars make us happy

A CLEAN CAR makes us feel happier and three out of four drivers say a spotless car makes them feel better about themselves. In a survey by car wash specialists IMO, 74% of drivers reported a shiny car was a quick way to make themselves happier, while only a minority said they would ‘rather boil their head’ than get their car washed. Young drivers are the most likely to improve their mood with a car wash, with 85% saying a shiny car gives them a boost.

Bristol's 1012bhp Fighter (2006): first official pictures

By Phil McNamara First Official Pictures 08 November 2006 09:37 Bristol today revals a new twin-turbocharged version of its Fighter supercar, claiming this T model will crack 0-60mph in less than 3.5sec and has a top speed limited to 225mph. The iconoclastic west London luxury car maker developed the T to satisfy customer demands for more performance. Not that the regular Fighter is a slouch: the 525bhp V10 coupe cracks 0-60mph in 4.0sec and surpasses 200mph.