Mini Clubvan announced, hipsters rejoice

Mini is getting into the commercial space with the Clubvan, which has two seats, five doors and a flat floor for easy loading. Mini says the van is designed for both business and leisure cargo carrying. When the U.S.-bound Mini Clubvan arrives this fall, it will use the company's base engine for power, which means 121 hp from a 1.6-liter engine.

Mercedes and Daimler crush 300SL Gullwing imposter

Mercedes-Benz Classic recently destroyed an ersatz 300 SL after the body was seized by German customs officials. The case began when a German company built a fiberglass copy of the Gullwing's body. According to a court ruling, the shape remains under copyright protection just as it did upon its introduction in the 1950s.

AutoStyle 2010

Earlier this year, we had the pleasure to attend AutoStyle 2010's design competition; a wonderfully familial, small-scale event that takes place in the picturesque village of San Benedetto Po, in northern Italy. Hosted by Berman, an aftermarket supplier of bespoke components to many OEMs, the event is a two-day gathering where many of the industry's designers, buyers and suppliers attend a conference to hear about the trends as perceived by automakers and to see the newest ‘special versions' created by budding designers. The 7th edition of the AutoStyle design competition showcased a wide array of aftermarket designs for the Ferrari California, Nissan Micra, Ford Focus, Alfa Romeo Giulietta and the Citroen DS Highrider concept.