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Mini hits three million milestone

THE MUCH-LOVED new Mini has reached two major milestones this week. Since BMW took over the brand in 2001, three million Minis have now been produced at the plant in Oxford and the company has also reached the two million mark in Minis for export. The three millionth Mini is a five-door Hatch Cooper S and has a special exterior design to celebrate its heritage and British roots.

Who's Where: Toyota design chief moves to head-up Yamaha design

Akihiro Dezi Nagaya has moved from his position as chief designer at Toyota to Yamaha Motor Company, where he will take up the post of chief general manager of design. The move became effective on 1 July, and sees Nagaya move from his position as CEO of Tecno Art Research, a freelance design office for Toyota projects located in Nagoya, Japan. His replacement at Tecno Art Research is Hiroshi Kawahara, Toyota's former general manager of advanced design.

First Corvette Stingray Convertible sells for $1 million

The first Chevrolet Corvette Stingray to be built has been auctioned for charity by Barrett Jackson  and bought by Rick Hendrick for $1 million. The new Corvette Stingray Convertible was offered for sale this weekend at Barratt Jackson’s auction in Palm Beach, Florida, with GM donating the healthy proceeds of $1 million to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute. The Stingray Convertible was bought by wealthy NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick, who can now add the Stingray Convertible to his collection of cars, which also includes the first of the new Stingrays for which he paid $1.1 million.