Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Last 2013 MINI leaves the production line to make way for the new 2014 MINI

The last 2013 MINI rolls off MINI’s production line It’s only ten days since the all new 2014 MINI was revealed, but already production of the current MINI – launched in 2006 – has ended at MINI’s production plant in Oxford. It’s hard to believe, but the current generation of the MIN I has sold over 1 million around the globe in the seven years since it launched, and the BMW MINI – since its re-birth in 2001 – has shifted a grand total of 1,863,289 MINI hatches and 2.4 million MINIs have been built in Oxford since 2001. When the current, 2nd generation BMW MINI, was launched in 2006, it brought with it new turbocharged engines and suspension tweaks to make sure the then ‘new’ MINI continued to offer all the things that make MINI special, but in a more grow-up way.

Petersen Museum gets new chair

Peter Mullin, a car guy with excellent taste and the means to do something about it, has become chairman of the board of the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Lucky place, the Petersen. Mullin's vice-chairs, who will help lead the museum into the 21st century, are uber car guys Bruce Meyer and David Sydorick, both longtime supporters of the institution.

Lotus news at 2009 Tokyo motor show

Lotus was one of only three foreign manufacturers to exhibit at the 2009 Tokyo show, and as well as shouting about the success of the Evora (including a mention of it scooping CAR's PCoTY title), the company unveiled a special-edition Exige. Called the Exige Stealth is Japan – and the ugly-sounding Scura throughout the rest of the world – it's black all over. There's matt black paint, lots of carbonfibre bits and pieces, and the supercharged Toyota engine pushing out 257bhp.