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Mini factory celebrates its 100th birthday

A bastion of the British car-building industry, Mini’s ‘Plant Oxford’ in Cowley, Oxford celebrates 100 years of building cars today (28 March 2013). Currently responsible for producing the second-gen BMW Mini range, Plant Oxford has been the birthplace more than just trendy city cars: it’s stamped out over 11.5 million cars since 1913, including legend like the Morris Minor and Frogeye Sprite, and clunkers like the Morris Marina. It also contributed to the war effort by repairing damaged RAF fighter aircraft during the Second World War.

Money flows at Monterey Auctions

Buyers of classic vehicles have dug deep into their pockets at auctions on the Monterey Peninsula, easily topping the sales totals from last year with one auction still remaining. More than $203 million has been spent on 704 vehicles, for an average sale price of $288,360. In 2011, the auction houses set a record for total sales during Pebble Beach week at $197,732,538 having been spent on 881 vehicles for an average sale price of $224,441.

Insurance interest costs motorists millions

BRITISH drivers are paying £682 million more than they should be for their car insurance by paying monthly. Most insurers charge a high rate of interest for the privilege of spreading payments out over the year, with the average pay-monthly customer hit by an additional £88. Almost a third of people (31%) pay their car insurance by monthly direct debit, market research from Consumer Intelligence has discovered.