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

MINI Countryman Cooper & Paceman Cooper get ALL4 4WD

The MINI Countryman Cooper (pictured) & Paceman Cooper get ALL4 4WD We always find it astonishing that car makers ‘ration’ the availability of four wheel drive platforms in their cars, usually citing a ‘lack of demand’. But that lack of demand is usually predicated on the lack of supply, and increasing the supply of 4WD cars would see more sold, especially after a series of harsh winters where many motorists struggled to keep their cars in a straight line. So the decision by BMW to extend the availability of their ALL4 4WD setup to a wider range of MINIs is welcome, with the petrol Countryman Cooper and Paceman Cooper now getting the ALL4 option too.

New Saab 9-5 Revealed

The new Saab 9-5 (2010) will launch at Frankfurt in September The new Saab 9-5 is very overdue. The current model is now 12 years old, and long due for replacement. But GM’s problems and now Saab’s takeover by Koenigsegg have conspired to delay the new 9-5, but it now looks clear that it will launch officially at Frankfurt in September.

Video: BMW’s beautiful Design Portrait of Karim Habib

We're often inundated with videos from OEMs. Many are thinly-disguised PR-laden party political broadcasts but occasionally we're presented with gems such as this Design Portrait of Karim Habib from BMW. Ok so we don't really believe the Head of Design, BMW Automobiles sits dreamily sketching at a perfect desk with only a delicate espresso for company or that he cruises Munich in a (gorgeous) 2002 tii oldtimer for inspiration, but as an insight into what makes Habib tick, his design philosophy, and how he came to be in such a position, it's a beautifully-shot treat.