2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Coupe, the AutoWeek Drivers Log

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JONATHAN WONG: There are some cars that look good, and then there are a few cars that look downright gorgeous. Astons fall into the latter category (except for the DB9 Volante). This Vantage coupe with its DBR9 racing green paint job is hard to miss--not for being an over-the-top, outlandish-styled car like a Lambo, but because it's just so beautiful.

Russian tech entrepreneur buys EV maker Think

Norwegian electric-car maker Think Global AS, which filed for bankruptcy in June, has reportedly been bought out by a global technology entrepreneur. New owner Boris Zingarevich currently runs investment operations based in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Mini Convertible (2009): the new R57 cabrio

By Simon Stiel First Official Pictures 28 November 2008 10:46 Mini has just issued the first photos of the new R57 Mini Convertible, which rolls into dealerships in March 2009 and follows the lead set by the latest hatchback. So it's cleaner, a little bit more polished inside and out, and there will probably be evidence of some middle-aged spread when we drive it in 2009.So what's new on the R57 Mini Convertible?All the changes are in line with the Mini hatch, so you get the latest PSA-shared 1.6 petrol engines, BMW group Efficient Dynamics – now redubbed Minimalism in Minispeak – stop-start and intelligent alternator control, helping to contribute to a 22% jump in fuel efficiency, Mini claims. The 1.6 Cooper pumps out 137g/km of CO2.