Lotus Sport Exige S Poster Collectible Item on 2040-parts.com

Mini names BMW's Warming to succeed Hildebrand as design chief

Mini has named Anders Warming to succeed Gert Hildebrand as head of design by the end of the month. Hildebrand will leave the BMW AG subsidiary on Dec. 31, ending a 10-year run that saw him create a new look and feel for the Mini brand following its relaunch under BMW, the company said in a statement without providing details on the designer's future plans.

Aston Martin DBS Volante set for Geneva debut

Aston Martin will take the wraps off its fastest-ever production convertible at the Geneva motor show when the muscular 2010 DBS Volante makes its global debut. The soft-top version of Aston's beefy DBS will top 191 mph, the company says, and sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 4.3 seconds, figures that put the DBS Volante in the top echelon of open-top supercars. The development of only the 16th convertible in Aston's 95-year history has been eased by dipping into the parts bin.

New Lexus IS to debut at 2013 Detroit Auto Show

The new Lexus IS - previewed at this year’s Paris Motor Show by the Lexus LF-CC Concept – will debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2013. Lexus effectively previewed the new IS with the Lexus LF-CC Concept (above) at the Paris Motor show in September (although that really previews a new Lexus IS Coupe to follow) so we know the new IS is going to follow the current Lexus path of producing good looking cars (like the latest Lexus GS). This time round it looks like Lexus are going to offer a hybrid IS 3000 as the route to the heart of fleet buyers in Europe with a 2.5 litre petrol four-cylinder mated to the usual box of batteries and motor, all running through a CVT ‘box (sadly).