Toyota's quake-hit Yaris plant offline for at least another month

Toyota's quake-hammered Miyagi assembly plant, which makes the Yaris small car for export to the United States, is expected to be offline for at least another month. Workers have completed repairs at the factory and restored electricity, but the facility cannot get supplies of natural gas, a person familiar with the situation said. The assessment underscores the long road facing Toyota and other Japanese automakers in bringing plants back into full operation following the deadly quake, which killed more than 11,000 people, ruptured gas lines, shutdown electric grids and snarled logistics across half the country.

Brazilian VW design director Luiz Veiga celebrates the Beetle in art exhibition

Earlier this month ‘Luiz Veiga: Tempos de Fusca' (Beetle Times) opened at the small OMA gallery in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. This exhibition proves not only a celebration of the Volkswagen icon, but also an opportunity to learn a little more about one of its exhibitors – Volkswagen Brazil's design director Luiz Veiga. Car Design News attended the opening at OMA – located not far from the VW plant – to talk with Veiga about art and design.

BMW's yearlong Mini E trial exposes infrastructure problems

Early next decade, BMW of North America plans to sell an electric "megacity car" as a subbrand of BMW, similar to the brand's M high-performance cars. But further details are skimpy. BMW already is preparing for that launch.