Mercury Thrust Ring. Part 35915. Acquired From A Closed Dealership. See Pic. on 2040-parts.com

Mini unveils next-generation hardtop

The wraps are off the all-new, third-generation Mini hardtop. Updates include renewed exterior styling, lots of gee-whiz electronics inside, and a new fuel-efficient, three-cylinder turbo engine under the hood as the base engine. “On the inside is where you see the revolutionary aspect,” said Jim McDowell, vice president, Mini of the Americas.

Volvo XC60 (2008): first official pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 19 February 2008 12:10 Volvo has finally sanctioned official shots of the XC60 – a junior version of the XC90 SUV that has helped turn around the fortunes of the Swedish company. Yes, it’s another crossover entering an increasingly congested marketplace, but Volvo hopes this one will appeal to buyers wanting the versatility of a 4x4 without the heft. Key points worth noticing are the Swedes’ gently evolving design – this is the first model developed under Steve Mattin’s watch as design director.

Peugeot 508 (2011): first official pictures of France's Mondeo

This is the new Peugeot 508, said to be the first Peugeot to introduce the new design look spun from the SR1 concept first seen back in January 2010. The 508 replaces two cars – the 407 and 607 – and will be available in both saloon and estate bodystyles when it goes on sale at the start of 2011. It's very similar to the 5 concept car shown earlier in 2010, but somehow lacks the stylistic class of recent Peugeots such as the RCZ.