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McLaren 12C Spider teased

McLaren has started to tease the 12C Spider – the convertible 12C – ahead of full details in the next few days. We’ve know that a convertible version of the McLaren MP4-12C – the 12C Spider – has been on the way for some time, but now it’s almost here. We thought McLaren would just come out and introduce the 12C Spider, but they can’t resist teasing, although we wonder if  McLaren might be trying to take some of the gloss off the UK debut of the Ferrari 458 Spider at Goodwood this weekend by revealing the 12C Spider before the end of the Goodwood weekend?.

Lexus partners with celebrity chefs

Lexus is looking to whip up some attention for its products by hiring a team of noted cooks. The Lexus Culinary Masters team, made up of six celebrity chefs, debuted at last weekend's Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival in Monterey, Calif. Race-car driver Scott Pruett started off the weekend by taking a spin around the Laguna Seca racetrack in the Lexus LFA supercar with chefs Daniel Boulud and Michael Chiarello, "Each shares the same passion for perfecting their culinary craft as Lexus does with its luxury automobiles," Lexus vice president of marketing Dave Nordstrom said of the chefs involved.

BMW expands Mini lineup with two-seat coupe, roadster models

Mini is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its original model by confirming plans for a new compact performance-oriented coupe. The two-seater, revealed 50 years to the day after the premiere of the first Mini back in 1959, will make its public debut at the upcoming Frankfurt auto show. At the show, the BMW-owned carmaker also will unveil a similarly styled two-seat roadster, which sources say will head into production as part of a strategy aimed at further raising the appeal of the wildly popular and iconic small car.