Straightline Performance 12 Inch Ice Scratcher Kit - 185-101 on 2040-parts.com

MINI Countryman to be built in India

MINI sells worldwide – even in the US – and, despite claims it was a step too far for the brand, the MINI Countryman has been a big hit for MINI, offering as it does most of MINI’s charm but in a bigger, more family friendly package and with the option of All4 4WD for a degree of off-road ability (well, certainly the ability to treat boot sale car parks with disdain). Now, for the first time, BMW is to build the MINI outside Europe with a new MINi assembly facility coming on stream in Chennai, India, where BMW already makes 3 and 5 Series models as well as the X1 and X3. The plan is part of BMW’s plan of ‘Production follows the market’ where BMW aim to make their cars where they’re sold, so with the MINI brand showing strong growth in India since its launch it makes sense to build them there.

Ferrari 458 Italias ‘selling for £200k in UK’

The first examples of the new Ferrari 458 Italia supercar are trading for close to £200,000, price guide Glass’s Guide reports today. It claims wealthy enthusiasts are paying a £25,000 premium to jump the queue and get into one of the first 458s in Britain. The Italia lists at £169,545 in the UK, with first deliveries due for summer 2010.

BMW recalls 30,000 X5s to fix brake problem

BMW said Friday it is recalling more than 30,000 eight-cylinder X5 SUVs built between 2007 and 2010 due to a potential power assist braking malfunction. In a statement to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, BMW noted that a small amount of lubricating oil could leak into the vacuum hose that connects the vacuum pump and the brake booster. This leak could cause power-assist braking to malfunction.