Ti22 Performance 600 Rear Sprocket 6.43in Bolt Circle 63t Tip3841-63 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.

Farewell Jim Marshall, 1936-2010: Legendary photographer and a true car guy

Jim Marshall--friend, rock photography legend and occasional AutoWeek contributor--died on March 24 in his sleep at the W Hotel in Manhattan. Marshall, 74, was scheduled to speak that night at the John Varvatos store in SoHo in New York, and work from his new book, Match Prints, was to be shown beginning on March 26 at Staley-Wise Gallery, also in SoHo. Marshall began his career in 1960, a time he used to say was "the beginning of something special." Boy, was he right.

Toyota will compete at 2012 Le Mans with a hybrid

Toyota today announced it would compete at the 2012 Le Mans 24-hour race with a hybrid sports car in the LMP1 class. This single rendering has been issued of the new Toyota hybrid race car. The Japanese giant has not competed at Le Mans in a factory team since the late 1990s with the GT-One, which set a lap record in 1999.