Stig outed as Ben Collins – again

The Stig is Ben Collins It’s a game Top Gear has played since the days of ‘Black Stig’ (Perry McCarthy – F1 almost was) – Who is the Stig? Not only has it provided the Beeb with an endless run of free publicity as everyone and his dog speculates on the Stig’s identity, they’ve even made money on the back of the Stig’s identity with Stig-focused games and goodies from the gloriously tacky range of Top Gear ephemera. And this last week Stiggy has been in the news as he tries to get his memoirs published – Stig: The Autobiography – much to the consternation of the Beeb, who believe his contract gives him no chance of revealing his identity.

BMW 7-series (2009) first pictures

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 05 July 2008 00:00 This is BMW’s fifth-generation 7-series, and despite looks inspired by the Concept CS, if we’re honest the new car doesn’t look much different from the old car. Worry not though, as there are plenty of technical highlights to surprise and delight. Rear-wheel steer, Efficient Dynamics technology, night-vision, unrestricted internet access, a revised iDrive system and an all-new 3.0-litre diesel engine stand out.

Mini may drop Paceman, Coupe, and Roadster

Mini may discontinue the Paceman, Coupe, and Roadster models as it seeks to trim its lineup, following the introduction of the third-generation Mini Cooper three-door Hardtop. Instead, the company plans to focus on three "pillar" models: the Hardtop, the Countryman, and the Clubman. The third model, the Clubman, is technically still speculative as the company presented a Clubman only in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show last week, but given the amount of real-world testing of Clubman prototypes observed, coupled with the production-ready appearance of the Clubman Concept, this model is virtually assured to reach production in its current form.