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Friday in Le Mans: Prerace parade and car show thrills crowds

The 24 Hours of Le Mans doesn't start until Saturday at 3 p.m. French time, but as anyone here will tell you, the festivities began much earlier in the week. On Friday, I had the opportunity to visit the Driver's Parade and car show in downtown Le Mans, a five-hour festival that brings out what appeared to be half the town, plus many race enthusiasts from around the globe.

Driven: Mini Countryman

There has been no more contentious a car launched this year than the Mini Countryman. It's been labeled by some as sacrilegious to the very essence of the Mini brand, of 'selling out' and, yes, of being ugly. But does the concept of a four-meter Mini translate to use in the real world?

Porsche announces new Weissach design center and wind tunnel

Porsche is to invest around €150m into its Weissach development facility, including a new design center. The plans also include an electronics integration department and a state-of-the art, on-site wind tunnel, which is hoped will allow the company to realize an holistic approach to efficient design, with a strong focus on aerodynamics. When we spoke with head of Porsche design, Michael Mauer, at this year's Paris motor show, he also alluded to the fact that the Volkswagen Group's – and, more specifically, Walter de'Silva's – recent influence on the German manufacturer was shifting its attitudes: "The Volkswagen Group has a very good understanding of how much freedom a brand needs to keep its characteristics and with [Walter] as 'conductor', I feel a lot of support with design issues within the company," explained Mauer.