05 06 07 08 09 10 11 Dodge Dakota L. Lower Control Arm Fr 395089 on 2040-parts.com

New MINI 5-door Hatch revealed – but will you fit through the back doors?

The 5-door MINI hatch arrives We’ve already had the more BMW-like new MINI arrive, and now, for the first time, we get a MINI 5-door hatch to try and extend the appeal of the MINI range to families. The 5-door MINI gets an extra 72mm in the wheelbase and a pair of doors at the back – which do look very tight for full-size people to use – and there’s also an extra 15mm of headroom, a bigger boot and seating for three in the back. In terms of design, there’s little to choose between the 5-door and the 3-door, but the new 5-door does look a bit like the off-spring of the new MINI and the Countryman; just a little dumpy.

Ford Escort set for Beijing motor show debut

Ford is set to unveil a production version of the Escort sedan at the China auto show this month in Beijing, meant exclusively for the Chinese market. The Escort was previewed in near-production concept form last year at the Shanghai motor show, and is meant to take on competitors positioned just above the Ford Focus sedan. Even though the Ford Escort has been absent from the automaker's global lineup since 2000, Ford of China is reviving the nameplate for this sub-Fusion/Mondeo model which will compete with cars such as the Volkswagen Sagitar and Chevrolet Cruze in the Chinese market.

Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas auction draws drivers

Though you'll see the usual assortment of restored muscle cars and one-of-a-kind automotive delights at the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction, it's the buyers who make this event a little different, organizers say. "Most of the vehicles we sell in Vegas go to first-time buyers--and they want drivers," said Craig Jackson, CEO of the auction company. "They're end users and drivers, rather than speculators." Those buyers will have a wide variety to choose from at the fourth-annual Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction, which kicks off on Sept.