CAR reader Lokinen remembers going eight up in a Woody

By Lokinen Motoring Issues 23 September 2009 17:35 When dad's old farina Morris Oxford could be bodged through an MOT no more, he returned home one day with an Old English White 'Woody' Mini Traveller. Trouble was, there were four of us kids, aged from six to 11. On shopping nights we'd sit four abreast on the rear seat, at other times I'd choose the rear compartment and a couple of pillows.

End of Maybach may jump-start Mercedes S-class convertible

A couple of nondenial denials from Mercedes-Benz execs at the New York auto show this week sure made it sound like there's a convertible coming, based on the redesigned S-class due out next year. If the brand follows its usual practice, the convertible would come out a year or two after the sedan. Significantly, Mercedes-Benz showed the Ocean Drive convertible concept five years ago with a Mercedes-Benz badge, rather than Maybach.

First Aston Martin Rapide rolls out of the factory

The first Aston Martin Rapide left the factory on Friday amid considerable fanfare, and the sultry sedan will soon begin arriving in 125 showrooms in 34 countries. This culminates the long road to production that began in concept form at the 2006 Detroit auto show. The production car was shown at the Frankfurt motor show in 2009.