Mini 5 Door

We don't normally cover the addition of new variants to an established model range, but the five-door version of the latest, third generation Mini is an exception. In terms of pure numbers, the new model is 161mm longer than the Hatch, at 3,982mm, and has a 72mm-longer wheelbase, at 2,567mm. Standing 1,425mm high makes it 11mm taller.

Chuck Jordan memorial: A car life well-lived

Family and friends gathered at the GM Heritage Center in Warren, Mich., to celebrate the life of the late Chuck Jordan, who retired as General Motors vice president of design in 1992 and died on Dec. 9, 2010. While many of the 200 or so present remembered working with Jordan during his career that began at GM in 1949, the ceremony also made clear that he'd lived a rich and active life in retirement.

Roof leaks dampen Autorama

The Detroit Autorama was marred last weekend by a leaky roof that spilled salty, rusty water onto several custom cars. The leaks were caused by a combination of heavy precipitation--Detroit has had one of the snowiest winters in recent memory that gave way to an early March rainstorm--which pummeled an aging roof. Water fell to the show floor in six spots, temporarily damaging seven or eight cars.