Yamaha Yfz450 Frame Chassis Yfz 450 #132 2005 on 2040-parts.com

MINI Countryman to be built in India

MINI sells worldwide – even in the US – and, despite claims it was a step too far for the brand, the MINI Countryman has been a big hit for MINI, offering as it does most of MINI’s charm but in a bigger, more family friendly package and with the option of All4 4WD for a degree of off-road ability (well, certainly the ability to treat boot sale car parks with disdain). Now, for the first time, BMW is to build the MINI outside Europe with a new MINi assembly facility coming on stream in Chennai, India, where BMW already makes 3 and 5 Series models as well as the X1 and X3. The plan is part of BMW’s plan of ‘Production follows the market’ where BMW aim to make their cars where they’re sold, so with the MINI brand showing strong growth in India since its launch it makes sense to build them there.

Abt Sportsline debuts 300-hp Volkswagen Golf GTI Dark

Audi and Volkswagen Group tuner ABT Sportsline is coming to the states at last. At this week's Essen Motor Show, it revealed, among other things, its own special version of the Volkswagen Golf GTI, dubbed the GTI Dark. As in, the dark side of the force.

Six questions for the creator of Gran Turismo

When you are granted an audience with Kazunori Yamauchi, godfather of Gran Turismo, you take it. We spoke with his excellency in a suite overlooking downtown Los Angeles, where traffic on the twisted freeways below looked nothing at all like the thrilling tracks of that iconic game. AW: When did you make the first Gran Turismo?