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Watch the sad, final moments of a crusher-bound heap

Automotive wrecking yards are good places to reflect on the real-world values of heavily depreciated vehicles versus global current scrap-metal prices, and to see which cars have suddenly had the fix-it-versus-total-it line moved by insurance companies (the early-21st-century Subaru Legacy Outback, for example, appeared in large numbers in high-turnover wrecking yards just during the last year, as fairly minor collision damage on these cars is no longer worth fixing). You'll see the things that a car's last owner does in a desperate attempt to sell (or at least live with) an increasingly decrepit heap (as we learned in "Repo Man," you really will find a Little Tree in every car). During a recent trip to a San Jose, Calif., yard, I encountered this sad yet strangely compelling scene.

Mini Clubvan concept

The 2012 Geneva motor show will see Mini further expand its brand with a new commercial model. The Clubvan concept is essentially a panel van variant of the Clubman wagon, pitched at premium small business as an up-market alternative to the traditional city van. The Clubvan retains the Clubman's asymmetrical body shell, complete with double rear doors and the small 'club door' on the right-hand side of the car.

Seat IBZ concept car at 2009 Frankfurt motor show

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 14 September 2009 20:30 This is our first glimpse of the third member of the Seat Ibiza family – the Ibz concept car. Although compact estate cars are small fry in the UK, they're quite big sellers in parts of continental Europe and Seat is keen to exploit that. The Ibz will spawn a production Ibiza estate in summer 2010, likely to trade closely off the edgy style of this concept.