Brand New - Charles 30 Amp International Inlet - White Polycarbonate - I30mp-i 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.

GM to build eight-speed transmission in Toledo

General Motors is directing $204 million of a $2 billion investment in its U.S. plants toward building an eight-speed automatic transmission in Toledo. Automakers are turning to transmissions with more gears to meet more stringent fuel-economy regulations.

I Draw Cars: The sketchbook that puts drawings into perspective

I Draw Cars is a project set up by Adam Hubers and Matt Marrocco – both CCS graduates – to encourage designers young and old to pick up their pens and practice that most basic yet powerful tool in their kit: sketching. Their new book features over 100 pages of perspective underlays – from basic views right up to complex three-point – to use as templates with which to practice. Each underlay is printed in non-photo blue, meaning it won't be picked up by a scanner should you choose to drop it into Photoshop.