Vauxhall-Opel Junior: a Mini rival for 2013

Vauxhall-Opel has frozen the design of an upmarket small car, to rival BMW’s Mini and the Fiat 500. Codenamed Junior, the 3.7m-long three-door is two years from production. Based on a shortened Corsa platform, Junior will supplement the utilitarian Agila and conventional Corsa supermini in Vauxhall-Opel’s small car range. Nick Reilly, GM Europe president, said one of his first decisions upon taking charge last November was to ‘prioritise and accelerate’ development of the car. ‘It’s a chic and stylish minicar...

The big prize awaits on the Autoweek America Adventure

It is the last morning of the Autoweek America Adventure, as I write this. Our traveling circus heads toward the big top in an hour or so, and we should be in Las Vegas before noon. There is anticipation in the air, unlike other rallies I've attended, as this one has a significant main prize: a 2011 Mopar Charger will be given to one lucky contestant on the stage at the Specialty Equipment Market Association convention.

Chris Bangle resigns as BMW Group Design Director

BMW today announced that Chris Bangle is resigning from his position as Head of Design for the BMW Group. Bangle will be handing over his post to current Head of BMW Automobile Design, Adrian van Hooydonk, when he leaves the company to pursue his own design-related endeavors outside the auto industry. Bangle has worked closely with van Hooydonk at BMW Group Design Development for nearly 17 years.