Russ Wernimont Designs Left Diamond Convex Mirror, Matte Black on 2040-parts.com

Mini names BMW's Warming to succeed Hildebrand as design chief

Mini has named Anders Warming to succeed Gert Hildebrand as head of design by the end of the month. Hildebrand will leave the BMW AG subsidiary on Dec. 31, ending a 10-year run that saw him create a new look and feel for the Mini brand following its relaunch under BMW, the company said in a statement without providing details on the designer's future plans.

BMW UK updates and extends 3 Series, 5 Series & 6 Series

BMW UK is adding new models and engines to its UK line-up, including xDrive 3 Series models, 520d Gran Turismo and a new 650i engine. BMW UK is having a comprehensive update of UK models and options right across the range, with a focus on more economical options on the 3 Series, 5 Series and 6 series models. Probably the big news for the BMW 3 Series is the arrival of the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 which gets the TwinPower 3.0 litre and a 55bhp electric motor to deliver 0-62mph in 5.3 seconds and official economy of 47.9mpg.

Driven: Volkswagen Golf Mk7

Walking up to the seventh-generation VW Golf, redesigned flip key in hand, you're in no doubt that this is a) new or – perhaps more importantly – b) a Golf. It's the "200 meter test" lead exterior designer, Andreas Mindt tells us and, while we're suspicious of the idea of self-conscious ‘iconic design', you have to concede he's right. In fact the Mk7 Golf's pared-back graphics and a return to a true two-box proportion create a more accurate vision of what we imagine when we think ‘Volkswagen Golf' than either of its two most recent predecessors.