Cbn Insert on 2040-parts.com

Driven: Mini Countryman

There has been no more contentious a car launched this year than the Mini Countryman. It's been labeled by some as sacrilegious to the very essence of the Mini brand, of 'selling out' and, yes, of being ugly. But does the concept of a four-meter Mini translate to use in the real world?

AC Cars and Zagato launch 378 GT Zagato

AC Cars, working in collaboration with Italian design house Zagato, has announced its new sports car, the AC 378 GT Zagato. The launch was revealed at last week's Geneva motor show, where the production version of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato – which was, in fact designed in-house by Aston Martin in the UK – was being displayed on the British carmaker's stand. The car is instantly recognizable as a Zagato-designed car, with minimalist, organic surfacing and key features such as the C-pillar/rear window crossover.

Concept Car of the Week: Mazda Taiki (2007)

Mazda had been doing fantastically well with its concepts since the end of 2006, and its offering for the 2007 Tokyo motor show didn't buck the trend. The fourth in the 'Nagare' series that explored the idea of 'Flow, it lined up on the Mazda stand with its older brothers for the first time, and was understandably a most impressive display and one of the highlights of this show. Here's what Nick Hull had to say about the Taiki at the time.