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Paul McCartney's Aston sells for $1.8M; Ringo Starr's old Mini goes to a Spice Girl

The Bonhams Bond Street auction in London was the place to be for fans of both The Beatles and automobiles as two cars once owned by former members of the band were up for auction. The first was an Aston Martin DB5 owned by Paul McCartney, and the second was a Mini Cooper owned by Ringo Starr. Both went for substantial sums, and the Mini went to an interesting owner. The Aston brought the big bucks, or pounds, since it was a British auction. The final price with premium was barely over $1.8 million, which fell smack in the middle of Bonham's estimate. It's an impressive price on its own, but more so when compared with its sale back in 2012. Back then it was painted in the same blue it had originally, and it only sold for $495,000, making this new sale more than three times higher. View 22 Photos The Mini went for much less, at just under $137,000 with premium. But the car went to an interesting owner, Geri Horner, nee Hollowell, whom you may know better as Ginger Spice of the Spice Girls. The Mini itself is interesting, too. Each of The Beatles owned a classic Mini at some point, but Ringo Starr's was unique because the flip-down tailgate was converted to a modern-style lift-up hatch incorporating the rear window. Reportedly the reason was so Starr could easily fit his drum kit in the back. It also featured a custom grille, driving lights, hood vents, and soft sunroof among other things. It even appeared on " Top Gear" in 2001. And before we forget, McCartney's DB5 also has " Top Gear" history in that it was owned by former host, Chris Evans. Related Video: Featured Gallery 1964 Aston Martin DB5 owned by Paul McCartney View 13 Photos Image Credit: Bonhams Celebrities Aston Martin MINI Auctions Coupe Hatchback Classics aston martin db5 the beatles

2019 Mini Oxford Edition is the cheapest way to get a Mini, but only for college students, grads

Mini makes a play for young car buyers with its latest 2019 Hardtop model, the Oxford Edition. It's more on par with a new trim level, but it's a highly compelling one as it's the cheapest version of the Mini available, and it comes with even more standard features than the regular base Mini. The catch is you have to either be in college, or recently graduated, to get it. Specifically, you have to be a full- or part-time student enrolled in a 2-year, 4-year or graduate school program at an accredited college or university. You're also eligible if you've graduated from one of those programs within 12 months of buying the car. If this describes you, you can have a turbo-charged three-cylinder two-door Mini Hardtop for $20,600, or the four-door for $21,600. That's a $2,150 discount over a normal base trim Mini called Classic. Even better, the Oxford Edition is equipped much better than the Classic, with larger 17-inch wheels, heated seats and a panoramic sunroof as standard. There are even a couple more colors to pick from adding British Racing Green and Starlight Blue to the Classic's selection of red, white, black and silver. An automatic transmission is also standard, which is usually a $1,250 option on the Classic, but a manual transmission is still available. Mini says that all the features amount to a $6,900 value, though it's difficult to gauge that since features such as the sunroof aren't available on the Classic, but it's a standard feature on the roughly $26,000 Mini Signature. All-in-all, the Mini Oxford Edition is a great deal for a young buyer with a desire for a Mini. And that's easy to understand, since we've enjoyed the ones we've driven. Related Video:

BMW and Mini getting GoPro integration

The small, high-quality and relatively inexpensive GoPro camera has been revolutionary for Internet video, especially of cars. Imagine how much awesomeness and hilarity we would have missed without them. Finding ways to integrate the cams into performance cars is becoming increasingly popular among automakers, as well. For example, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette has its Performance Data Recorder, and Volkswagen is giving GoPros to early buyers of the 2015 GTI. BMW Group is going straight to the source for its rendition, though, with a new app that allows drivers to control a GoPro from inside of some BMW and Mini vehicles.
In July, owners with 2012 or later models equipped with BMW Apps or Mini Connected can download the new app. There are a few hurdles to jump over, though. Not only do users need a model with the infotainment system, a WiFi-equipped GoPro camera is also required. The app also must be installed on an iPhone connected to the vehicle.
Once all of those stipulations are met, the app can configure and control the GoPro through iDrive and display a nearly live image on the infotainment system. Menus are simplified on-screen but still allow users to select among six camera modes, aim it and start and stop recording. While filming, it shows recording time, battery life and signal strength. While BMW's approach isn't quite as nicely integrated as the Corvette's solution, it's interesting to see automakers working to make filming easier. Scroll down to read the full announcement.