diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 5a3b9e2..88da399 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 *SVN*
 
+* Clean up the new class API.  [sam, Tobie Langel]
+  - Add Class#addMethods for adding instance methods to classes.  
+  - Remove Class.extend and Class.mixin.  
+  - Class.create now takes a variable number of arguments: if the first argument is a class, the newly created class inherits from that class; all other arguments are treated as successive calls to addMethods.
+
 * Fix contentloaded event initialization in IE.  Closes #9457, #9488, #9707.  [Mislav Marohnić]
 
 * Deprecate document.getElementsByClassName and Element#getElementsByClassName since native versions return a NodeList and we can only return an Array.  Please use $$ or Element#select instead.  [sam]
diff --git a/src/base.js b/src/base.js
index 3be7c8e..638ab84 100644
--- a/src/base.js
+++ b/src/base.js
@@ -1,34 +1,40 @@
 /* Based on Alex Arnell's inheritance implementation. */
 var Class = {
-  create: function(parent, properties) {
-    if (arguments.length == 1 && !Object.isFunction(parent))
-      properties = parent, parent = null;
+  create: function() {
+    var parent = null, properties = $A(arguments);
+    if (Object.isFunction(properties[0]))
+      parent = properties.shift();
     
     function klass() {
       this.initialize.apply(this, arguments);
     }
-  
+    
+    Object.extend(klass, Class.Methods);
     klass.superclass = parent;
     klass.subclasses = [];
-  
+    
     if (parent) {
       var subclass = function() { };
       subclass.prototype = parent.prototype;
       klass.prototype = new subclass;
       parent.subclasses.push(klass);
     }
-
-    if (properties) Class.extend(klass, properties);
+    
+    for (var i = 0; i < properties.length; i++)
+      klass.addMethods(properties[i]);
+      
     if (!klass.prototype.initialize)
       klass.prototype.initialize = Prototype.emptyFunction;
-      
+    
     klass.prototype.constructor = klass;
-
+    
     return klass;
-  },
-  
-  extend: function(destination, source) {
-    var ancestor = destination.superclass && destination.superclass.prototype;
+  }
+};
+
+Class.Methods = {
+  addMethods: function(source) {
+    var ancestor = this.superclass && this.superclass.prototype;
 
     for (var property in source) {
       var value = source[property];
@@ -41,14 +47,10 @@ var Class = {
           toString: function() { return method.toString() }  
         });
       }
-      destination.prototype[property] = value;
+      this.prototype[property] = value;
     }
     
-    return destination;
-  },
-
-  mixin: function(destination, source) {
-    return Object.extend(destination.prototype, source);
+    return this;
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/test/unit/base.html b/test/unit/base.html
index 53e68a2..bd3feab 100644
--- a/test/unit/base.html
+++ b/test/unit/base.html
@@ -73,7 +73,66 @@
 
   // empty subclass
   var Mouse = Class.create(Animal, {});
+  
+  //mixins 
+  var Sellable = {
+    getValue: function(pricePerKilo) {
+      return this.weight * pricePerKilo;
+    },
+    
+    inspect: function() {
+      return '#<Sellable: #{weight}kg>'.interpolate(this);
+    }
+  };
 
+  var Reproduceable = {
+    reproduce: function(partner) {
+      if (partner.constructor != this.constructor || partner.sex == this.sex)
+        return null;
+      var weight = this.weight / 10, sex = Math.random(1).round() ? 'male' : 'female';
+      return new this.constructor('baby', weight, sex);
+    }
+  };
+  
+  // base class with mixin
+  var Plant = Class.create(Sellable, {
+    initialize: function(name, weight) {
+      this.name = name;
+      this.weight = weight;
+    },
+
+    inspect: function() {
+      return '#<Plant: #{name}>'.interpolate(this);
+    }
+  });
+  
+  // subclass with mixin
+  var Dog = Class.create(Animal, Reproduceable, {
+    initialize: function($super, name, weight, sex) {
+      this.weight = weight;
+      this.sex = sex;
+      $super(name);
+    }
+  });
+  
+  // subclass with mixins
+  var Ox = Class.create(Animal, Sellable, Reproduceable, {
+    initialize: function($super, name, weight, sex) {
+      this.weight = weight;
+      this.sex = sex;
+      $super(name);
+    },
+    
+    eat: function(food) {
+      if (food instanceof Plant)
+        this.weight += food.weight;
+    },
+    
+    inspect: function() {
+      return '#<Ox: #{name}>'.interpolate(this);
+    }
+  });
+  
   new Test.Unit.Runner({
     
     testFunctionArgumentNames: function() { with(this) {
@@ -419,7 +478,7 @@
     
     testClassCreate: function() { with(this) { 
       assert(Object.isFunction(Animal), 'Animal is not a constructor');
-      assertEnumEqual([Cat, Mouse], Animal.subclasses);
+      assertEnumEqual([Cat, Mouse, Dog, Ox], Animal.subclasses);
       Animal.subclasses.each(function(subclass) {
         assertEqual(Animal, subclass.superclass);
       });
@@ -472,17 +531,17 @@
       assertEqual("Gonzo: hello honk honk", gonzo.say("hello"));
     }},
 
-    testClassExtend: function() { with(this) {
+    testClassAddMethods: function() { with(this) {
       var tom   = new Cat('Tom');
       var jerry = new Mouse('Jerry');
       
-      Class.extend(Animal, {
+      Animal.addMethods({
         sleep: function() {
           return this.say('ZZZ');
         }
       });
       
-      Class.extend(Mouse, {
+      Mouse.addMethods({
         sleep: function($super) {
           return $super() + " ... no, can't sleep! Gotta steal cheese!";
         },
@@ -498,14 +557,32 @@
       assertUndefined(tom.escape);
       assertUndefined(new Animal().escape);
       
-      Class.extend(Animal, {
+      Animal.addMethods({
         sleep: function() {
           return this.say('zZzZ');
         }
       });
       
       assertEqual("Jerry: zZzZ ... no, can't sleep! Gotta steal cheese!", jerry.sleep());
-    }}
+    }},
+    
+    testBaseClassWithMixin: function() { with(this) {
+      var grass = new Plant('grass', 3);
+      assertRespondsTo('getValue', grass);      
+      assertEqual('#<Plant: grass>', grass.inspect());
+    }},
+    
+    testSubclassWithMixin: function() { with(this) {
+      var snoopy = new Dog('Snoopy', 12, 'male');
+      assertRespondsTo('reproduce', snoopy);      
+   }},
+   
+   testSubclassWithMixins: function() { with(this) {
+      var cow = new Ox('cow', 400, 'female');
+      assertEqual('#<Ox: cow>', cow.inspect());
+      assertRespondsTo('reproduce', cow);
+      assertRespondsTo('getValue', cow);
+   }}
 
   }, 'testlog');