Roughly half of those who took part in the MINI E’s lease program in North American have opted to sign on for a second year. As the first electric MINI, the MINI E was built as a test platform for future electric car models from MINI and parent company BMW. MINI’s pilot project included leases...
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Since the launch of the brand, MINI has always had a host of quirky accessories, from flag motifs for the roof, rally inspired fog lights for the front of the car, colored mirror caps and racing stripes in all manner of hues. To commemorate the launch of the new four-door Mini Countryman, the Getaway package...
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The next-generation of new MINI Cooper models will be powered by turbocharged direct-injection 3-cylinder engines. According to a report by MotoringFile, the new turbo DI 3-bangers will deliver MINI D-like diesel efficiency – somewhere in the range of 50-mpg on the highway! Somehow the MINI (BMW) engineers are planning to produce roughly the same amount...
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In the past, Nowack Motors has tuned several BMWs and recently has released three kits for the MINI Cooper S and JCW models. What are already a fun and nimble cars have just become that much more powerful through Nowack Motors’ tuning kits. The three kits are conveniently labeled with their horsepower ratings: N210, N230...
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MINI has already made it clear that it will offer two diesel engines in the Countryman crossover, but has been remarkably quiet on just what those engines will be and how much power they will make. At launch, it was revealed that the entry-level One D Countryman would get 90-hp. Now, however, thanks to the...
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BMW is developing a complex powertrain that blends fuel cell and hybrid technology, allowing a car be carbon neutral in urban traffic. The system works by having a conventional gasoline engine powering the front wheels, while a small fuel cell sends power via capacitors in the transmission tunnel to an electric motor positioned at the rear axle....
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We absolutely love the MINI John Cooper Works (JCW) edition (reviewed here and here) and for 2011 it’s going to get more hard-core. According to the MINI experts at MotoringFile and thanks to some new spy photos from LeftLaneNews we have better insight to what the mid-cycle updates will include. For starters, the JCW will...
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Denis Simachëv x TopCar MINI Cooper S We love customized MINIs like we love air, so seeing a street art-inspired one from Russia made our hearts go all aflutter. Prepared in a strict limited run of 25 unique cars, the Russian artist Denis Simachëv and Russian tuner TopCar will create each car as a wholly...
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Whether to promote the cars “performance” or more likely just for the fun of it, the team at MINI took the new MINI E electric vehicle out to Germany’s famed Nürburgring to see what sort of a time they could get. As you might expect, it wasn’t close to the GT-Rs 7:26.70 time, but then...
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Last year MINI unveiled a very special and very cool John Cooper Works Championship 50 Special Edition model in the U.K. to celebrate the company’s 50th birthday. And now according to the folks at MotoringFile, the JCW WC50 will also be offered in the U.S. – but it doesn’t come cheap. Originally MINI had no...
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Several patent drawings obtained by Autoblog show what the news outlet claims are the production designs for the upcoming MINI Coupe and Roadster. Both vehicles look remarkably similar to their concept counterparts, even down to the helmet roof for the Coupe. The overall design still looks almost identical to the hatches, with the main feature...
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After its world premiere at the Geneva Auto Show just a few weeks back, MINI will show its Countryman crossover for the first time on U.S. soil at the New York Auto Show on April 1st. The very first crossover from the brand, MINI expects this four-seater to be the most fuel efficient crossover in...
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So far we have heard several reports of a new front-drive model from BMW, but now comes confirmation from BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer. “There will be front-wheel-drive BMWs in the smaller vehicle classes in the future,” said Reithofer during a press conference about the German automaker’s finances. The architecture will actually be both front-drive and...
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With the launch of the all-new MINI Countryman at the Geneva Auto Show last week we had an opportunity to sit down with the VP of MINI USA, Jim McDowell and find out more about the brand’s first crossover and what the future holds for the rest of the product range. Starting with the Countryman,...
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MINI was supposed to introduce its new Countryman at the Geneva Auto Show but leaked photos of the crossover forced the company to release pictures and details in January. Today, at the Geneva Auto Show, MINI had the Cooper and Cooper S Countryman models on display as it prepares for the official unveiling tomorrow. We’ve...
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[vs-jwplayer movieid=”pv_T9Q5FVIw” width=”560″ height=”340″ autoplay=”0″] The marketing experts behind the MINI brand have stuck again with another commercial that you’ll want to watch. In fact, you’ll probably watch it a few times and search for the song on iTunes to download for your iPod. Yup, it’s cool. The video doesn’t really tell you anything about...
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Easily the biggest gimmick on the new MINI convertible models is the Openometer. The what? Well, the Openometer is a gauge just like all the other gauges you might find on a car’s dash, but on the MINI convertible models it measures how long the owner has driven with the top down. To help promote...
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BMW and French automaker Peugeot Citroen have signed a new agreement to work together to develop a new generation of improved 4-cylinder engines. The new powerplants will be used in BMW’s MINI lineup as well as in Peugeot’s 207 and Citroen’s C3 Picaso. BMW recently made several changes to the 2010 versions of the engines...
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A high-performance version of the MINI Countryman crossover is “definitely under consideration” says MINI U.K.’s general manager Jochen Goller. Only recently did MINI officially confirm the Countryman model which is expected to make its word debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March. Currently the MINI Cooper S Countryman boasts the highest output with 184-hp....
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We can’t say we’re surprised to learn that MINI has decided to introduce a John Cooper Works Challenge Edition model, but we are a little shocked to learn that it’s exclusive to Australia. The Challenge Edition essentially takes all that’s good about the JCW model, including the stiffer suspension, bigger wheels and more powerful 208-hp...
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[vs-jwplayer movieid=”ZEWrMpnJJZY” width=”560″ height=”340″ autoplay=”0″] MINI has just release two videos showing its upcoming Countryman crossover in action. The 2011 MINI Countryman (the car may take on other names in other markets) becomes the fourth model in the MINI family and the first with four doors. Despite the foray into the crossover segment, the Countryman...
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A day after pictures of its new crossover were leaked out to the web, MINI has officially released details and photographs of the 2011 MINI Countryman. Originally scheduled to be unveiled at next month’s Geneva Auto Show, the Countryman was originally supposed appear at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show but was unfortunately delayed. It is...
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Ahead of its expected debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March, these photos of MINI’s first crossover have leaked onto the net. With an undeniable MINI look, the photos also show the ALL4 badge, indicating MINI’s new AWD system – a first for the brand. Show in concept form at the Paris Auto Show...
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MINI has just announced a list of engine enhancements for its European lineup in 2010, many of which are expected to be carried over to other markets. For starters, both the Cooper and Cooper S models get a slight boost in power. The Cooper gets a 3-hp jump to 122-hp, while torque is rated at...
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