Tag: mini

Video: Honda engines and giant killing in the classic Mini Cooper

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Hatchback, Mini

Original Mini Cooper in green with white roof - video screencap

Electric Federal has taken a fresh look back at the enduring legacy of original Mini with a video interview with Heritage Garage’s Graham Reid, one of the foremost experts on classic Minis. As Electric Federal points out, it’s important to remember that the Mini did not start out as a performance car. It was built in response to the Suez Canal crisis of the mid-50s, which had a similar effect on British gas prices as OPEC did on American prices in the 1970s – rationing and rapid price jumps.

Through the years, Minis have grown from their budget roots to become seriously competent performance machines. As Reid says, a 150-horsepower Mini on the right track should have no problem outpacing a contemporary Porsche 911.

For some time now, classic Mini owners have been dropping Honda engines under the tiny hoods of their classics. With up to 250 horsepower pulling a car that tips the scales at barely 1,200 pounds, the upgraded Mini is “a real sleeper,” Reid says. Interestingly, Reid doesn’t mention another increasingly common swap in the Mini community – Suzuki Hayabusa-powered Coopers.

Modern Mini owners, you haven’t been entirely left out – we’re glad to see that Reid isn’t a Mini enthusiast that discounts the newer models launched under BMW. In the video, a Chili Red R53 Cooper S sits right alongside a classic model in a similar color. Check out all the fun in the video below.

Continue reading Honda engines and giant killing in the classic Mini Cooper

Honda engines and giant killing in the classic Mini Cooper originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Mini shows how to camp in style

Filed under: Crossover, Hatchback, Mini, Specialty, Design/Style, Luxury

If you’re the type of person who loves spontaneous road trips and camping, and Volkswagen’s Camper Vans aren’t your style (or you can’t find one for sale in the US), then Mini has what you’re looking for: the Clubvan Camper, Cowley caravan or Countryman ALL4 Camp. Unfortunately, Mini says there are no plans to offer any of them for sale. And no, this doesn’t seem to be a recycled April fools joke, in which Mini touted the Swindon Roof Top Tent and Cowley.

Let’s start with the Clubvan camper, a curious prototype that has a sleeping area for one and an extendable kitchenette featuring a stove and chest fridge. And we say curious because, in addition to not being offered for sale anywhere at this point, the Camper is based on the Clubvan, which was just pulled from US dealerships due to low sales volume. This thing definitely isn’t coming to the US.

The Cowley caravan, named after Mini’s historic factory in England (known today as Plant Oxford), can be towed behind a Mini vehicle and features a sleeping area for two, a twin-burner gas stove and a water tank complete with pump and sink facility. It looks quite comfortable in there. The Cowley uses a solar panel to charge its onboard battery, and it has a 230-volt connection to power the fridge and entertainment equipment.

In this writer’s opinion, the coolest thing here is the Countryman ALL4 Camper, which is a Countryman with a specialized tent mounted on top. The tent’s upper portion unfolds from its box and becomes a second-story mobile living area whenever it’s needed. And, a Countryman isn’t needed to mount it to the top of a Mini; the tent can be mounted to any Mini model and wouldn’t take much effort to produce and sell as an accessory at a dealership.

Be sure to check out the photo galleries to see some staged fun, Mini-style, and scroll down for the press release.

Continue reading Mini shows how to camp in style

Mini shows how to camp in style originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Jul 2013 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Mini shows how to camp in style

Filed under: Crossover, Hatchback, Mini, Specialty, Design/Style, Luxury

If you’re the type of person who loves spontaneous road trips and camping, and Volkswagen’s Camper Vans aren’t your style (or you can’t find one for sale in the US), then Mini has what you’re looking for: the Clubvan Camper, Cowley caravan or Countryman ALL4 Camp. Unfortunately, Mini says there are no plans to offer any of them for sale. And no, this doesn’t seem to be a recycled April fools joke, in which Mini touted the Swindon Roof Top Tent and Cowley.

Let’s start with the Clubvan camper, a curious prototype that has a sleeping area for one and an extendable kitchenette featuring a stove and chest fridge. And we say curious because, in addition to not being offered for sale anywhere at this point, the Camper is based on the Clubvan, which was just pulled from US dealerships due to low sales volume. This thing definitely isn’t coming to the US.

The Cowley caravan, named after Mini’s historic factory in England (known today as Plant Oxford), can be towed behind a Mini vehicle and features a sleeping area for two, a twin-burner gas stove and a water tank complete with pump and sink facility. It looks quite comfortable in there. The Cowley uses a solar panel to charge its onboard battery, and it has a 230-volt connection to power the fridge and entertainment equipment.

In this writer’s opinion, the coolest thing here is the Countryman ALL4 Camper, which is a Countryman with a specialized tent mounted on top. The tent’s upper portion unfolds from its box and becomes a second-story mobile living area whenever it’s needed. And, a Countryman isn’t needed to mount it to the top of a Mini; the tent can be mounted to any Mini model and wouldn’t take much effort to produce and sell as an accessory at a dealership.

Be sure to check out the photo galleries to see some staged fun, Mini-style, and scroll down for the press release.

Continue reading Mini shows how to camp in style

Mini shows how to camp in style originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 21 Jul 2013 17:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Mini Clubvan axed after just 50 sales

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Work, Hatchback, Mini

Mini Cooper Clubvan

Well, that didn’t last long. According to Green Car Reports, Mini has discontinued the Clubvan from its model range in the United States.

Nathalie Bauters, Mini’s US communications manager, cited “relatively low demand and the effect of an excessive 25-percent tax on vehicles for commercial use (known as ‘the Chicken Tax’)” as the key reasons for axing the Clubman from our market, GCR reports. The 2013 Clubvan launched in the US earlier this year, and to date roughly 50 examples have been sold.

The Clubvan, based on the Clubman model, features a flat load floor behind the two front seats, with blacked-out (well, body-colored) side windows. This nifty little cargo wagon could carry up to 33 cubic feet of goods, which while useful, pales in comparison to more capacious offerings like the Ford Transit Connect van.

Bauters told Green Car Reports that “sales of the Mini Clubvan have been strong in other markets worldwide, many of which benefit from tax advantages,” meaning the model will likely carry on elsewhere in the world.

Mini Clubvan axed after just 50 sales originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Jul 2013 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG officially teased in mini video

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

The followup to the Mercedes-Benz S550, the S63 AMG, will sport a biturbocharged V8 that will likely turn out around 550 horsepower. The new engine is probably the 5.5-liter, biturbocharged V-8 that’s been popping up in everything from the ML63 to the E63 AMG. The front fascia is more aggressive, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, while a meaty exhaust setup can be found out back.

We managed to pick all that up from a short, 17-second video posted by MB. The original video that unveiled the S63 AMG has since been pulled down, making this YouTube clip the best look we now have at the new super sedan, at least until the Germans give up the goods for real.

Be sure to check out the video below, along with our original posting on the S63 AMG.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG officially teased in mini video

Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG officially teased in mini video originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jul 2013 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Mini deletes center rail in Countryman, Paceman

Filed under: Crossover, Hatchback, Mini

Mini Countryman rear seat center rail

When Mini first introduced the Countryman, it only came as a four-seater, with a center rail between the two seats that could house things like cup holders and could be slid back and forth. Buyers could even opt for a full-length center rail that ran from just aft of the gear shifter all the way back between the rear seats, like we did in our long-term 2011 Cooper S Countryman All4, shown above.

Shortly after the Countryman’s launch, Mini was able to offer the vehicle with a proper rear bench seat; the company could not offer this at launch due to NHTSA guidelines that governed the minimum vehicle width for three-person seating, but those rules were changed. And now, we’ve received official confirmation of something we reported last year: the Countryman is losing its center rail and four-person seating arrangement altogether. Moving forward, buyers will only be able to spec a Countryman with the bench seat, and a cup holder will be affixed to the back of the forward cabin’s center console.

The larger-but-smaller Paceman will also be losing the center rail between its rear seats, but the car will remain a four-seater, instead having a console between the two rear seats that houses a cup holder, an iPod cozy and a 12-volt outlet, according to USA Today.

These changes affect all 2014 model year Countryman and Paceman models, which will go on sale later this summer. Both models will also have a $100 price increase (thanks to now-standard heated mirrors and washer jets), and the Cooper and Cooper S models can now be had with a John Cooper Works appearance package. Scroll down for the official release from Mini.

Continue reading Mini deletes center rail in Countryman, Paceman

Mini deletes center rail in Countryman, Paceman originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jun 2013 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Followup: KISS-themed Mini Countryman one-offs rock on to eBay Motors for charity

Filed under: Car Buying, Auctions, Mini, Celebrities

kiss custom mini countryman

KISS and Mini create custom Countryman models for charity – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ready for your garage to rock and roll all night and party every day? Break out your checkbook. Mini has teamed up with legendary rock group KISS to create a quartet of customized Countryman crossovers for charity. Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer have applied their trademark style to the exterior of four examples of the 2011 Mini Countryman.

The vehicles, which debuted at the New York Auto Show, each have their own auction listing on eBay Motors, and the proceeds from these auctions will be donated to UNICEF. The organization is working hard to raise money for children affected by the recent disasters in Japan.

These customized Countrymen Countrymans cars aren’t wearing decals. Each vehicle was hand painted by a group of BMW employees who provided the artwork while off the clock. The four vehicles have been named after the members of KISS they mimic; Starchild, The Demon, Spaceman and Catman.

The full press release is located after the jump, and you can check out all four Mini Countryman custom cars in the gallery below.

Continue reading KISS-themed Mini Countryman one-offs rock on to eBay Motors for charity

KISS-themed Mini Countryman one-offs rock on to eBay Motors for charity originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Official: Mini and Dsquared² present the Cooper S “Red Mudder” at Life Ball 2011

Filed under: Aftermarket, Hatchback, Mini, Design/Style, Off-Road

Mini Cooper S Red Mudder

Mini Cooper S “Red Mudder” by Dsquared² – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you’re looking for an off-road Mini, the Countryman is your best bet. But Mini’s always toying with new bodystyles, and the Countryman’s All4 traction system may expand to other models as well. Could this be our first look at the next off-road Mini?

Well, we never know what the future might hold for the BMW division, but what you’re looking at here is the result of Mini’s latest fashion collaboration. Called the Red Mudder, this Mini Cooper S hatchback has been retrofitted by Canadian fashion designers Dean and Dan Caten.

Previewed in renderings earlier this month, the one-off features a raised suspension, brush guard, rally lights, tinted windows, knobby tires (including a spare mounted to the tailgate) and an interior fitted with aluminum plating and a compass on the dashboard. The Caten twins also applied their signature maple leaf logo to the door panels and to the headrests.

It’s the latest product of Mini’s 11-year sponsorship of the Life Ball – Europe’s largest HIV/AIDS fundraiser – that has seen such designers as Versace, Diesel, Kenneth Cole and Calvin Klein create their own interpretations of the Mini, each year auctioned at the event with the proceeds going towards the cause. Follow the jump for the full press release and scope out the images in our high-resolution gallery.

Continue reading Mini and Dsquared² present the Cooper S “Red Mudder” at Life Ball 2011

Mini and Dsquared² present the Cooper S “Red Mudder” at Life Ball 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 May 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mini Countryman to get rear bench seat option in U.S.

Filed under: Crossover, Mini

Mini Countryman

2011 Mini Countryman – Click above for high-res image gallery

When Mini launched its all-new Countryman crossover, we were told that it would only be available with the four-seat configuration here in the United States – two buckets up front, two buckets in back. Now, Mini has confirmed that the rear bench seat option – something that’s currently available in other markets – will be available on U.S.-spec Countrymen starting this Fall.

This option is ideal for customers who need the occasional use of a bench seat, whether it be for hauling cargo or having the space for one extra person. (We hate to think of how cramped a Countryman would be with three adults in back.) Expect the bench seat option to show up on order forms starting in September.

Mini Countryman to get rear bench seat option in U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 May 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mini’s WRC effort is hot to trot

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Crossover, Mini

mini john cooper works wrc car

Mini John Cooper Works WRC car in action – Click above to watch the video after the jump

Mini’s World Rally Championship team has some work ahead if it intends to live up to the brand’s historic rally credentials, but the post-jump video illustrates that Mini clearly has the tool needed for success.

Follow the jump to watch drivers Dani Sordo and Kris Meeke as they take the horns of the Mini John Cooper Works WRC car, which is based on the Countryman. Mini’s “cute and hip” aesthetic gives way to something a bit more badass when it’s attacking a rally circuit. You’ll hear no complaints from us. Follow the jump for one minute and 38 seconds of fast-paced video.

Gallery: Paris 2010: Mini Countryman WRC

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Mini’s WRC effort is hot to trot

Mini’s WRC effort is hot to trot originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 01 May 2011 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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