mini Archives | Page 5 of 8

YOU pick Autoblog’s long-term 2011 Mini Countryman

Filed under: Crossover, Mini, Long-Term Garage

2011 Mini Countryman

Help pick Autoblog’s long-term Mini Countryman – Click each image for high-res version

When we found out that we’d be adding a 2011 Mini Countryman to our long-term test fleet, our editors headed right to the configurator to start building our perfect car. We all agree that we want the turbocharged Countryman S with the automaker’s All4 all-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission, and we had no problem ticking the boxes for options like the sport, premium and cold weather packs, not to mention the new Mini Connected infotainment system. But when it came to decide on aesthetic things like interior and exterior color schemes, we hit a wall. With hundreds upon hundreds of possible build combinations, we just couldn’t agree on one car.

That’s where you come in. Our editors have narrowed down our Countryman configurations to four finalists, and we’re asking you, our readers, to decide which one will be invited to spend one year with the Autoblog staff. Again, the only differences between these vehicles are purely visual, consisting only of paint, roof, mirror, stripe and wheel colors on the exterior, and seat fabric, main color and accent color on the interior. It’s also important to note that the paint colors you see here appear slightly darker in the Mini configurator than they do in real life. Here’s the rundown:

Countryman #1 – Surf Blue, white roof, white mirrors, no bonnet stripes, 18-inch light silver alloy wheels, polar beige leather interior, carbon black interior accents
Countryman #2 – Bright Yellow, black roof, black mirrors, black bonnet stripes, 18-inch dark anthracite alloy wheels, light tobacco cloth/leather interior, carbon black interior accents
Countryman #3 – True Blue, white roof, white mirrors, white bonnet stripes, 18-inch light silver alloy wheels, light tobacco cloth/leather interior, polar beige interior accents
Countryman #4 – Oxford Green, white roof, white mirrors, 18-inch white alloy wheels, no bonnet stripes, polar beige leather interior, carbon black interior accents

We’re leaving the final decision up to all of you. Scroll down to vote in our poll for the Countryman that you want to see as Autoblog’s next long-term car. This poll will officially close on Monday, February 7 at 3:00 PM EST, at which point we’ll let Mini know which car has the most votes. You can also build your own ideal version at Mini’s online Countryman configurator; let us know what you come up with in the comments.

Our long-term Countryman order is in your hands. Choose wisely!

View Poll

Gallery: Long-Term Mini Countryman Options

2011 Mini Countryman

YOU pick Autoblog’s long-term 2011 Mini Countryman originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Feb 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “YOU pick Autoblog’s long-term 2011 Mini Countryman”

Mini rallies back to Monte Carlo with new Countryman WRC

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Europe, Crossover, Mini, Racing

Mini Countryman WRC in Monte Carlo

2011 Mini Countryman WRC in Monte Carlo – Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in the 1960s, the Monte Carlo Rally ran from Marrakech to Monaco (the opposite direction from the Paris-Dakar) and the old-guard Mini made headlines when it took the checkered flag in ’64 an ’67. These days, the Dakar rally has moved to South America, and the much shorter Monte Carlo rally is part of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge instead of the premier World Rally Championship. But though the scene has changed, Mini’s back, and back in a big way.

That Mini will be challenging the WRC with a competition-spec Countryman prepared by Prodrive isn’t news – we’ve been covering that story for over a year now. But as the final version enters its last stages of development before the 2011 season, the Mini WRC has taken a rapid trip down memory lane by reuniting with its ’60s forebear at the Rallye Monte Carlo Historique.

Not only did the trip prove an excellent photo opportunity – the vintage Mini rally machine driven by the same Ruano Aaltonen that finessed it to victory in ’67 appearing alongside its much larger successor – but also gave us our first look at the rally-ready Countryman WRC before it undergoes its final testing in Spain. After that, it will challenge a few select stages at the hands of Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo before contesting the full calendar next year. Follow the jump for the full press release, and don’t miss out on the photos in the gallery below.

Gallery: Mini Countryman WRC in Monte Carlo

[Source: Mini]

Continue reading Mini rallies back to Monte Carlo with new Countryman WRC

Mini rallies back to Monte Carlo with new Countryman WRC originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Mini rallies back to Monte Carlo with new Countryman WRC”

Man tattooes ‘Mini’ on his penis to win free Cooper

Filed under: Etc., Mini, Humor

2011 Mini Cooper

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

Think about the craziest thing you would do to win a free car. Andreas Muller of Germany has you beat. Muller really – really – wanted to win the Mini Cooper being given away by his local radio station, and in order to do so, he had the word “MINI” tattoed on his mini, err… penis.

Organizers of the stunt received a long list of crazy ideas, yet Muller’s stood out for the sheer ballsiness (pun intended). His screams of pain were broadcast over the air as the tattoo was applied to his now-sponsored manhood.

There’s plenty that we’d do to win a free Mini, but this one reaches far beyond the realm of consideration. Thanks for the tip, Steve!

Gallery: 2011 Mini Cooper: First Drive

2011 Mini Cooper

[Source: Metro via BarStoolSports]

Man tattooes ‘Mini’ on his penis to win free Cooper originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Man tattooes ‘Mini’ on his penis to win free Cooper”

Rumormill: Mini working on road-going version of WRC Countryman?

Filed under: Performance, Crossover, Mini, Rumormill, Off-Road

Mini Countryman WRC

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

Tail-slidin’, bump-jumpin’ heroics are all good and fun, but one of the things we love most about rallying is that the cars are closely based on production models. Often rather ordinary ones at that, like Ford Fiestas, Subaru Imprezas and the like. And what turns easily from a road car into a rally racer can just as easily be turned back into a road car.

Look no further than examples like the Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Evo X for evidence. And now that Mini is getting into the World Rally Championship, rumors are beginning to circulate that they’re planning a rally-derived performance model as well.

Since the Mini WRC is based on the Countryman crossover, word has it that a showroom-ready, performance-oriented Countryman could be in the works. Something with even more power than the existing JCW version and a wide-body kit for an extra dose of attitude. Even with all the Mini variants on the road and in the pipeline, this one has us particularly intrigued.

Gallery: Paris 2010: Mini Countryman WRC

Photos by Zach Bowman / AOL

[Source: AUSmotive via MotoringFile]

Rumormill: Mini working on road-going version of WRC Countryman? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Rumormill: Mini working on road-going version of WRC Countryman?”

Rumormill: Special Mini Clubman Hampton Edition coming to Geneva

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Hatchback, Mini, Rumormill

2011 Mini Clubman

Mini is rumored to be cooking up a special-edition version of the company’s Clubman for this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The hatch will be called the Hampton, and will come slathered in a new Reef Blue Metallic paint with Damson Red hood stripes and mirror caps. Mini is also said to be throwing in a slew of special badges and Bi-Xenon headlights, and the whole package is set to ride on 17-inch twin-spoke alloy rollers. Inside, there’s plenty of black leather with red accents, and the same color scheme gets carried over onto the floor mats and dash.

At this point, Mini hasn’t said a word about the Clubman Hampton, so we don’t know what the company has planned in terms of price, market availability or production figures. Likewise, the whispers kicking around the internets haven’t said a word about whether or not there will be any bumps in horsepower or if the car will boast a massaged suspension. We’ll just have to wait until March to find out.

[Source: MotoringFile]

Rumormill: Special Mini Clubman Hampton Edition coming to Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Rumormill: Special Mini Clubman Hampton Edition coming to Geneva”

Report: Torque-tastic Mini Cooper SD diesel to debut in Geneva

The expansion of the Mini family marches forward relentlessly, but while the range typically grows with more bodystyles, the latest addition stands to transcend configurations with a new engine.

Although it likely won’t be offered Stateside, rumor has it that Mini is preparing to launch a new high-performance diesel engine at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March. The cars fitted with it are reportedly set to carry the SD designation (combining the S from the top-spec gasoline engine with the D from the existing diesel).

Details have yet to be announced, but reports indicate it could be a 2.0-liter turbodiesel with 143 horsepower and as much as 225 lb-ft of torque. That torque number would emphatically surpass the torque figures produced by any of the existing Mini engines – even the JCW on overboost.

[Source: MotoringFile]

Report: Torque-tastic Mini Cooper SD diesel to debut in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Torque-tastic Mini Cooper SD diesel to debut in Geneva”

Mini: “The 500 is a darling little car… but we’re a premium brand”

Mini showed off the Paceman Concept at this year’s Detroit Auto Show and announced not long afterward that it would spawn a production model. Tom Salkowski, who recently moved from BMW USA to Mini USA to fill the role of marketing manager, will be the man charged with getting the word about about Mini’s eighth model and the ones beyond. Here’s what he had to tell us.

The small car segment has erupted over the past couple of years and “Mini has prospered” even though it “faced significantly more competition.” But when asked what kind of head-to-head competitors the brand thinks it faces, Salkowski said “maybe Volkswagen, Mazda, Scion in the small-car segment,” with the caveat that since “Mini is very much a mindset, it’s different than other vehicles,” so “for the time being we don’t see anything.” Head of product management Oliver Friedmann confirmed the assessment with, “We don’t see any one-to-one competition, maybe the Evoque could be” for the Countryman.

Salkowski offered his thoughts on the Fiat 500 with, “The 500 is a darling little car, but Mini is a premium brand.”

On the discussion of roots and heritage at other emotional brands like BMW and Lotus, when asked how big the Mini brand and Mini cars could get and still be considered Minis, Friedmann said, “That’s what we try to find out at the moment. We just jumped over the four-meter line with the Countryman,” but reaction in the three months that the crossover has been on sale in Europe has been “very positive.”

Nevertheless, it’s not about creating an acceptance of a Mini of any size. Friedman said, “The competitors for the Countryman are significantly larger. We will always stay the smallest in the segment.” But the number one rejection of Mini is due to size and space, so the company had to do something.

Mini’s been known for its irreverent advertising, and it doesn’t sound like much will change under Salkowski, with a “bigger spend on television – you only get one chance to launch a car.” There will also be a huge billboard in Times Square, and a take-off on Mini’s original U.S. launch when they had a roving Ford Excursion driving around with a Mini on its roof. This time it will be a roving Countryman with a vintage Mini, Alec Issigonis’ original, on its roof.

Gallery: Mini Paceman Concept: Detroit 2011

Mini Paceman Concept

Mini: “The 500 is a darling little car… but we’re a premium brand” originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 09:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Mini: “The 500 is a darling little car… but we’re a premium brand””

Mini E to be phased out in a year, Coupe goes on sale this fall

Mini E – Click above for high-res image gallery

When asked about the arrival of the production Coupe and Roadster at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, Mini Communication Manager Nathalie Bauters told us that the Mini Coupe “will go on sale in the fall, probably as a 2012 model year. The Roadster will come six months later as a 2012 or 2013 model.”

What won’t ever make the retail playground is the Mini E. “It will not go on sale, it was for research,” she said. Some of the leases on the first year trial for consumers and electric companies have been extended to a second year, but the end of the second year will mark the phase out of the program. A lease program with the 1 Series-based BMW Active E will follow, also to gather intelligence on electric cars, with both programs helping to prepare for the arrival of the BMW Megacity.

Gallery: MINI E

Mini E to be phased out in a year, Coupe goes on sale this fall originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Mini E to be phased out in a year, Coupe goes on sale this fall”

Detroit 2011: Mini Paceman Concept gets all the girls

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, Crossover, Mini

Mini Paceman Concept in Detroit

Mini Paceman Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

Mini’s model line is expanding at an exponential rate, and according to BMW’s smallest division, the Paceman Concept will form the basis of its eighth production vehicle. Even if that’s the case, nothing resembling the Paceman is going to beat either the Mini Coupe or Roadster to market, which are expected to hit dealers in late 2011 and 2012, respectively.

What we have in the Paceman is basically a Countryman that’s been relieved of its two rear doors and granted a gradually sloping roofline. Yes, that will indeed limit the machine’s versatility, but it also adds a sporty vibe to the somewhat high-riding crossover.

Power for the Paceman concept comes from Mini’s John Cooper Works-fettled 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbocharged engine that puts out 211 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque (207 with the overboost function). Those ponies are sent to all four wheels via Mini’s permanent ALL4 all-wheel drive system via either a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox.

Naturally, you’ll find a full high-res image gallery of live photos from the Detroit Auto Show below, and we’ve gone ahead and posted the official press release after the break for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

Gallery: Mini Paceman Concept: Detroit 2011

Mini Paceman Concept

Gallery: Mini Paceman Concept

Continue reading Detroit 2011: Mini Paceman Concept gets all the girls

Detroit 2011: Mini Paceman Concept gets all the girls originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Detroit 2011: Mini Paceman Concept gets all the girls”