MotoringFile

MINI Countryman Cooper S Speed Being Limited

Gabe — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:22:50 +0000

MINI USA has begun informing dealers that the R60 Countryman Cooper S will see it’s speed be artificially limited to 128 mph with March builds. Previously the Countryman Cooper S could eek out 134 mph before wind resistance halted progress. It’s a minor tweak but still one that obviously had to be made. Which if [...]

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Rocketman Neither Living Nor Dead

Nathaniel Salzman — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:07:29 +0000

The MINI Rocketman/MINI CITY is a concept that just won’t die, yet it’s also a car that might not actually live to see production. We’ve gotten conflicting reports since the Rocketman Concept’s debut that the diminutive MINI both would and wouldn’t see real world production. Various people in leadership, including...

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White Roof Radio #412

DB — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:29:05 +0000

We are car talking fools tonight, just as soon as we finish talking about the weather, of course. News from MotoringFile, especially Gabe’s take onRoadster he got to drive last week. That turned into a talk about JCW and wheels, among other things. Finishing up with some AskChad. Keep those questions coming in gang! Also, [...]

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MINI Officially Takes Over Factory WRC Team

Gabe — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:01:03 +0000

The day has come that many of us have dreaded – MINI has officially announced that Prodrive is out as the factory supported MINI team for the WRC. MINI is parting ways with the UK based rally specialists and will effectively take over the reigns by handing them to MINI Team Portugal for the 2012 [...]

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MINI JCW Clubman to get JCW Aerokit as Standard

Gabe — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:24:39 +0000

In MINI’s quest to make the JCW line more recognizable, they’ll finally be adding the JCW aero-kit as standard to the JCW Clubman. The change will begin with March production. The subtle design tweaks to the aero-kit that we saw with the factory introduction of the R56 aero-kit will be carried through to the Clubman [...]

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Businessweek: MINI Wins Big Over Smart

Nathaniel Salzman — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:15:39 +0000

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Confirmed: BMW to Alter Prodrive Relation

Gabe — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:37:21 +0000

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The MINI Highgate Convertible Special Edition

Nathaniel Salzman — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:14:06 +0000

We’re getting up to our contrasting roof in MINI special editions these days. The latest is the Highgate Convertible. Like its special edition siblings, it’s named for a London neighborhood and it’s playing a big role in the build up to the 2012 London Olympics — where BMW and MINI will be major sponsors. This [...]

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R50, R52 & R53 Steering Pump Warranty Extended in Canada

Gabe — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:12:33 +0000

Transport Canada has issued the need for an extended warranty for all 2002-2005 MINI steering pumps. It’s a common problem that has plagued R50, R52 and R53 MINIs for years. Here’s the official description: On certain vehicles, the electro-hydraulic power steering pump could fail temporarily or permanently due to problems with the...

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Rumor: BMW Set to Terminate Prodrive Relationship

Gabe — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:43:47 +0000

Autosport is reporting that MINI is set terminate its relationship with Prodrive and take over the WRC team going forward. Here’s an excerpt from Autosport: The BMW Group is expected to terminate its contract with Prodrive tomorrow, ending the Banbury firm’s involvement in the Mini World Rally Team – and casting doubt over the...

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MINI USA Sales up 21% for January

Gabe — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:11:00 +0000

MINI USA continued it’s assault on sales charts in January by selling 3,334 automobiles in January, an increase of 21.2 percent from the 2,751 sold in January 2011. Full model break-down after the jump.

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AC Schnitzer Creates Bolt-on Tuning Kit for the MINI Coupé

Nathaniel Salzman — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:30:08 +0000

German tuning outfit AC Schnitzer has created a series of bolt-on performance mods for the already high-performing MINI Coupé. Touching everything from the transmission to the brakes, they’ve put their spin on the new hard top two-seater. MINI Coupe owners can start to improve the already competent handling even more with AC Schnitzers...

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MINI Takes its Class at the 24 Hours of Dubai

Nathaniel Salzman — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:30:54 +0000

[Official Release from MINI Motorsports] The opposition had no chance against the MINI of the Besaplast Racing Team, which dominated its class from the world go at the 24 Hours of Dubai. The Caisley International team, which assembled and ran a MINI based on the MINI John Cooper Works Challenge for the Besaplast Racing Team [...]

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MINI Records First FIA Sanctioned Rally Win

MF Staff — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 03:00:10 +0000

It may not be the WRC but MINI has recorded it’s first FIA sanctioned rally win in over four decades with a win at the Qatar International Rally this past weekend. Adbulaziz Al-Kuwari piloted the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman S2000 to a outright victory by over two minutes. A huge MotoringFile congrats to the [...]

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Spec-B 2012 Racing Schedule Revealed

Nathaniel Salzman — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:15:08 +0000

Good news for grassroots MINI racing fans. GRAND AM has announced upcoming dates for the 2012 racing season that include Spec-B racing events. With a Spec-B MINI race car available right “out of the box” so to speak, we’re hoping to see lots of MINIs out on the track at these events (full list after [...]

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MotoringFile Review: 2012 MINI Cooper S Roadster

Gabe — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:40:53 +0000

Kindchenschema. It’s a German word, but the idea is universal. Humans are intrinsically attracted to small things with large features — like a puppy or a baby. These things disarm us and give us a warm, happy feeling. According to the MINI Design team, it’s this idea that’s behind the design of the MINI, and [...]

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MINI Roadster Launch – Full Gallery

Gabe — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:03:44 +0000

We’ve just stepped out of the new MINI Roadster and have lots to tell you about. But as we head to dinner and gather our thoughts a bit more, why not check out our day in Portugal with the new MINI soft-top. The full gallery is after the break. Full Gallery

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Save the Date: MTTS is July 4-15, 2012

Nathaniel Salzman — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:59:56 +0000

Many of you will receive this information in an email from MINI over the next few hours, but we’ve got the word early thanks to MINI and White Roof Radio. This year’s installment of MINI’s epic road trip, MINI Takes The States, will take place over 11 days starting on Independence Day. Celebrating 10 years [...]

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Rumor: JCW May Finally Become MINI’s True M Brand

Nathaniel Salzman — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:08:45 +0000

Sources at Car and Driver are saying that MINI chief and former BMW M division boss, Dr. Kay Segler, has very real aspirations to finally turn the John Cooper Works into the stand-alone, performance skunkworks that frankly, we’ve always wanted it to be. We’ve heard this from MINI before, but with Dr. Kay at the [...]

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MF Garage: Back Behind the Wheel of My R53

Nathaniel Salzman — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:07:15 +0000

Recently my wife and I left the Twin Cities for the fine city of Chicago. Involved in that move was packing up my R53 and my wife’s Honda CRV with all the things that weren’t going with the movers. Seats folded down, we all know how spacious the MINI can be. Even laden down with [...]

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