Mini Car Blog

Chevrolet might be having some problems with fires in the recent weeks but they are not alone. BMW is coordinating with the NHTSA as they issue a recall of 88,911 units of the Mini Cooper which were delivered from 2007 thru 2011.

The German carmaker will be recalling Mini Cooper S produced between 2007 thru 2011, Cooper S Clubman that rolled out between 2008 thru 2011, and the Cooper S Convertible made from 2009 thru 2011 plus some variants between November 2006- January 2011.

BMW has looked into several incidents of fires in the engine bay which happened in May thru June 2010. A team was assembled July last year to investigate the case. The NHTSA also started their independent investigation by October of last year. NHTSA sough some assistance from the car manufacturer only a few weeks ago.

The NHTSA was able to established that the potential malfunction of the auxiliary pumps ‘ circuit board which serves for cooling the turbochargers. The malfunction produces more heat than usual and may trigger the fire. Since 2009, the authorities were able to record about 81 failures of water pumps and other fires documented from different parts of the globe.

BMW be sending a notice to owners of affected vehicles by February so they have enough time to get the right and enough supplies to fix all the cars that need the corrections.

MINI UK recently unveiled the special London 2012 edition models which will go on a limited run in celebration of the Olympics Games which will be held in the city next year.

Only 2,012 units of this MINI limited edition will be built and can be purchased as the MINI Cooper (£ 17,800), Cooper D (£ 19,080), Cooper SD (£20,860), and Cooper S(£ 20,125) variants. The cars will be following the colors of the Union Jack so will roll out in Lightning Blue, Silver, White, and Chilli Red. All versions and colors will have their mirror caps and roof in white featuring the graphics for the London 2012 Olympics.

The exterior of the MINIs will also have the sport stripes running over its roof, bonnet, and tailgate. The sides will also display the London 2012 Olympic Games graphic. The look of the London 2012 MINI models is completed by the 17 inch alloy rims with conical spokes which is not available to other models of the brand.

Among the most striking features of the car is the London skyline etched skilfully across the black dashboard of the MINI which silhouettes famous landmarks like the Tower Bridge, London Eye, and the Battersea Power Station. The special edition MINI will also have the tag London 1 of 2012 on its dashboard.

The stitching of the upholstery also reflects the colors of the London Olympics 2012 using blue, red, and white threads. The headrests has a logo of the 2012 Olympic games plus its consistency of the stitching with the Union Jack theme.

You can sign up for the presale list of the London 2012 special MINIs which opened earlier this month. The 2012 London Olympic inspired MINI Cooper models will hit the UK roads by March next year.

going oversea ? then you might need car insurance Ireland to protect your mini car

Who does not love the special editions of MINI. Fanatics of the line gobble them up as they roll off dealerships. Jumping off the success of its Clubman Soho last year, the British carmaker implements the naming of its special edition vehicles after the landmarks, districts, streets, and boroughs in London.

The Soho is now etched on the plate of the soft-top convertible and the 3-door hatchback that will be for sale in the United Kingdom as Cooper D or Cooper models this year through March 2012. The hatch MINI Cooper D hits a good number for a 74.3 mpg on a combined cycle and only 99 g per kilometer of carbon dioxide.

The MINI Soho special editions gets a silver metallic finish that has not been on any other MINI convertible or hatch today. The Soho will also roll on a Black Star Bullet 17 inch alloy rims, get bi-xenon headlamps with black reflectors, and white indicators.

The interior of both the hatchback and convertible MINI Soho will have Piano Black surfaces, 3 spoke steering wrapped in leather, and Anthracite headlining.

The pricing for the MINI Soho editions are the following:

Soho Hatch MINI Cooper £16,765
Soho Convertible MINI Cooper £19,060

Soho Hatch MINI Cooper D £18,045
Soho Convertible MINI Cooper D £20,135

Word is, MINI’s brand new baby, the Countryman, is in for a special treat by AC Schnitzer, the carmaker’s tuning specialist. When MINI Countryman rolled into the European showrooms late last year, AC Schnitzer has a list of things they planned to add to MW Auto Group’s newest recruit. According to inside scoops, the AC Schnitzer’s add-on list seems pretty modest, nothing really fancy, but the add-ons would satisfy every MINI lover who want to give an personalized look and feel to their four-wheel drive SUVs.

MINI enthusiasts wouldn’t want to pass this up since AC Schnitzer’s add-on list includes the debut of a 19-inch set wheels that come with two distinct designs. The fist one is the Type IV that comes in two color schemes of two-tone and silver. The second is an 18-inch set wheels that can be found in both Type VI and Type VIII.

The tuning specialist is planning a set of aluminum pedals as well as gear knobs that comes with a digital gear marker and is accented with fine genuine leather. For now, the automotive world is still busy with the initial news from AC Schnitzer. Of course, it wouldn’t come as a surprise before AC Schnitzer would issue a complete styling and performance package for MINI’s countryman.

AC Schnitzer Automobile Technik is known for its reputation as of the BMW’s top automobile customizers. It was founded in 1987 and has been customizing a wide range of BMW and MINI car models as well as motorcycles.

In 2011, MINI will make a comeback in the FIA World Rally Championships (WRC) and will continue to compete from 2012 and onwards.

Prodive, a British automotive engineering group, helped develop the car that will compete in the WRC.  The MINI Countryman WRC is packed with BMW Motorpsport’s four-cylinder 1.6 liter petroleum engine.  The MINI Countryman WRC has passed the new regulations of Super2000 which means employing turbo engines that comes with an engine displacement of 1,600 cc and the production of four-wheel drive vehicles that comes with technologies that are relevant on the road.  MINI Countryman WRC’s first test drive will take place in the autumn of 2010.

[Read more →]

The UK arm of the MINI confirmed recently that they will be introducing two models to the market. Yes, two more Mini’s to crave for and love by the brand fanatics. A model that still has to be named will be one of the reveals going side by side with the MINI Coupe. The first public unveiling will be done during the 2009 motor show in Frankfurt and will roll out to dealers in a few years time.

BMW UK executives welcome the developments and sees them as good sign for their business There are also news that confirm 1000 more workers will be hired to help out with the production of the new models. It is still not clear if the other release will be the MINI roadster which has been creating some buzz the past few weeks online or the almost ready MNI Crossover.

The Coupe concept of MINI really lives up to its name. Mini as it is, there are no back seats giving it an even smaller size that comes with the smooth lines of the small car.

[Read more →]

Even if the rest of the world is undergoing a financial crisis and even if the car industry’s top brands are barely selling, Mini USA is expanding with new dealerships all across America. Despite BMW’s disapproval, Mini’s 17 new outlets will add up to a total of a hundred.

Mini’s new recruits include markets and cities new to the car company. Their main focus will be on Mini’s expansion and new sales. According to Jim McDowell, Mini USA’s Vice President, their goal is to increase the company’s sales to “double-digit” percentage. The expansion will also broaden Mini’s network.

It is important to note that Mini’s goal does not necessarily disclose that the demand for cars is that high. It simply denotes that the company hopes to substantially raise the demand to “double-digit” increase starting 2011. It’s definitely a big risk for Mini.

[Read more →]

The Mini Cooper is not really the top choice if you are looking for a sporty car with an aggressive stance. It is rather cute and that is how it is. Some people aren’t just satisfied with the Mini having that sweet appeal image so AC Schnitzer came out with a new kit to make the R57 Cooper Cabrio a cooler car.

The German tuning team modified the car’s aerodynamics, styling, suspension, and engine.

AC Schnitzer toyed with the Mini Cooper S Cabrio’s engine which normally gives out 175 horsepower and boosted it to an exciting 208 hp. The R57 also gets a limited-slip differential putting it in the same line with the variant from John Cooper Works and the Cooper S. The car is also enhanced with a chrome tailpipe sports silencer custom made by AC Schnitzer

The R57 Cooper Cabrio gets a suspension treatment with a spring kt and a suspension set-up that is height adjustable. The suspension set up makes the mini more agile in addition to the added aluminum strut brace.

[Read more →]

The Mini Crossover which will most likely be called Crossman was seen on a winter test run. It is evident that designers of the mini ‘ute are still working on a lot of aspects of the car after unveiling the concept in the Paris Motor Show last 2008.

The car manufacturer claims to be built on a unique platform but it still looks like the other family members of the range. The structure of the Crossman was designed to make the ride height higher and accommodate the all-wheel drive set up of the Crossman. The body of the Crossman will get its traits from the BMW X1 but the models will not look similar.

[Read more →]

Now being coined to as the world’s most speedy small cabriolet, the 2010 MINI John Cooper Works Convertible is now aiming to take the spotlight at the next month’s Geneva Motor Show. The ultra high-performing convertible of the John Cooper edition is powered by an engine configuration of 1.6-liter, four –cylinder unit that is made complete with turbocharger that looks like a twin scroll. It is also revved up with direct fuel injection. The convertible also produces a generous amount of 208 horsepower smoothly from 1,850 to 5,600 rpm. It can also reach a torque with its peak of 192 pound-feet that can elevate shortly while at the Overboost mode to 207 pound-feet. It has a record of an amazing 146 miles per hour, as to its top speed. The Works cars have elite speedometers that can run up to 160 miles per hour.

Alloy wheels are incorporated in this convertible that measures 17 inches. The body is molded with a Works’ aero unit and the latest Brembo calipers and plus-size discs are utilized for the braking system. Along the launch of this MINI John Cooper Works Convertible, the car manufacturer also released car accessories that are all available for the three models of “John Cooper Works”, that includes the Clubman and the hardtop Cooper. [Read more →]