Section: In the Press
Jul 24th, 2008
It used to be that an R50 (with CVT no less) fit the bill.
But that’s when my family was younger and smaller. The kids were 4 and 2, so the miniature rear seat worked fine.
But the kids, as they do, got bigger. Luckily, so did the MINI.
The 2008 Mini Clubman served as my family transport vehicle last weekend, and guess what? My kids fit in it. Now they are 10 and 8, so like the Mini Clubman, they’re considerably bigger. But also like the original Mini, I’m not sure how long even the Clubman would work as a full-fledged family vehicle. With the driver’s seat adjusted for my 6-foot frame my eight-year-old daughter didn’t have a lot of room to spare. Pretty much the same situation existed for my 10-year-old son behind my wife.
Great write up over at Edmunds. Something to think about if you are struggling to make the MINI your family car.
[ Clubman: It grows with your family ] Blog.edmunds.com
Jul 23rd, 2008
Mini USA vice-president Jim McDowell took some time this week to talk to the guys at NextAutos.com, the new site by Windingroad.com. Much of the information here was covered in the Fox News interview we posted earlier this month. There are some new nuggets here as well.
Recent word of 500 electric Minis coming to the U.S. is accurate (but the announcement caught them “by surprise”) and plans are to have cars in the hands of actual customers “about this time next year.” That said,it isn’t clear whether these cars will be sold, leased, or otherwise disbursed. It is also undetermined whether these cars will be offered outside of California. continued →
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Jul 22nd, 2008
Autoblog, via Automotive News, has some interesting information about the upcoming ‘15 MINI that is to be built in conjuction with Fiat.
It’s unclear whether the C-Evo architecture will underpin the MINI AWD compact utility vehicle, but according to Automotive News, the platform will be capable of housing both front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive powertrains, and will serve as the platform for the new Alfa Romeo 147, which will be released sometime next year.
We talked about BMW and fiat joining forces on some components last week. This, I’m sure for some of you, is just a little more fuel for the fire.
[ Biggie MINI could use Fiat Platform ] Autoblog
Jul 16th, 2008
Another in what has been a long line of reviews. You’ve seen all the pictures, read all the complaints about the speedometer and torque steer. So, what’s left? Car Magazine would like to leave you with this.
However, this is a special car. It signals the proper debut of JCW as a sub-brand and marks the occasion with a machine that is suitably different in character to not only the Cooper S but everything else in the hot-hatch class. It is fascinating – switching from benign to barmy in an instant and leaving a grin on your face like few other cars on sale today. Yes, we like it. A lot.
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Jul 16th, 2008
And the hits just keep on coming. This time from Honestjohn.com, starting with a word on the torque steer.
That’s okay when you’re on a track that you can learn every nuance and undulation of. But it’s not okay on a public road full of surprises.
Then you could get into trouble. Because the car torque steers and tramlines like an old Mk II Golf 16v tweaked to 200bhp. Any variation in surface will have it shifting and squirming all over the place. So best leave it in Sport (if you want) and just switch first stage DSC off.
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Jul 15th, 2008
I mentioned earlier about the embargo lift, right?
This time, Channel4.com gets a chance at the JCW MINI and have quite a bit to say. Their review stretching across 10 pages including a gallery.
The added bonus is that the JCW is emits just 165g/km of carbon dioxide and fuel consumption is a very creditable 40.4mpg on the combined cycle. You get the best of both worlds: awesome performance and cheap running costs. So what’s the catch? That’ll be the £21K purchase price, which certainly concentrates the mind. You have a simple choice: do you want to pay an extra £4,750 to get a little extra performance, or hand over £16,245 for the standard Cooper S, which still takes you from 0-60mph in a pretty handy 7.1 seconds?
Pretty sure it’s the only review to mention fuel economy, emissions and price. Looks like it’s even expensive in the UK. But there’s still more.
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Jul 15th, 2008
Looks like an embargo was lifted as we have a bunch of reviews from the UK coming in. This one from Autocar.
It feels properly rapid – the turbo spools up with almost no lag and the engine’s strong mid-range makes for effortless urge in any gear. Passers by get to enjoy a rorty exhaust note, into which some over-run ‘crackle’ has been carefully engineered. But, unfortunately, inside the cabin it sounds flat and insipid.
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Jul 14th, 2008
Another review of the ultimate MINI.
The standard suspension setup of the Works is unchanged from the standard Cooper S, although Mini’s Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) is standard, so the threshold for the Dynamic Stability Control’s (DSC) intervention leaves room for a little fun. The DTC can be switched off if you want to play it safe, and the DSC can be switched off if you don’t. There is also the usual Sport function that changes the throttle map to provide more boost lower in the rev range and reduces the steering assistance. continued →
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Jul 14th, 2008
The reviews are going to start pouring in this week and Driver’s Republic has one of the first. Here’s an excerpt:
It doesn’t seem to matter whether the road is smooth or bumpy, flat or cambered, there’s always an intense tug-of-war between tyres and tarmac. The only thing you can do to minimise this behaviour is to leave the Sport button alone in an effort to keep the throttle response soft, but even then the steering wheel comes alive in your hands when the twin-scroll turbo spools up.
When it happens the temptation is to fight the car, pulling it back into line, but this only seems to make it worse, for the JCW decides to pull in the direction of your last steering input, which can make for some serious zigzag progress. Better then to stay calm, tense but not lock your forearms and try to get a grip on the front-end without over-correcting it.
It’s a shame, for while there’s no doubt the JCW is blindingly rapid when stoked, its propensity to sniff around on bumps, cambers and white lines ultimately limits your point-to-point pace. It also makes you think twice about overtaking if the road is anything less than wide and smooth, which is a sure sign of too much torque steer in my book. continued →
Jul 8th, 2008
The Automotive news is reporting that BMW may sell Alfa Romeos in North America using the MINI dealer network. Here’s an excerpt from the article just published:
Fiat said today that BMW will provide support in launching Alfa Romeo in North America. “Mini U.S. dealers would have the possibility to also sell Alfa Romeo cars,” a Fiat spokesman told Automotive News Europe today. continued →
Jul 1st, 2008
MINI Press Release. A MINI Clubman designed inside and out as a pleasure palace by British avant-garde lingerie maker Agent Provocateur for the annual Life Ball charity in Vienna, Austria, has been sold on eBay for $73,388 (e45,000).
This is the eighth year MINI has supported the event with a vehicle which was subsequently sold on the on-line auction company’s site. In total the cars have raised in excess of $495,726.94c (e304,002) to go towards HIV/AIDS research.
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Jun 6th, 2008
J.D. Power has released their IQS for 2008 and the results for MINI aren’t good. Out of 9 categories ranging from all aspects of design to overall quality, MINI scored 2 out of 5. From Autoblog.com.
It’s that time of year again when automakers either cringe or giggle with glee at the results of the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. The IQS measures problems per 100 vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership in the areas of quality of design (i.e. poorly designed cupholders) and defects and malfunctions, and the entire auto industry deserves a pat on the back for improving its average in 2008 to 118 problems per 100 vehicles versus 125 PP100 in 2007
Follow the link below for a nice breakdown of all of the major automakers overall scores.
[ J.D. Power Releases 2008 Initial Quality Study ] Autoblog.com
[ Quality ratings by brand ] Jdpower.com
Jun 3rd, 2008
Here is a brand new comparison we haven’t seen before. Cars.com pit the MINI Cooper Clubman against the new Scion xB and the Smart ForTwo. The results were interesting.
Did the Clubman win biggest head-turner? That went to the ForTwo. It didn’t win the performance category either. In fact, you have to scroll down to the ride and handling category before you see a Clubman victory.
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Jun 1st, 2008
MINI Press Release Munich/Vienna. Videos whirred and cameras clicked on Saturday, 17 May, when Joseph Corre drove the Life Ball MINI 2008 over the red carpet outside Vienna’s City Hall in front of 40,000 spectators. Escorted by four models in “British policemen’s uniforms”, and with Sophie Ellis Bextor in the passenger seat, the arrival of the Life Ball MINI 2008 marked the start of the fantastic opening show.
The Life Ball MINI is traditionally created by the fashion designer responsible for the fashion show in the opening event - and in 2008, this was the British lingerie label Agent Provocateur. This year, the new MINI Cooper Clubman was selected as the basis for this exclusive, unique design. “The new shape is so reminiscent of the old English Mini police van that we were immediately inspired to create an Agent Provocateur styled interior that you really would want to get banged up in! A classic yet suped up exterior in Agent Provocateur signature pink and black colours complete with pink flashing light and inside…..the most seductive prison cell with hand to wall cuffs and blacked out windows and iron bars”, says Agent Provocateur founder Joseph Corre.
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May 27th, 2008
Autoblog.com recently posted one of the most glowing reviews of a Clubman I’ve seen. And, it was just a Clubman, not an S. A very favorable review.
The mini door is especially handy is if you have kids. I positioned my 2-year-old son’s car seat on the side with the Clubman-door, since that gave me more room to work with when it came time to buckle him in. My daughter, age 5, was fine climbing through the driver’s side and getting herself strapped into her booster. Parents still using the LATCH connections will find the anchors easily accessible through plastic tunnels in the seatbacks — no digging under the cushions is necessary. As a people carrier, the Clubman is a substantial improvement over the regular Cooper, whose back seats are sized for miniature pinschers and Micronauts.
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