MINI Cooper Info

Long-Term Car: Cooper S Coupe At Sno*Drift Rally

Steve — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:58:10 +0000

From our friends over at Winding Road

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKJstitlNU4

MINI Clubvan Concept

Steve — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:04:50 +0000

Stand-out-from-the-crowd style can also be amazingly practical – and practicality surprisingly attractive. The MINI Clubvan Concept brings apparently conflicting profiles together into a single package, paving the way for an innovative vehicle concept without parallel in the premium small car segment. The MINI Clubman-based concept car, scheduled for its world premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show 2012, combines the driving fun for which MINI is renowned with increased load-carrying capability. The MINI experience will therefore find its way into new areas of life, the brand’s distinctive character gaining new popularity among target groups not previously on the MINI radar.

The closed-off load area behind the front seats and the opaque rear side windows of the new concept set it apart most strikingly from the MINI Clubman. The MINI Clubvan Concept uses its broader skill-set to open up new usage possibilities – both business and leisure. Where a business’s customers, product range and operating environment demand a particular style for its vehicles, a premium model can make the perfect delivery solution. For example, a car in the mould of the MINI Clubvan Concept would fit excellently into the fleet of a fashion designer, art gallery owner or event caterer. And its abilities as an all-rounder also tick the right boxes for a photographer with a stack of camera, tripod and lighting equipment to ferry around during the week – and bulky sports and leisure gear to pile on board at the weekend. Full press release here.

Winding Road Cooper S Coupe First Impressions

Steve — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:52:48 +0000

After our first driving experience with the new Mini Coupe, you can probably imagine our delight when we found out we’d be able to get a Cooper S Coupe in for a long-term test. Historically our long-term coverage of cars has lead to better and deeper understanding of the models (no surprise there), and I don’t know that we’ve ever had anything as interesting to drive and as controversial to our audience as the Coupe for the long haul. Our year with Mini should prove to be filled with debate, at the very least.

To get the ball rolling with the Coupe, three of our Michigan-based editors took turns with a week in the car, to firm up our baseline of driving impressions. (As the months roll on, we’ll make an effort to get some seat time for those folks in our Texas offices, too.) Don’t be surprised to see the LT Coupe end up in further Winding Road features, comparison tests, and video content before the year is out. Full review here

MotorTrend Shootout – Guess who WON

Steve — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:03:04 +0000

MotorTrend recently tested the MINI against some pretty stiff competition. Head to head against the Scion tC, Honda CR-Z, Volkswagen Beetle, Hyundai Veloster and the Fiat 500. Their verdict – The MINI took first prize. You can read the full article here

MINI USA/Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship Sweepstakes

Steve — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:13:18 +0000

MINI USA’s Facebook page has launched a competition with a prize so cool it will literally take the winner’s breath away.

The MINI USA/Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship Sweepstakes will give the lucky winner and his or her companion two VIP tickets to the opening event of the 2012 Championship in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on January 14. Entries can be submitted at www.facebook.com/MINIUSA.

This will be the first USA-based event in the world series for Ice Cross Downhill – a sport in which some of the world’s toughest ice-hockey players, downhill skiers, and speed skaters race on a steep downhill course. Jostling shoulder-to-shoulder at speeds of up to 45 mph, they have to negotiate chicanes, jumps, rollers and hairpin bends.

The chance to witness this icy sporting spectacle will include two round-trip plane tickets, hotel accommodation, meal costs, and VIP access to the Red Bull Energy Station and Red Bull After Party. But thrill-seekers who hope to enter will have to get their skates on as the sweepstakes closes at 4.00 PM EST on January 3.

The winner will be selected at random, with no purchase necessary. Entrants must be aged 18 or over; full competition rules can be found at www.facebook.com/MINIUSA.

MINI is the official partner of the Red Bull Crashed Ice World Championship 2012 and will present the Rookie Award at each of the series’ four events. After appearing at Cathedral of Saint Paul in Saint Paul, MN, on January 12-14, competitors move on to Valkenburg, Netherlands (February 2-4); Aare, Sweden (February 16-18); and Quebec City, Canada (March 15-17).

For more information on Red Bull Crashed Ice, please visit www.redbullcrashedice.com.

MINI and Banana Republic team up – win a MINI

Steve — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:21:02 +0000

Woodcliff Lake, NJ– November 30, 2011 — Today MINI USA and Banana Republic announced the launch of “Gifts come in all Sizes,” a campaign that is not only fun for shoppers, but also gives back to local communities this holiday season. As part of the campaign, Banana Republic customers will have the opportunity to win one of five MINI Coupe vehicles (five one-year leases) and donate toys to the Boys and Girls Club of America that MINI Coupes will deliver from select Banana Republic locations. On December 1, 150 Banana Republic stores across the USA will celebrate the launch of the campaign with holiday parties for customers. During the parties, attendees will receive instant game pieces. Once opened, the game piece will reveal either a winning discount or a one-year lease of a MINI Coupe.

As part of both companies’ commitment to give back to those in need this season, four stores will be collecting toys for the Boys and Girls Club of America. From December 1 through December 15th, residents in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and the Bay Area can donate at the following Banana Republic locations: The Grove (Los Angeles), Rockefeller Center (New York), Woodfield Mall (Chicago) and Corte Madera (Bay Area). An extension of the campaign continues on Banana Republic’s Facebook page with a “Gifts Come in All Sizes” game, which will be live from December 2 – 24, 2011.

Fans are encouraged to play the game daily for a chance to win a year-long lease for a MINI Coupe, Virgin America flights, Banana Republic shopping cards and donations to the Boys and Girls Club Of America under the fan’s name. Every day is a new chance to win a gift from Banana Republic and MINI USA this holiday season. “This partnership with Banana Republic is another example of MINI taking a different approach to our marketing efforts,” said Tom Salkowsky, Manager of MINI USA Marketing. “It allows us to engage in helping our community, and extend that opportunity to customers and fans alike. It also ensures MINI is visible in some of the highest traffic retails locations this time of year, building brand awareness and introducing our newest model.” “Banana Republic is excited to be partnering with MINI this holiday. Our ‘Gifts Come in all Sizes’ campaign is an extension of the community service our associates already do in stores, bringing joy to those who need it most,” said Chris Nicklo, Vice President of Marketing, Banana Republic.

Mini launches teen driving school at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Steve — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 17:53:03 +0000

MINI has teamed up with the new teen driving school Miles Ahead to bring licensed youth to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and train them to drive properly. Indy 500 veteran Stephan Gregoire founded the effort to combat the high number of crashes, injuries and deaths involving teenage drivers.

The chance of a teen crashing in the first three years of driving is 82.9 percent, according to Mini, and a 16-year-old is 20 times more likely to be killed in a crash than an adult. Furthermore, in 63 percent of teenage passenger deaths, another teenager is driving the vehicle.

Mini has supplied 12 copies of the Cooper hardtop to be used for half-day courses at the Speedway. The courses include on-track and classroom instruction.

Instructors for the program come from either the Izod IndyCar series or the Firestone Indy Lights series. For 2011 and 2012, the roster of instructors includes Dillon Battistini, Dan Clarke, Conor Daly, Alex Lloyd, Philip Major, Stephen Simpson, Stefan Wilson and James Winslow.

MotorTrend – First Test: 2012 Mini Coupe John Cooper Works

Steve — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 13:22:30 +0000

From Motor Trend…. Call it what you want — just don’t call it boring. If you’re struggling for a descriptor, call it a trailblazer, because the all-new 2012 Mini Coupe touts some significant brand firsts: It’s the first Mini with room for only two; the first to have active aerodynamics, and the first to be engineered with what designers call a three-box structure. (More on this later.) And here comes the biggie: Nearly everything about this Mini — particularly in sportier John Cooper Works form — is honed specifically for “optimum performance” and supposedly entertains drivers “even better” than the rest of the lineup. Full article here.

British long jumper leaps over three Mini Coopers

Steve — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 13:08:12 +0000

In honor of a brand-new limited edition Mini Cooper created for the 2012 London Summer Olympics, British track and field athlete J.J. Jegede took flight for a rather interesting stunt involving the cars. Jegede who is a champion British long jumper decided to take on a stunt where he would jump over three well-placed Mini Coopers and land in a sand pit on the other side of the structure. For most this seems like an impossible task but it appeared to be a day at the beach for the Olympic hopeful.

When he was asked about the stunt itself, Jegede stated that he was excited to take on the challenge: “When you watch athletics on TV it’s hard to really understand just how far professional athletes can jump. “I’ve always wanted to demonstrate my ability in a fun way, so I jumped at the chance to perform an Evel Knievel-style display. It is my ultimate dream to compete at London 2012.”

We’ll Make a Manual Out Of You Campaign

Steve — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 10:12:24 +0000

MINI has done it again – a cheeky look at manual driving vs. automatic. Check out this handbook and then go to the MINI website and watch the video . Lastly, look at the comparison chart of Stick vs. Automatic drivers (click on image to enlarge). Don’t know how to drive a manual transmission? MINI of Westchester will teach you. Contact me for details.