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Starting off with our man Todd having some fun with the intro after rolling through some serious Black Roof Radio. Once that was over, we roll through a rousing session of News from Motoringfile.com before talking, just a little more, about MINIs on the Dragon. Programming note. The boys are all heading to the Dragon next week, so we will be interrupting our normal show schedule. Watch for updates coming from Todd (if he gets internet) and for our regular show schedule to resume shortly thereafter. Download | WRR @ iTunes | 30.3MB | 1:03:00 </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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More video from the WRC team launch day, with more than 350 guests and 200+ journalists attending to celebrate the launch of the WRC Team at Plant Oxford. The highlight real looks like a great time. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

Hot on the tail of our story about the 3rd generation MINI codename, the F56, Autocar is reporting this morning that ailing automaker Saab has made “an audacious bid to buy the rights to the outgoing BMW MINI platform.” The Swedish automaker wants to get into the premium small car game, but without all that pesky engineering. Having already licensed the current generation of 1.6L engines, it looks like Saab just needed a car to put them in. The target Saab model would be the 9-1, and be intended to compete against the F56 generation MINI and the Audi A1. It’s a bold move, but Saab will have to survive as a company long enough to take delivery of the new platform in 2012. With recent plant stoppages and suppliers complaining about non-payment for parts, Saab is clearly in trouble. Would a MINI clone be too little too late? Perhaps. I also wonder just how competitive a six year-old chassis and engine platform could really be against contemporary offerings from Audi, and especially the evolved MINI — a car likely to be lighter, more efficient and more powerful than the current generation. It seems Saab might only be able to compete on price, but if that’s the strategy, can they actually build a “premium” car that’s significantly price competitive? Time will tell. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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From the rally team launch event at Oxford this week, here we have video of champion rally driver Kris Meeke showing off the Countryman WRC’s incredible capabilities. With a fog of tire smoke and an unholy amount of engine noise, Mr. Meeke puts the car through its demonstration paces. We can’t wait to see him and this car flying around WRC courses! More video after the break. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

Welt.de is reporting that MINI plans to price the Goodwood at €50,000 for the German market. It’s the first pricing we’ve seen on MINI’s most luxurious model and it gives us some indication as to pricing elsewhere. However (as always) don’t expect a simple conversion rate to give you the US price based on that figure. In fact we believe this gives the rumored $50,000 price point that we’ve heard for years quite a bit some credence. But at $50,000 (or €50,000) is this car worth it? As always that’s a very personal question that likely isn’t even meant to be answered by a typical MINI owner. We expect the Goodwood to be pitched towards Rolls Royce and other luxury brand owners as their urban runabout. It’s the car that gets used when you don’t want to pull-out the Rolls Drophead Coupe. And with RR levels of comfort and opulence and a healthy dose of understated British style thrown in, the $50,000 is almost not the point for that customer. Or at least that’s what MINI and BMW seems to be thinking. Regardless we’ll see final US pricing in the coming weeks. [show as slideshow] [View with PicLens] 12► </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

Once upon a time there was a blog post. A blog post extolling the virtues of the Fiat 500 over the MINI Cooper. Then 1 day, 3 fine lads heard about this blog post. And they came to defend their champion. As did 75 of you. That’s right, your 3 favorite MINI Cooper fan boys doing what we do best for 42 minutes and 54 seconds. And then some. Enjoy! Download | WRR @ iTunes | 20.6MB | 42:54 </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

After more than two years of rumors MINI has finally taken the wraps off of the MINI Rolls Royce collaboration: the MINI Goodwood. The concept is simple; bring Rolls Royce levels of refinement and luxury to a package that is much more space and energy efficient. In total 1000 cars will be made. Officially called the MINI Inspired by Goodwood (who actually will call it that we have no idea) the car has been thoroughly reworked by Rolls Royce Design to create the most luxurious and opulent MINI ever conceived. Basically if you want leather, wood and plush carpet like no other, you’ve found your MINI. Interestingly it’s also the first time we’ve seen a Cooper S without the non-functional hood-scoop. Pricing will be available closer to launch (later this year) but we can safely assume, if you have to ask, you can’t afford. We’ll have much more on the Goodwood in the coming days. Until then read on for the full press release. (Full gallery after the break) [show as slideshow] [View with PicLens] 12► Official Release: The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, which will make its world debut at the Auto Shanghai 2011, is an exclusive special edition that adds another layer to the MINI brand experience with a generous dose of automotive luxury and exclusivity in its highest form. Close collaboration with the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars design team at the development center of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, England has produced a limited-run special edition MINI, whose exterior and interior design is inspired by fine materials and the British luxury car marque’s commitment to absolutely flawless workmanship. The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, which will be produced in a limited edition of 1,000 units, combines typical MINI driving fun with discerning craftsmanship, select materials and a styling marked by typical British understatement of the world’s leading producer of luxury automobiles. Deliveries of the 2012 model year vehicle, which will launch as part of the exclusive MINI Yours product line, are scheduled to start in spring 2012. The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD is characterized by top-grade materials, the highest level of workmanship and stylish supremacy. The special edition of the MINI Hardtop was built under the guidance of the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars designer team and transfers the unmistakable style of the British luxury car manufacturer to the equally unique MINI, an original within the premium small car segment. The exterior and interior design from the MINI Yours range: fascinating charisma and incomparable high-quality ambience. As the first premium model in the small car segment, MINI has been a genuine trailblazer, the unsurpassed scope of its equipment features and accessories allowing it to meet the most varied requirements. And now MINI fans can express their appreciation of exclusive individuality, eye for stylish elegance and penchant for uncompromising premium quality with even greater sophistication. Inside the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, a harmonious color concept, selected materials and a production quality characterized by precise craftsmanship guarantee the highest degree of well-being and comfort. The dashboard, including the surrounds of the central instrument and the air vents, the center console, carpet surfaces, the Lounge leather seats, the roof lining as well as the door, side and body pillar cladding boast the exclusive Rolls-Royce color Cornsilk, a warm and natural shade of beige. Only the upper section of the instrument panel, which is lined with extremely high-quality, soft full-grain leather, is in black. The dashboard and door handle surfaces are manufactured in Goodwood and finished in Walnut Burr, a wood quality also exclusive to Rolls-Royce. The black nappa leather dashboard top, Tipped Leather Cornsilk door linings as well as Piano Black surface finishes for the buttons on the multifunction steering wheel and the controls below the central instrument all provide additional quality-enhancing accents. These veneers are selected at the Goodwood factory exclusively for the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD, and the matching black dials for the speedometer and rev counter bear the same typeface as their Rolls-Royce counterparts. Two of the most striking features of the exterior design are the body finish in the exclusive Rolls-Royce color Diamond Black metallic and 17-inch light alloy wheels sporting a multi-spoke design. Alternatively, the MINI color variant Reef Blue metallic can be specified as an option. The chosen paint shade is also used for the exterior mirror caps and roof spoiler of the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. The exclusivity of the special-edition model is also reflected in its body design. The car’s front and rear apron are the same as those found on the MINI Cooper S, but are combined with the bonnet from the MINI Cooper D. Rather than carrying over the air scoop of the MINI Cooper S, it boasts a harmoniously flowing surface which underlines the stylishly elegant appearance of the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. There are also high-class aluminum badges stamped with the lettering “MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD” on the side indicator surrounds above the front wheel arches and on the door sills. Another badge, also featuring the legend “One of 1000”, can be found on the centre console in front of the gearshift lever (or selector lever, if the automatic gearbox is specified). Beyond the signature features of the special-edition model, the standard equipment fitted in the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD also meets the highest expectations of a premium car. The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD’s range of high-quality equipment offered as standard also includes Xenon Adaptive Headlights, Park Distance Control, automatic air conditioning, an onboard computer and the audio system Radio MINI Visual Boost, which includes the Harman Kardon hi-fi speaker system. Twin-scroll turbocharged engine delivers customary MINI driving fun. The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD is powered by a turbocharged l.6-liter four-cylinder engine that was featured for the first time in the 2011 MINI Cooper S. The MINI Cooper S engine ensures that the hallmark MINI driving fun and imposing power reserves are available on tap. The engine includes a Twin Scroll turbocharger, direct injection and variable valve control. The 1.6-liter drive unit generates 181 hp and maximum torque of 240 Newton meters (177 lb-ft), which can be raised to 260 Newton meters (192 lb-ft) using the Overboost function. The most efficient engine in its displacement class combines its outstanding power development with exceptionally low fuel consumption and emissions figures. The sprint from 0 to 60 mph is all over in 6.6 seconds, while its EPA fuel economy ratings are 35 mpg highway / 27 mpg city / 30 mpg combined (manual transmission). As an alternative to the standard six-speed manual gearbox, the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD can also be ordered as an option with a six-speed automatic. Inspired by Goodwood, built in Oxford.The exterior and interior features specially developed for the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD embody the inimitable style of Rolls-Royce Design. From the initial inspiration, the selection of materials and the detailed preparation of the color concept, to the fine-tuning of the production process to ensure unimpeachable quality standards, the entire development process in Goodwood was carried out in close collaboration with the MINI plant in Oxford and the BMW Group’s development center in Munich. The special-edition car will be built at the Oxford MINI plant, where the MINI Hardtop, MINI Clubman and MINI Convertible are also produced for the global market. Bred from the finest of stock: The MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. The British origins of the two brands, their shared belief in meeting the individual needs and desires of their customers, and the creative pooling of ideas between the various brands at BMW Group Design provided the fuel for the collaboration between Rolls-Royce and MINI. At the Rolls-Royce headquarters in Goodwood, southern England, Rolls-Royce interior designer Alan Sheppard has overseen the emergence of a MINI which reproduces the hallmark majestic allure of the historic luxury brand and an interior ambience born of exquisite materials and outstanding workmanship in a representative of the small car community for the first time. The exclusive status of the MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD is rooted in a materials and color concept which reflects the unmistakable and globally unique Rolls-Royce style not only in its individual component parts, but also in the configuration put together for the special-edition model. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

WorldCarFans is reporting that chinese automaker Geely will unveil their new Emgrand EC6-RV at the upcoming Shanghai auto show. They also point out something probably completely obvious to most MotoringFile readers. Does this car look familiar? The dimensions are similar and that white roof is definitely smuggled from Oxford. We’ve seen asian MINI clones before and this one isn’t particularly remarkable, but it does have me thinking about car design. Take a close look at this car, my friends. This is what the MINI would be if BMW didn’t have a design team that really cared about the car’s heritage, and about standing out in the marketplace. This is what a MINI looks like without a soul. Behold the chinese zombie MINI! Special thanks to Kirk for sending this in. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

It’s clearly a bit of a marketing exercise but this video gives us a glimpse at what BMW has in-store for us with it’s new engine range. But first a couple of key stats. A single engine architecture will serve as the basis of the new family of engines that will include three, four and six cylinder configurations. Furthermore this common design allows for 60% of parts to be shared across the range which in-turn allows for more time spent engineering the parts while having lower cost (because of greater quantity). But more importantly this will allow for smaller, lighter engines to produce the same if not more power than current larger powerplants (all with greater efficiency). This means in some cases cars currently with eight cylinders will get six, six will get four and four will get three. None of this should come as a surprise as we’ve been reporting it on MotoringFile for a few years. But seeing the video demonstrating the engines is still somewhat of an a ha moment. But perhaps much more important is that this video clearly demonstrates that BMW will be going to a common FWD architecture. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

Today MINI took off the wraps of the most anticipated MINI Motorsport program in over 40 years. Prodrive and the factory WRC team were on hand to speak to the crowd and offer a few lucky journalists some free rides around the Oxford plant parking lot. We’ve put together a quick composite of the day’s activities and Prodrive’s effort in prepping for the team. Enjoy! </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

It’s not the definitive look since the current WRC car is still technically undergoing testing. But you get the idea. We’ll have more from today’s Oxford debut of the rally car later this evening… </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

As though to compliment the Countryman’s superb winter handling, MINI has “yarn bombed” an R60 as part of their Wanderlust campaign. Stitched together by artist Magda Sayegis, it’s not what we’d call pretty, but hell, so long as somebody’s having fun, right? Check out more photos over at WorldCarFans. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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If you’re viewing this post on a mobile device you’re likely pretty happy. A few weeks ago the pinch and zoom functionality built into the iPhone (and other mobile devices) simply quit working on MF. Why? We’re still trying to sort that out. But due to the issue we felt it was the right time to roll-out the new mobile version of MotoringFile that we’d been working on for the past few months. It’s designed to be used as a standard mobile site or a web app. Why not spend our time building an iOS specific app? With the very fragmented Android growing alongside iOS we felt a web based app that took advantage general touch platforms was the best way to go at this time. Of course there’s still work to do. For starters we’re still are working on fixing the root issue that led us to launch the mobile site sooner (specifically as it affects the iPad). However we’re ready for you to start using MotoringFile Mobile. As always let us know what you think via our the comments below. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

After seven plus years of essentially the same commenting system on MF, we’re completely starting over. Starting immediately we’re moving all new and existing comments to the Disqus commenting system. So what does this mean to you the reader of MotoringFile? Quite a bit really. Read on for the details. Facebook, Twitter and Disqus login (anonymous is still available) Community profiles Comment editing (assuming you login via the three options above) Threaded comments (yes you can finally reply to a comment directly Twitter integration (known as ‘reactions’) Commenting promotion/liking Community flagging Notification and reply system Realtime commenting Inline media embedding Complete social integration Now for the downsides. There aren’t really that affect the majority. However for those who like to be 100% anonymous, you’re not going to enjoy a few of these new features. The other issue is that we’ve lost comments on a few recent posts with today’s transition. So if you see that your comment is gone, know that it was simply an import error and that we’re working on getting it back on the site. As always any comments, thoughts, concerns or suggestions are welcome in the (brand new) comment section below… </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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Remember that incredible MINI Countryman the Monster Energy X-raid team built to race at Dakar? It’s back, and it’s winning races! Team X-raid came in first and second, with Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret piloting the Countryman race vehicle to the top of the podium a full 15 minutes ahead of their teammates in a BMW X3. The next race is the Silk Way Rally in Russia racing from Moscow to Sochi three months from now. Huge congrats to MINI and everybody involved at Monster Energy X-raid. Full release after the break. Official Release: The Monster Energy X-raid team celebrated an historic success in the five-day Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, which started on April 3rd and finished on April 7th. It marked an historic achievement for the X-raid team. The MINI All4 Racing was triumphant less than three months after its first appearance in the Dakar Rally. The duo of Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret (FRA/FRA), claimed victory ahead of their team mates Leonid Novitskiy and Andreas Schulz (RUS/GER) in a BMW X3CC. Novitskiy not only secured valuable points for the FIA World Cup for off-road rallies, but he also took the outright lead in the World Cup drivers’ standings. The two X-raid crews controlled proceedings in Abu Dhabi and made the fight for overall victory between themselves. Peterhansel secured three of the five possible stage wins and eventually beat Novitskiy by a winning margin of 15m16s. The Russian and his German co-driver shadowed Peterhansel and Cottret throughout the event. Novitskiy snatched victory on the third stage and briefly led Peterhansel in the overall standings. “Stéphane and the MINI All4 Racing have shown to be in excellent shape and deserved this victory,” said Monster Energy X-raid team boss Sven Quandt. “Although he stalled twice, technically we had no problems. Even Leonid has shown a very strong performance. The second place puts him in the FIA World Cup lead and in a very good position. He maintained his tactics and approached the rally wisely. “ The MINI All4 Racing was developed by the Monster Energy X-raid team in just 90 days for the Dakar Rally. In Argentina and Chile, it quickly became a crowd favourite. The next outing for the MINI All4 Racing will be further east at the Silk Way Rally. Teams will head from the Russian capital of Moscow to Sochi, the venue of the Olympic Winter Games 2014. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

So the president of FLUCC (Fiat Lancia Unlimited car club) came up with 75 questionable reasons why one would buy a Fiat 500 over a MINI. The reality is we tend to like the idea of the 500 and are looking forward to testing one later this spring. But a list like this can’t go unanswered by the MINI community. So we want you give him double the reasons why anyone should buy a MINI over the Fiat 500. Yes 150 reasons why a MINI is superior. Let’s get started. (and incase you missed the original list, check it out here) </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше

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Through its MINI Space urban initiative, MINI has launched a “Wanderlust” campaign centered around the Countryman. Participants dream up their perfect escape from their (presumably) mundane daily routine and share it on MINI Space. The site lets you create your own Wanderlust adventure idea and share it with the community via Facebook and the MINI Space website. Ideas with the most votes get added to the Wanderlust map so that you can see what adventure ideas have popped up in your area. But what’s the incentive? Winning ideas compete for prizes including a MINI Countryman of your very own. Check out the site and create your own video at MINI Space. </img></img> </img> </img> </img> </img> Читать дальше