Archive for February 2003
Feb 28th, 2003
Bridger.us/mini (along with my much smaller main weblog bridger.us) has had 1,003,102 hits since it's launch on 09/15/02. In fact there's been 310,000 hits in February alone. While it's nothing compared to the large MINI portals out there it's still very exciting to finally get there. Thanks everyone for contributing comments over the last several months.
As alwys if you have any feedback or suggestions to improve the site don't hesitate to let me know!
Feb 27th, 2003
Word is that could be the name for the upcoming MINI Cooper Cabrio. Whatever it's called the car is expected to go on sale in the UK sometime in the middle of '04. I would expect the US would be close behind.
From other photos we can tell the boot will be bottom hinged (ala the original Mini) and that the roof shouldn't interfere too much with the space of the backseats. Also it looks as if they've moved the antenna to just above the middle of the windscreen. This particular picture is from The Car Connection. There are more in the “Pictures” section of bridger.us/mini.
[Update] It looks like there will also be a Cooper S version of the MINI Cabrio.
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Feb 26th, 2003
Here's a press release from MINI regarding the new MINI One D. There is no word on whether or not it will ever be available in the US.
“The MINI One D will travel to Geneva to make its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on March 4 2003. It will be the fourth model to join the MINI range and is the first series production MINI ever to feature a diesel engine. Combining the fuel economy of a modern diesel engine, whilst maintaining the agile driving characteristics so typical of MINI, the MINI One D will go on sale in the UK on June 7 2003. Pricing will be confirmed nearer to launch.
The 'heart' of the MINI One D is a 1.4 litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine, developed in co-operation with Toyota Motor Corporation. During a two-year development period this engine was specially modified for use in MINI. The MINI One D engine produces 75bhp and maximum torque of 180Nm at just 2000rpm. This high-performance direct injection diesel engine combines second generation Common Rail technology with a turbocharger featuring an intercooler. To save weight the cylinder head and crankcase are made from aluminium giving the MINI One D an unladen weight of 1,175Kg.
Fuel consumption in the combined cycle averages 58.9 mpg, and on 50 litres of diesel the MINI One D has a range of up to 625 miles. This means that frugal minded drivers will be able to drive from the Isle of Skye to the Isle of Wight on just one tank of fuel. The CO2 emission figure of 129g/km, ensures that the MINI One D falls into the lowest company car tax bracket.
The six-speed manual transmission, which is fitted as standard on the MINI One D (and also the MINI Cooper S), has been specially adapted to the diesel engine's characteristics in order to make the most effective use of the car's power. The 0-62mph sprint is reached in 13.8 seconds, whilst in fourth gear 50 to 75 mph is achieved in just12.3 seconds. The sixth gear ratio has been reduced in order to lower the engine's speed and fuel consumption on long distance journeys.
The MINI One D has been differentiated from the MINI One by a MINI One D logo on the rear boot lid and MINI Cooper S side sills. In addition, the MINI One D has bigger front-end air intakes for extra engine cooling and a closed off rear bumper skirt concealing the exhaust pipe.”(MINI PR)
While it would be very cool to see this come to the states but I can't see it happening until we require lower sulfer content in our diesel fuel. I think that's still 3-4 years away at best.
Otherwise it looks impressive in terms of economy but a bit disappointing in regards to performance - even for a diesel.
Feb 26th, 2003
MINI2 has details about the new JCW package available to current and new owners of the MCS.
“By installing an even more powerful and higher revving compressor, John Cooper Works has turned the MINI Cooper S top model intoan excellent driving machine.
The performance figures can be compared to those of renowned sports cars: 200 horsepower (147 kW) at 6,950 rpm give this power pack a top speed of 226 km/h.
The generous torque of 240 Nm available at 4,000 rpm catapults the powerful MINI to 100 km/h in only 6.7 seconds. The car's pulling power is also very impressive: only 5.6 seconds are needed from 80 to 120 km/h.
In order to be able to use the new compressor with the higher rpm level and load pressure, modifications to the cylinder head and the engine electronics were necessary. A special rear silencer gives the car a powerful acoustic impact.
The suitable outfit for the power MINI.
In order to emphasise the sporty driving impression of the tuned MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S models, John Cooper Works not only offers sports seats but also an 18 inch wheel rim unique to the MINI up to now.
The sides of the sports seats are raised for improved lateral hold, the shoulder area is reinforced and the thigh support can be adjusted to provide greater comfort and safety. The seats are available in nearly all regular colour and upholstery designs and can also be ordered with seat heating. The Easy-Entry function remains unchanged.
18-inch light-alloy rims also give the MINI a powerful and sporty look. The wheels in star spoke design featuring five widening spokes run on 205/40 R18 tyres.” (MINI2.com)
All US specific info will be released most likely at the New York auto show and will be available for immediate delivery or installation at any MINI dealer. Prices have yet to be annouced.
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Feb 24th, 2003
UPDATED 3.4.03: You can now download a turn by turn PDF of the drive (with maps) here and a MS Word version here. It's also got phone numbers of our destinations and my cell phone number in case anyone is late or lost.
When: Saturday March 8th 8:00 - 2:00 (depending on where you start and end your drive)
Times: There are a couple starting points due to some of us living near the city and some of us living in the northern Suburbs. For those from outside the Chicago area email me directly for more specific directions.
Plaza De Lago in Wilmette: 8:00 (leaving at 8:30 / Krispy Kreme in Gurnee: 9:30 (leaving around 10) / Jelly Belly: around 10:30 (probably leave around 11:30) / The Spot in Kenosha: 12:30 to 1. These times are all estimates at this point but they should give you a general idea of the schedule.
Where: The starting point is for those coming from the city, near northside, or any who has to drive a ways north to get to Gurnee will be
Plaza De Lago located on Sheridan Rd. in Wilmette. We will meet at 8:00 a.m. and leave around 8:30. Directions are as follows:
Go North from the city on the Edens (I94) and exit east on Lake Ave. Follow Lake Ave. for about 10 minutes - once you go over some railroad tracks you will be getting close. From there you go through a large 4 way intersection and then hit a traffic light. At the light you will turn left onto Sheridan Rd. From there you will drive about a .5 of a mile and hit another light. Take a left on this light (Westerfield Dr.) and make an immediate right into the parking lot. We will meet in the side of the parking lot that is closest too the intersection you just came from.
Here's a map of the Wilmette area. Here's a map of the drive from we'll take from Wilmette to Gurnee (we'll be going from south to north so you should start from the bottom of the page)
The starting point for those in the far northern suburbs or for those who want to get up later and just shoot straight up to Gurnee is the Krispy Kreme in Gurnee IL. I would assume those of us coming from Wilmette will arrive at the Gurnee Krispy Kreme around 9:30 a.m. so let shoot for that as the time to meet. Directions are as follows assuming your're coming from I94 either north or southbound:
Exit onto 132 Eastbound. Shortly after you are on 132 you will turn left onto N. Dilley's Rd. Krispy Kreme will be on your left.
Here's a map of the Gurnee area
From there we will take Hunt Club Rd to County Q/Route 165 to Jelly Belly Factory. This map shows the route from Krispy Kreme to the the Jelly Belly factory.
Finally after the Jelly Belly factory we'll head north into Kenosha for some lunch at the Spot. Here's the map of the route from Jelly Belly to the Spot
Who: Anyone is welcome to join us. If you have a new MINI, a Classic Mini, or are patiently awaiting your MINI that is currently on some ship crossing the Atlantic you're welcome to come out.
The Details: This drive is a fairly long one so come prepared! Our initial meeting place (for those going to Wilmette) is a good place to gather as there's a Starbucks and Jewel right there in the plaza.
If you want more information about Plaza de Lago
check out their website: www.plazadelago.com
Things to Bring: FRS Radios, a full tank of gas, all your best Mini apparel, and a smile.
Feb 24th, 2003
I made a couple changes to the site over the weekend. First I added an “about” section in the upper right that gives you some background info on the site and myself. Secondly I've increased the size of the links to the right. I've heard from a couple people on PCs with high resolution that they can appear small. If they still seem too hard to read for you email me your monitor specs and the resolution you're running and I'll see if I can optimize things a bit more.
Update: I added a “Colophon” to give background information on how the site was created.
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Feb 22nd, 2003
I'll roll past the 20k barrier this morning - anyone else nearing this mark?
To make it even more of a special day, it's my birthday as well.
Feb 21st, 2003
The amount of photos has doubled and I redesigned the interface of the page and how it functions should work better for people on dial-up connections.
You can view the page here: The 2003 Chicago Auto Show
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Feb 20th, 2003
More cool stuff from Jason Livingood. For all you all there who are considering different OEM wheels for your MINI here are some Quicktime VR movies of all of them: R81,
R82,
R83,
R84,
R85,
R86, R87,
R88, R90.
Feb 18th, 2003
This short clip was taken by Jason Livingood during the recent winter snow storm that hit the east coast. It gives us all pause to remember how fun a little tug of the handbrake can be. (3.6 megs)
Feb 16th, 2003
We're still formulating the drive's specifics but I wanted to let everyone know that it seems like we've got the basics down.
I think we'll be starting from the Krispy Kreme in Gurnee. From there we'll do some road work and twisty bits to the Jelly Belly Factory, just over the line into Wisconsin where we'll take the free 30 minutes tour.
After easting our fill of free Jelly Bellys we can drive thru Petrified Springs Park (maybe along the lake front south), and end up at THE SPOT drive in for huge burgers and frosty mugs of root beer served carside by car hops.
The Spot can hold about 30 cars on the drive in lot, so lets shoot for 30 plus MINIs.
Jelly Belly tours run after 9am, and The Spot opens at 10:30am. I would think we should start in the morning and end up at The Spot sometime around 12-1.
How does this sound to everyone? (thanks Jeeves for most of the text!)
Feb 16th, 2003
Another very solid show this year. I was able to get in a little early with the BMWCCA and was treated with an outstadning Q&A session with the BMW North America M Brand Manager Tom Salkowsky. He did a great job not only with the initial presentation but with talking one on one with current owners. We actually got a chance to talk for quite awhile about all things BMW, MINI, and as it turns out Apple computers!
I managed to take a good amount of photos
of some of the various displays around the show. Here are some of the highlights:
- The new X Activity (the new X3?) by BMW was very impressive in person. The first SUV that I've seen that made sense.
- The new 330i Sport is a fairly impressive looking car - BMW will sell a ton of these I suspect.
- SMG on the Z4 looks and feels very impressive
- The Monster Garage MINI was in attendance and I can safely say pictures just don't do this car justice.
- The Maybach was most unimpressive (especially at 300k+)
- The Ferrari Enzo - wow
- Once again the BMW display (along with MINI) was enormously popular - obviously more so than Mercedes or Jaguar (which were just next door)
- Scion? I guess you have to give some sort props to a car company that launches it's brand on a car that's designed after a Chevy Astro Van.
Here's the photo site: www.motoringfile.com/chicagoautoshow03
Feb 13th, 2003
Here is some news from Autoweek about the highly anticipated John Cooper Works package for the MCS:
“Mini Cooper S owners seeking an extra dose of power soon will be able to turn to none other than Mini's namesake power broker, Britain's John Cooper Works, for a factory-warranted upgrade that boosts the S from 163 hp to 200 hp.
BMW/Mini will debut the kit at the Geneva show next month. Customers will be able to buy the upgrade immediately after the U.S. announcement in New York in April. The kit will be available through designated Mini installers as a new-car option or as a retrofit on used Cooper S models.”
The full article can be found here. My hunch is that this is the “RS” version that some people have been told about by their dealers. Here's what the UK kit entails (reportedly from JCW themselves):
- Power will be just over 200hp
- The ECU will be re-programmed
- A new oval central pipe will replace the current exhaust
- A new supercharger will be fitted
- UK price: £3700
No word yet as to whether the US spec will be the same but I imagine we'll hear soon enough. (Note; the photo above is of a JCW Cooper and not the MCS. This isn't available in the US at this time).
Feb 10th, 2003
From a MINI press release:
How about a MINI Cooper that can claw its way over 4-foot snow drifts and speed effortlessly across a frozen lake? Is this the next new model? Not exactly.
A bright-red MINI Cooper was transformed into a larger-than-life, 300 horsepower snowmobile by Discovery Channel's Monster Garage TV program.
The program takes vehicles and transforms them into outrageous, but functioning re-creations, doing double duty not only as a car or truck, but as in MINI's case, a snowmobile. The trick is that the building process cannot take longer than five days or cost more than $3,000.
A team of five guest fabricators led by show-host and custom motorcycle builder, Jesse James, spent five days creating the custom snowmobile out of a MINI Cooper.
“Witnessing a MINI Cooper transform from a road-hugging street car, to a snow-climbing snowmobile, will be a real treat for viewers.” said Jack Pitney, general manager, MINI. “MINI is an ideal car to be customized and that is exactly Monster Garage's thing. Although, I do not expect most MINI customers will go to such spectacular extremes,… you never can tell.”
With the aid of the custom mechanical wizardry, the MINI Cooper morphs into a snowmobile exhibiting a raked stance. Skis lower under the front end and a pair of deeply grooved traction belts extend under the rear wheels to grip the snow and ice.
Once completed the Monster Garage MINI will be pitted head-to-head with a Polaris snowmobile in snowy Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Monster Garage's Jesse James will be behind the wheel of the monster MINI while Richard Petty of NASCAR fame will pilot the snowmobile.
The Mini Cooper/Snowmobile episode makes a World Premiere on Monday, February 24, from 8-9 PM (ET/PT) on the Discovery Channel. The encore episode airs Saturday, March 1 from 7-8 PM (ET/PT).
Feb 7th, 2003
There are some notable additions to the accessory line-up being offered at your local MINI dealer. They're listed here but can also be found in the new “Motoring Accessories” Brochure.
- Sport Exhaust for the Cooper only (It'll be interesting to see how this compares to the other exhausts out there)
- Chrome mirrors (they've actually been around for a couple months now)
- Two new flags: The St. Andrew's Cross of Scotland and St. George's Cross of England have been added (these have been available elsewhere in the world where for quite some time.)
- Four new sets of wheels: the 16″ R88, 16″ R87, 15″ R86 (Again these are not new, just new to the US.)
- Cloth seat covers in “panther black” and “tartan red”
- Auxiliary Gauges; Battery voltage and oil temp readings (they fit under the toggle switches)
- Stainless steel foot rest (from the MCS); great addition to any Cooper - I put mine in last summer.
- Steering wheels with either Cordoba or Emerald leather inserts
- Shift knob and lever gaiter in Cordoba, Emerald and Lapis (same for the CVT except Silver replaces Lapis
- Rear saddle bag for extra storage; fits in boot (behind the seats).
- Roof rack systems galore (too many to list)
- Invisishield; clear removable plastic to protect the front of your MINI
- The “Zipper” indoor car cover (finally officially available)
- Plus tons of cleaning products for your MINI
I imagine this is the tip of the iceburg.
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