Sep 25th, 2003
For those of you in the Chicago area Kumho will be holding their Tire Challenge at the Ikea in Schaumburg October 14-17. Here's some info from Kumho PR about the event and why a MINI owner might be interested:
FONTANA, CA…The Kumho Tire Challenge will be at the IKEA store in Schaumburg, IL, from October 14-17. The event teaches consumers how tires can make a difference in the way a car performs by giving them the opportunity to drive MINI Coopers equipped with different wheels and tires.
The event will be staged in the parking lot of the IKEA store (located at 1800 E. McConnor Parkway). Participants will drive the cars through an autocross course on the lot.
The Kumho Tire Challenge is a national tour that was launched by KUMHO Tire USA in July of 2003 as a means to educate tire dealers and consumers about how different tires affect the performance and handling of a car.
“”Unfortunately, most people don’t give much thought to their tires,” said Rick Brennan, high performance brand manager for KUMHO Tire USA. “They know they’re round, they’re black, they’re rubber and you have to put air in them.
“But when you give someone a bit of information and then put him behind the wheel of a car and turn him loose on an autocross course, he’ll quickly learn that tires play a huge role in how a car performs,” noted Brennan. “After going through this exercise, most people are amazed to learn that there can be such a difference between tires, and they’re also usually surprised to learn just how well the tires perform.”
Kumho uses three MINI Coopers for the Kumho Tire Challenge. The cars are equipped with automatic transmissions and a variety of aftermarket performance products, and each car is equipped with a different Kumho tire. “We use MINI Coopers for our Challenge program because the MINI is one of the best-handling cars in the world, which makes it the perfect vehicle to showcase the performance of our tires,” added Brennan. “And the MINI is a people magnet. The cars attract attention wherever they go.”
The Kumho Tire Challenge at IKEA will run rain or shine and will be open on a first-come-first-serve basis to the general public on the following dates and times:
- Tuesday, October 14, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 15, 11 .m. to 7 p.m.
- Thursday, October 16, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Friday, October 17, Noon to 7 p.m.
Sep 25th, 2003
Here's an excerpt From the Autoweek story:
Mini USA is playing hardball with a Mini owners-group Web site operator over the domaine name minicooperonline.com.
That's the view of site owner and operator Mark Ferguson, who created the site in 2002.
Ferguson, of Boulder, Colo., says he has been sparring with Mini (mini.com) and Mini parent company BMW's legal team since February regarding what to call the site.
The easy position to take is there's this bully company determined to stop this guy,” says Mini spokesman Michael McHale. “From a legal standpoint, if you don't protect what's yours, it's open for anyone to use.”
Ferguson, McHale argues, is free to trade but should not do so using the Mini name or names related to the car line.
McHale adds that Mini dealers pay hundreds of thousands to sell the small car. It's the trademarked Mini name at stake and operators should be “affiliated with us,” he says.
The site, which has 9,000 members, carries advertising from enthusiasts and about 20 aftermarket companies who want to reach each other – and Mini's powerful sales and marketing network. That the site accepts advertising is a fact Ferguson says he has admitted from the start.
…As a good faith effort, Ferguson says he plans to post this suggestion soon: northamericanmotoring.com.
Despite the troubles, Ferguson says he's still passionate about the car and the company. “At the end of the day, I want to provide a good information source for enthusiasts, the aftermarket community and be conduit for that and Mini.”
You can read the entire article in this weeks Autoweek or on the web here.
Sep 25th, 2003
It has been confirmed and I should have one in my hands by the end of the week. I also intend to find out whether it's possible to have it installed, the software changed and then redo the brakelight mod using the top two lights (the ones used as rear foglights) as additional brakelights. Many of us have that mod for a year now and it would be a shame if this kit took that ability away.
It might be worth mentioning that I was able to get my local dealer to match the Classic MINI sale price of $60. Installation for just the rears should run around $50 total making this retrofit very reasonable.
Interstingly before this retrofit kit came out the extra bank of switches alone cost you just under $200. It would seem as if MINI did some serious cutting of the profit to offer this kit at $75 for the US market.
Sep 24th, 2003
As will be reported in this week's Autoweek BMW has decided to only bring the 4 door version of it's new small car – the 1 series to the US. Here's an excerpt:
BMW AG will build different versions of its new 1 Series for Europe and the USA… Buyers in the U.S., where the 1 Series is due in 2005, will be offered as a traditional four-door sedan.
…Tom Purves, CEO of BMW of North America, said the US market will get only one body style of the 1 Series — not a hatchback — and two engines, most likely six-cylinder units.
In the USA, potential buyers include owners of the Volkswagen Jetta and similar cars “who aspire to own a BMW,” he said.
“We aren't getting completely carried away saying it will be a home run success,” Purves said. “It needs to perform like a BMW that Americans will like. There is a reason we don't sell four-cylinder BMWs in America.”
…BMW CEO Helmut Panke said the 1 Series will be nearly identical in size to the BMW 2002, the predecessor model to the 3 Series.
BMW is designing the 1- 3-Series model ranges to include up to 10 body styles, said Burkhard Goeschel BMW board member for r&d and purchasing.
He would not specify which body styles each range will get, but the large number of derivatives suggests several body styles of the 1 Series are possible.
So my question is did the MINI's success in America kill the idea of a 2 door hatchback BMW for our market? While it was never very clear how BMW would deal with two similar products in a similar price range they always seemed to imply that the full range of the 1 series would be in the US.
Further is BMWUSA CEO Tom Purves' claim of only bringing over the six cylinder for the 1 series in the US a tip off that a 4 door MINI is indeed coming to the BMW family? With the 2 and 4 door MINI obviously only available as a front driver with 4 cylinder engines and the 1 series only available in rear wheel drive inline six cylinder form BMW would be able better define the differences between the brands. This would obviously get murky with a $25k 2 door 1 series and a $25k 2 door MCS.
Sep 23rd, 2003
The moment many of us with stumbles or power “yo-yos” have been waiting for. However before we run out and set-up an appointment to get our MINI updated does anyone have feedback to report on it?
Update: According to several people on MINI2 these issues are not fixed with this update.
Sep 23rd, 2003
According to Ian Culls MINI Blog MINIUSA has issued a parts bulletin (# M 63 02 03) for the Rear Foglights. You can check out the actual bulletin below by clicking on the images:
Thanks Ian for breaking this news! It's worth noting that as of Friday dealers should have the update CD35 which is required for this retrofit. Lets also hope that there are other enhancements for MINI software in this update.
Sep 21st, 2003
According to a recent post at MINI2 It looks like this often rumored feature will finally be coming to worldwide MINI parts counters in the way of a retrofit kit soon. A pretty cool gadget and actually useful for those of us living in tight urban spaces. It's been availble in Japan for awhile now but aparently will be available in most of the outside world soon. Of course judging by the fact that this option is available on BMWs worldwide yet not on US spec BMWs I can only assume this will not be an easily purchased item at US parts counters. Lets hope we can at least get the chance to get our hands a la the parcel shelf.
You can check out the interior switch in comparison to the current standard switch here.
