Sections: Uncategorized May 24th, 2004 4 Comments Here's an update on the MINIs On Top event for 2004 (via Ian Cull).
The premier North East USA MINI event is coming up fast – MINIsOnTop is set for June 19, 2004 and currently more than 120 MINIs have signed up to attend!
Sections: Uncategorized May 24th, 2004 12 Comments 
In the third of our “Spotlight” series we'll be featuring Ryan Malcolm or Ryephile as he's known on various MINI forums. Some of you may remember Ryan from his work with MINIUSA in helping them identity a solution to the “yo-yo” issue that has plagued the Cooper S.
So without delay let's hear about Ryan's MINI experience:
My MINI experience began at the MINI’s debut into the U.S. at the ’02 NAIAS. Their display was quite a departure from everyone else’s; colorful lighting, a DJ mixing live, and the cars had lines to sit in them! While I was aware of the Mini history, I was unsure this brand resurrection was the real-deal or just a marketing ploy.
Fast forward to late 2003. I was now in the market for a new car. My ole’ 325i was getting dangerously expensive to maintain, and I was looking for something more hands-off in terms of maintenance. My goal was simple: it must feel and handle better than my //M suspension equipped 3-er. This turned out to be quite a challenge, and only one car met my goals; the Honda S2000. This was, until…
Sections: Uncategorized May 23rd, 2004 10 Comments This news comes from frequent contributor Lee Johnson:
I finally got around to the business section of today's NY Times and in the “Openers” section on page 2 there is a brief comparing the MINI and the Hummer under the headline Goliath Stumbles, But David Keeps Humming Along. Here's the text:
“A decade ago, after another Iraq war, one Arnold Schwarzenegger spied a hulking military vehicle and decided it was the chariot for him. The seeds of the Hummer craze were sown, blossoming when the Hummer H2 military chic for the leather-seat-and-cupholder set appeared in 2002.”
“That same year, in a parallel automotive universe, BMW was thinking far smaller, introducing its retooled Mini to American drivers.”
“Both cars were hits, and the Mini the ultimate anti-S.U.V., at least until the even more minuscule Smart Car arrives on these shores still is. But whether it's because of war weariness, surging gas prices or drivers fed up with righteous glares from Mini drivers, the Hummer is fading. Sales have dropped for eight consecutive months. Now, in fact, dealers offer rebates, though the Terminator would surely wince at the word.”
So keep up those righteous glares: It's working!
Lee
Sections: Uncategorized May 23rd, 2004 2 Comments From JCW Press
Building upon the popularity in the UK of the John Cooper Challenge, a brand new MINI / John Cooper Motorsport-backed one make racing series has been launched in Germany, called the MINI Challenge.
Comprising seven race weekends at some of Europe’s premier motor sport events and venues, the MINI Challenge looks set to emulate the fun and full grids formula of the John Cooper Challenge. The series will make a prestigious debut alongside the German Touring Car Masters (DTM), at the Eurospeedway in Lausitz, before providing a curtain raiser attraction for crowds at the Nurburgring 24Hrs race. Later in the season the race-prepared MINI Coopers will line up as part of the Formula One race weekend at Spa, and then grace the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) at Oschersleben in September.
Sections: Uncategorized May 23rd, 2004 3 Comments As I'm sure you've discovered by now, keeping up with all the conversations on your favorite weblogs can be nearly impossible. In order to help you keep track of what's going on here, the site is now generating an RSS feed of all the comments from the last seven days. Any feedback from those who subscribe to the feed would be appreciated.
If you're not quite sure what I'm talking about, this post should clear things up.
Sections: Uncategorized May 23rd, 2004 5 Comments 
From JCW PR:
Following the team's debut entry in last year's Nurburgring 24 Hrs race, John Cooper Motorsport is back for more, with a two-car entry for 2004's epic on June 12/13. Demonstrating the team's increased ambition, they have signed the hugely experienced Touring Car and Endurance racing ace, Roberto Ravaglia to spearhead the effort.
The 47-year old Italian, now principal of the Ravaglia Motorsport ETCC team, has previously won the Spa-Francorchamps 24 hrs race, finished third at Le Mans and is a former World, European, German and Italian Touring Car Champion.
Ravaglia heads up a team of six drivers, under the charge of two team managers, with Mike Cooper acting as overall team principal.
It is not just the talent that has undergone an overhaul since last year; the MINI Cooper S Works has been considerably enhanced too, with the 200bhp engine being stepped up to a far more powerful fire-breathing unit. The engine has so far stood up well to some intense testing carried out by Coopers.
Sections: Uncategorized May 23rd, 2004 2 Comments Here's something that arrived in the MotoringFile mailbox the other day that we thought it best to pass it along directly to our readers:
I am writing an interior and exterior modification feature on the New Mini for MiniWorld magazine (UK). I'm trying to collect digital photos of internal and external modifications owners have fitted. Could I post a request on your website asking for high resolution images from owners of New Minis featuring modifications they have fitted (or had fitted) including who supplied the parts and how much they cost?
You can send your photos and info directly to the author at rhpress@hotmail.com.
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