Mar 24th, 2005

We have a ton of news for you on what promises to be the biggest New MINI event ever, MINI United. First, here’s the official release from MINI PR:
Get set for three days of thrills – courtesy of MINI United.
This adrenaline-fuelled spectacle will be taking place on and around the Misano racetrack in Italy from 28-30 October 2005. Here you’ll have the chance to camp out with an international crowd of like- minded MINI aficionados for non-stop thrills, on and off the racetrack.
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Mar 24th, 2005
News on everyone’s favorite automotive shipping line:
[ Fuel cells help power zero emissions ship ]
I say kudos to Wallenius for going the extra mile on this project. Let’s just hope they can keep it above water.
Update: More info can be found below:
[ New Clean Design for Ocean Going Car Carriers ] Fuel Cell Today
Mar 24th, 2005
Here’s a great question we get every year when the weather starts to turn a bit warmer (from Greg):
As it is now into the very first few days of Spring, I am now looking forward to the wonderful weather Chicago brings us in the coming months. That said, I am looking forward to bike rides in and around Chicago. I am however looking forward to bike rides elsewhere as well.
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Mar 23rd, 2005
MotoringFile’s
recent post about newbie mods left a number of
readers clamoring for a similar list aimed at
performance. The ability to change the character of a
MINI from pleasant ride to pocket rocket is a reality,
and with the MINI now in it’s 4th model year, there’s an
aftermarket just brimming with gizmos and gadgetry to
help you get there. To help those new to the MINI
world (and spark some debate among veterans, I’m
sure), based on research, information gleaned from
forums, message boards and conversations with tuner
shops, I’ve whittled innumerable performance upgrades
down to just 5 essentials. Each mod is ranked on a 1-5
scale in terms of difficulty, with 1 being easiest:
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Mar 22nd, 2005
It seems like just yesterday that I headed up to the (then brand-new) MINI dealer for some initial test drives. I recently dug up my initial test drive review of the MINI that had been posted three years ago today on some now dead forum. I thought it might be an interesting read for all those who have been new MINI fans since before the beginning:
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Mar 22nd, 2005
With all the talk of modifications and hop-ups the
warmer weather inevitably brings up, I bet there are a
few out there that are feeling a bit left out. Not all
of us have the time, interest, know-how, facilities or
cash to perform a major makeover. No worries! Here’s a
short list of things you can do to your MINI that
won’t cost much, but can make it just a little better,
a little more “you”. Each mod is ranked on a 1-5 scale
in terms of difficulty with 1 being easiest – not that
you’ll need it. These are simple, non-performance
orientated mods that anyone can do… so enjoy!
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Mar 20th, 2005

How do you create the second generation of a car that has defied all expectations and gone on to become one of the biggest surprise hits of the past 20 years? That’s the question that BMW has been asking itself for the past 4-5 years as it gets closer and closer to finishing the next MINI.
While we’re still at least a year and a half away from the launch of the R56, quite a few details have recently become more clear. With recent spy-pics from northern Europe and other information we’ve recently received, we’re finally able to get a fairly accurate idea of the final design and specifications of the R56. So grab a comfortable chair, sit back read on…
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