Sections: Events, Official News May 24th, 2005 25 Comments 
[Updated] MINI has teamed up with Virgin Vacations to offer a MINI Motoring Holiday. Here are all the details:
Get ready for a some curves, dips, fish and chips. You’ve got a chance to do a little motoring in the old world. In the place it all began, Oxford England.
Sections: MF Feature, Uncategorized May 24th, 2005 64 Comments 
We can’t say when, where or how we got this exclusive MotoringFile image showing two of the three new 2006 colors, but we can say it’s a 100% legit picture of what will be on dealer lots in about four months time.
Sections: MF Feature, R50 (Coupe), R52 (Conv.), R53 (Coupe), Reviews May 23rd, 2005 21 Comments 
As part of the Paramount Italian Job Coaster press event in Cincinnati last Thursday, MINIUSA gave a few select journalists (including Mark Ferguson from North American Motoring, and myself) an opportunity to test drive the entire range of US spec MINIs. Four MCS’s (one Cabrio, two autos, one loaded JCW), two MC’s were on hand to give us a full cross section of the brand.
The idea for the program was simple. While the press was on hand to report on the introduction of the Italian Job Coaster debut, MINIUSA would provide a full range of MINIs currently available in the US. In order to fully test each cars limits they created a full parking-lot road course as a venue for a full evaluation. They then offered professional instructors to help the press hone their skills behind the wheel of each variant. The resulting experience was one I won’t soon forget.
Sections: Marketing, MF Feature, Video May 22nd, 2005 21 Comments 
MINIUSA is at it again with more faux advertising. This time they will be creating an advertising campaign based around three products; the G-Whiz, the MOTO-GO Grip, and the Hey Horn. The products are supposedly “sold” by a company called MOTOmate. However it won’t take too long for one to realize who is really behind the site and the products.
As you might expect, the products, the descriptions and the testimonials are absolutely hilarious. But even better, all three products have full informercials (seen in the above photo) that are guaranteed to have you LOL-ing the rest of the day.
Sections: In the Press May 21st, 2005 20 Comments As most readers of MotoringFile know, last year Getrag built and tested an all-wheel drive system that works within the limited space provided by the current MINI’s chassis. Since then there have been several persistent rumors that the next generation MINI (debuting as a 2007 model) will eventually offer AWD MINI sometime during it’s life-cycle. According to a couple of the rumors I’ve heard, it would seem the next MINI’s chassis has been developed with an eye towards eventually incorporating more than just front wheel drive.
Well it seems AutoExpress has finally picked up the story (never too late!) and is running an almost laughable one paragraph teaser in their latest edition. Here’s an excerpt:
Sections: Events, Reviews May 20th, 2005 15 Comments We’ll have a first hand account of the ride in a few days. In the meantime, here’s the official MINIUSA release:
MINI is once again the star in a Hollywood spectacular that comes to life with the debut of Paramount’s The Italian Job(TM): Stunt Track. This new fast-track-roller coaster experience opens May 20, 2005 at Kings Island theme park and is the first time MINI is featured on a roller coaster of this caliber. The Italian Job(TM) Stunt Track also debuts in Toronto at Paramount Parks Canada’s Wonderland Park.
Based on the high-action finale of Paramount Pictures’ The Italian Job (2003) starring Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron, the new ride takes visitors on a high-speed stunt car adventure through movie sets and scenes inspired by the film’s climatic chase sequence.
Sections: In the Press, Sales May 19th, 2005 10 Comments From Wards Auto: Weak Dollar Limits BMW NA Options:
The continuing weak relationship of the U.S. dollar to the euro is adversely impacting importer BMW of North America LLC’s margins, CEO Tom Purves says.
Although BMW AG has not reduced North American allocation as a consequence, BMWNA is unlikely to see increased shipments of imported vehicles, despite this year’s introduction of an all-new 3-Series – the auto maker’s volume model.
Thanks to dollar’s weakness, North American sales of imported BMWs generate less profit. “If we get an increase in production, we wouldn’t see an increased volume for the U.S.,” Purves says. “We would raise allocations for areas where the currency is stronger than the dollar.”
The U.S. remains BMW’s top export market, with sales of about 260,000 units. The U.K. is next with about 105,000 units annually
While this story primarily discusses the BMW models, the same is very likely to apply to MINI; I have already heard of a lack of Convertibles through the summer months.
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