Sections: Rumor, Uncategorized Nov 30th, 2005 16 Comments 
As the hotly debated JCW GP project continues to advance, today we look at some of the factors that appear to have lead MINI to select an outside firm to be so heavily involved in the production of its own special edition.
Sections: R56 (Coupe), Sales Nov 29th, 2005 16 Comments We’ve got some follow-up information on the recent Oxford plant construction article posted a few weeks back. According to a few sources, MINI should see decreased sales numbers in ‘06 due to the plant shut down in January, various construction projects, and the introduction of the next generation MINI in late summer. Expect total sales to by less than 184,357 number sold worldwide last year and wait times to increase around the world. If this happens, 2006 would be the first year with lower sales than the previous one.
Sections: In the Press, MF Feature, Marketing Nov 29th, 2005 59 Comments Some interesting thoughts in a recent FastCompany article about turning your back on brand history and how it relates to MINI and VW (via DC):
In their endless rush to embrace the next big thing, too many businesses have forgotten what they are and what they really do. The fashionable compulsion to break with the past has, bizarrely, come to mean abandoning the true value they once offered customers.
Sections: MF Feature Nov 28th, 2005 19 Comments 
Despite a few delays, The Gift Guide is indeed back just in time for the holidays. The 2005 MotoringFile Holiday MINI Gift Guide packs all of our old favorites plus a few new ones. From apparel to armrests, we’ve tried to include a cross section of accessories available for the MINI and the MINI enthusiast. Like last year we’ve created the gift guide as a downloadable PDF for easy off-line viewing and printing. It’s also easier this way to print out slip to someone for gift ideas.
As usual the gift guide is a free download. All that we ask is that you try to only download it once. You can download the file (compressed as a ZIP file) by clicking on the image above or the link below. Enjoy!
[ MotoringFile 2005 Holiday Gift Guide ] Zipped
Sections: Podcast Nov 28th, 2005 No Comments 
With the recent Thanksgiving holiday in the US we’ve decided to take the week off and instead give you a short outtakes show. So if you want to hear fascinating MINI insights you’ll want to look in the archives. If you want to hear quality random banter and some of that copyright free music all the kids are talking about, start downloading.
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Sections: Best of the Web Nov 25th, 2005 14 Comments Since the start of winter is almost upon us we thought it might be time for a little winter driving recap. For those in warmer climates you might want to skip this one. This is only for those hardy souls that can do snow induced hand-brake turns in their sleep. The Tirerack has a series of winter driving articles for those that would like to know more about the wonderful world of oversteer and understeer. Here's an excerpt of one of the better ones:
Sections: Official News Nov 24th, 2005 1 Comment 
BMW Group has launched its first UK Environmental Report today (24 November). The report contains UK base data for BMW Group’s key environmental performance indicators for the periods from 2001 to 2004 with ten case studies also included highlighting environmental improvement programmes across BMW Group’s operations in the UK.
Speaking at the launch of the report, Roger Twiney, BMW Group’s UK Director of Environmental Affairs, said: “BMW Group has a significant manufacturing and employment impact within the UK and is working hard to improve its environmental performance. The publication of the first BMW Group environmental report shows the progress we are making in putting environmental and sustainability issues at the heart of our business and manufacturing thinking.â€Â
Sections: Site News Nov 24th, 2005 24 Comments Since it’s Thanksgiving today, (in the US at least) I thought I’d offer up a quick thank you to all the readers and contributors that have supported MotoringFile over the last three years. We’ve gone through a lot of change over the last month and we appreciate your continued support. And special thanks to Matt Gifford who has handled most of the technical aspects of the site for three years. MotoringFile wouldn’t be what it is today without his help.
Sections: MF Feature, R56 (Coupe) Nov 23rd, 2005 57 Comments 
We’ve got a world exclusive for you today. First impressions and a first drive of a pre-production 2007 MINI. You’ll see a lot of R56 “spy shots” in the coming weeks and months from the automotive press, however you won’t get other first hand accounts like this. While we obviously can’t say where they come from, we can verify that both are 100% legitimate.
Just thought MotoringFile readers would like to know I’ve been driving around in a new R56 Cooper for several hours and my first impressions are ‘it’s great’!
Sections: Uncategorized Nov 22nd, 2005 41 Comments 
Until recently the only information available for the new 2006 colors came from either the MINIUSA configurator flash animation or a color sample at the dealership. Neither one was a very good way to gage just how the new colors would look. To aid those spec’ing their 2006 MINIs, today we take a look at how the Solar Red body color and the new bonnet stripes look “in the flesh.”
Sections: Uncategorized Nov 22nd, 2005 44 Comments In November 2004 MINI announced a new OEM Bluetooth that worked with the official armrest and steering wheel controls. Yet for some reason the kit was never been offered in the US. So for the past year those little phone buttons on the multi-function steering wheel have done nothing more than tauntUS MINI owners with their potential.
However we’re proud to announce (after a year of waiting) MINI USA is finally offering the new OEM bluetooth kit integrated into the armrest in the US. This kit is meant to replace the old bluetooth kit (that worked via a small remote control attached to the downtube) and will be the first truly integrated OEM system.
Sections: In the Press, JCW Nov 21st, 2005 18 Comments Here’s an excerpt from Motortorque
Demand for the JCW kit — the only MINI-endorsed tuning kit – has never been stronger, particularly in the UK, where one in nine Cooper S hatchback purchasers last year opted to up their MINI’s power output from 170 to 210bhp. Brits now sit atop the international MINI power league, ahead of both the Americans and the Germans in the ratio of JCW kits fitted to cars sold.
Sections: Uncategorized Nov 21st, 2005 24 Comments New for 2006, MINIs with anthracite trim now include an anthracite tachometer housing. The new anthracite tachometer is also included with the Piano Black interior.
Sections: Official News Nov 21st, 2005 19 Comments MINI dealership Robert Stern in Worcester has been awarded the title of MINI Dealer of the Year 2005. The inaugural awards took place at the MINI Dealer Convention in London on Wednesday 9 November.
All 157 MINI dealerships were judged on a variety of performance indicators including new and used sales. The award went to the dealer who proved the most successful at all-round business excellence throughout 2005 combined with exemplary customer service.
Sections: Podcast Nov 21st, 2005 No Comments
This week’s podcast features a very special from the online MINI world. Mark Ferguson from NAM spent over an hour on the show with us this week. While we naturally chatted about NAM, past, present and future we also found some time to touch on club support and the potential for more US national events. Fair warning however, there were cocktails used during this episode.
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