Judging from emails we’ve received, it would seem quite a few MINI owners are curious about the newly released iPhone and its compatibility with the bluetooth and iPod integration of the R56. We’re happy to report that several readers have tested the set-up and both the iPod adapter and bluetooth functionality appears to be working perfectly. Considering that several BMW models made earlier this year aren’t compatible (at this time anyway) 2007 MINI owners can feel pretty good about the shelling out for the new (and incredible based on my time with it) Apple iPhone.
For those who may have missed some of our MINI United coverage over the past couple of weeks, here’s a quick way to get it all. Check out our MINI United Category page below:
Here’s a blast from the past for this week’s MF video Friday. This is a BBC news report from the day that the first new MINI prototype was first shown off to British press. A fascinating glimpse back to a time that seems almost impossible to imagine. It’s interesting to note that the angle taken by the press at the time was all about British jobs and not about a potential successful product.
Official MINI Australia Press Release: MINI will race heart-rates off the clock around Australia when a grid full of potent MINI Cooper S hardtops catapult the 2008 MINI Challenge Series into the very-fast lane.
A swarm of angry bees or nest of exceedingly disturbed vipers would pale into insignificance compared with the swashbuckling bump-and-grind apex arguments that will divide the victorious from the vanquished in this modern-day joust between multitudes of jostling knights in shining armour.
Most of you saw this posted here already a few weeks ago. Some of you even took it. Thanks!
It was put together by the newest friend to MF/WRR, Oliver Seebach. Also happens that he was about the hardest working man at MINI United 2007. He did so much to help us out, we thought we would, again, return the favor.
We know there are about 10K - 15K of you reading this right now. We’re only looking for about 600 of you to help our friend Oliver out by taking this MINI related poll. Besides, US responses are outnumbered by just about every other country 2:1!
It only takes about 15 minutes. Follow the link below.
Official MINI Press Release: Putting in a perfect performance, Jeroen Bleekemolen (Aerdenhout/NL, Team ProSieben) rounded off his guest appearance in the MINI CHALLENGE being held this weekend as part of the MINI United Festival in Zandvoort (NL). After his win in yesterday’s race, the local Dutch hero and former DTM pro came out top in today’s heat too. “Being part of the MINI CHALLENGE has been a great experience. It was amazing fun,” said the victor. “To win today was enormously difficult. I had to fight forward five places,” Bleekemolen said - he had started in sixth place.
A arrange a quick interview with the current German MINI Challenge point leader in the paddock just after the first practice session. Listen for Todd while he gives he best Peter Windsor impression.
MF Exclusive: MotoringFile has learned that MINI plans to debut the 2008 MINI Challenge race car later this fall as a factory spec racer. That means the Challenge car won’t just be available to select racing teams as previously but sold to anyone with a thick checkbook in hand. This is great news to would-be MINI racers from around the world looking for the ultimate turn-key MINI. It’s also great news for those looking at hints for the next JCW MINI. But more on that later.
In this latest MINI United interview we get an exclusive sit down with Dr. Kay Segler, MINI brand vice president. We talk MINI United. Motorsport, and the new MINI Challenge race car among other things. The latter will be the big take-away for many of you. Listen closely as Dr. Segler talks about the “new heart” of the MINI that will debut with the MINI Challenge car and that will eventually make it’s way to a new JCW product. All fascinating stuff for those of us who follow the brand.
Yesterday Chris Bangle and the BMW Group design team (including MINI) were awarded the prestigious Red Dot award and named the design team of the year for 2007. You can read more below:
Design is a main factor for economic success, especially in the automobile industry. Its tasks are not simple: capture the spirit of the times without being too accommodating; be innovative while meeting technical requirements such as safety and environmental standards; and satisfy the desire of end users to both identify and distinguish themselves through the vehicle. Thus, the responsibility that automobile design bears for the economic success of a car, brand, or even for entire economies is immense. “In the past years, BMW Group Design under the direction of Chris Bangle has succeeded to sustainably strengthen the brands BMW, Mini, Rolls Royce, and BMW Motorrad,” explains Professor Dr. Peter Zec, initiator of the red dot design award and president of Icsid, an international umbrella organisation of industrial designers.
Count this interview as a personal highlight of mine from MINI United. Mr Hildebrand is not only the head of MINI design but a charming (and at times humble) personality who you can’t help but be disarmed by. We talk about what went into designing the R56, how big a MINI can be while still a MINI and we even touch on the often discussed center stack of the new car. For anyone interested specifically in design, you won’t want to miss this.
The website km77.com has managed to catch the new MINI Clubman completely undisguised while doing a photo-shoot for a commercial recently. While almost the entire car had been seen in previous photos over the past year, in these images we finally get to see some of the rear details that have been hidden all this time. Be sure to check them out below:
We’ll be organizing the photos a bit more later in the week for a large photo post. Also keep an eye out for our full MINI United 2007 recap coming in the days ahead. But until then, have a look below:
(Official MINI Press Release) For this Dutch seaside town, summer has never begun quite like it did this year! Over the course of three days, more than 8000 MINI fans from 50 different countries flooded the Circuit Park on the North Sea coast for the MINI United Festival 2007. Under the banner of ‘Friends. Festival. Challenge.’, the worldwide community of MINI fans enjoyed a unique mixture of racing atmosphere, party and lifestyle. It even exceeded the resounding success of the MINI United premiere in 2005. The event underscores the growth of the MINI community and the enjoyment of the MINI brand, lifestyle and sense of community seems to be limitless.
With the North Sea on the one side, and a sea of 3000 MINIs on the other covering the town’s roads and car parks, Zandvoort was certainly the perfect location for the biggest MINI festival ever. Many of the guests had travelled a long distance to be there and join in the action of the MINI United 2007. The longest journey of all was undertaken by Yuliya Tkachenko from Krasnodar in Russia: She left her home seven days before the festival began, travelling some 4200km in her MINI to be sure of arriving in time for the event.
With Summer now in full swing and the end of June looming, it’s time to recognize the photographers who provided us with some fantastic imagery during the month of May. The beautiful Spring weather here in the US has given us all some excuses to get out to motor a bit and fortunately many of you are carrying your cameras along!
This fourth installment of the MotoringFile Photo Contest saw an even gross of eligible images from the MotoringFile Flickr group with subjects ranging from cute couples and high-mileage MINIs to bouts of obsessive detailing and mean curves. One of the reasons it takes us so long to get through all these wonderful shots is that we keep getting sidetracked looking at more cool photos!
And so, without further ado, we present this month’s winners!
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1st Gen MINI R50: One & MC Coupe R52: All 1st Gen MINI Convt. R53: MCS Coupe 2nd Gen MINI R55: Clubman R56: One/MC/MCS Coupe R57: One/MC/MCS Convt. R60: MINI SUV
Sections: R56 Jun 30th, 2007 21 Comments 
