Nov 30th, 2007
Want to turn your brand new MINI Clubman into a dump truck? No worries, MINI has an official accessory to help. The Cargo Cover (or Laderaum-Schutzdecke in German) is a large three piece insert that covers the entire rear of the Clubman making perfect for that household chore that you probably shouldn’t have even started.
[ Clubman Cargo Cover ] Official MINI Install PDF
Nov 30th, 2007
We brought a couple of these to you earlier this fall but never all in one document. So behold, detailed technical specifications o the entire 2008 line-up. A couple things to note. Due to a change in the way the US government figures MPG ratings, MINI’s numbers are down in this area. But don’t worry – nothing has changed mechanically.
[ 2008 MINI Specifications ] Official MINI USA Specs
Nov 30th, 2007
Another great review of the Clubman. This time, it’s Car and Driver taking thier turn.
When you start life as a Mini, nine and a half inches is huge. That’s how much length has been added, give or take a 10th, to create the 2008 Mini Cooper and Cooper S Clubman, née Traveller, née Countryman.
The stretched version of the Mini Cooper had this assortment of monikers during development. In the end, Countryman was discarded for conjuring up rural images when Miniphiles expect street-legal go-karts. Traveller was tossed because it had more legal issues than the others, leaving Clubman.
continued →
Nov 29th, 2007
For almost a year we’ve been reporting that the MINI off-roader (now officially code-named the R60) would either be built at BMW’s Spartanburg SC Plant or by Magna Steyr in Austria. Recently it’s become clear from several sources (and several high-ranking publications) that Magna Steyr had won out and will be building the R60 where the current X3 is produced in Austria. However in this week’s edition, Auto Express is reporting that BMW has apparently not signed the deal yet and will in fact be producing the new MINI in the US. To that we say… huh?
First off we have to admit that the Auto Express track record with recent MINI information isn’t confidence inspiring when it comes to information like this. And our sources appear to be adamant that Austria will be the production location. However the idea of the car being built in the US makes a lot more sense financially due to the current state of currency markets. Especially considering the US make very well make up the largest market for the vehicle.
That said, we still don’t believe a word of it. Expect Magna Steyr to begin production in Austria for the new MINI just in time for the 2010 model year. And expect Auto Express to continue to work hard to sell magazines. continued →
Nov 28th, 2007
Home | Interior | Exterior | Performance | Accessories, Books, etc | Audio
Welcome to our 4th annual MotoringFile MINI Gift Guide. The guide is broken up into five sections and is laid out in a wider format for more room for photos and product information. As in years past, we’ve choosen a wide array of popular gift ideas as well as some relatively obscure ones with prices ranging from free to thousands of dollars.
You can browse each section by clicking the links above. And you’ll find the same top navigation in each of the sections. And for a larger view of each gift idea, just click the image and stand back.
Happy Holidays from all of us at MotoringFile.
Nov 27th, 2007
For all those hearty folks who know what it’s like to carry salt in their boot, MINI of Canada has some MINI related winter driving tips:
[ Winter Worst Case Scenarios ] MINI.ca
Nov 27th, 2007
This is the second in a series of official releases by MINI USA that details the US spec 2008 line-up. While there may not be any new info in these releases for the current MINI owner, they represent a good read for those seriously looking at buying a MINI for the 2008 model year. Further coupe information can be found in the MotoringFile R56 section.
Official MINI USA Press Release: Go-kart-driving fun, an interior that provides the maximum amount of car in the minimum amount of space and a myriad of personalization possibilities keep the 2008 MINI Cooper and Cooper S on top of the small-car premium segment – some 800,000 units produced since the 2000 introduction of the first generation new MINI. continued →
