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Archive for January 2008

Upcoming Reviews: We Want Your Questions

MotoringFile Sections: MINI Competitors, R55, Site News Jan 31st, 2008 52 Comments

Over the next few weeks we will be not only participating in the official North American Clubman press launch but also the US launches of the BMW M3 and 1 Series as well. And while we certainly have our own agenda planned (including potentially some audio and/or video), we want to know what you hear and see knowing our ultimate goal is to make it seem like you were really there with us as we put these cars through their paces both on the road and track.

Starting with the Clubman of course, let’s hear what you’d like to know about the car. Obviously we’ll be giving our take on the car’s the performance, design and how it relates to the other MINIs available. We’ll have a chance to drive the Clubman on some amazing roads south of San Francisco and meet with the very people who designed and engineered the car.

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BMW Group Revenue at Record Levels in ‘07

MotoringFile Sections: Official News, Sales Jan 31st, 2008 4 Comments

Official BMW Group Press Release: The BMW Group has achieved a new sales revenue record in 2007. Compared to the previous year, group revenues rose by 14.3% to euro 56,018 million (2006: euro 48,999 million). Revenues of the Automobiles segment went up by 12.7% to euro 53,818 million (2006: euro 47,767 million). The Motorcycles segment reported sales of euro 1,228 million (2006: euro 1,265 million /-2.9%), while the Financial Services segment increased its revenues by 25.8% to euro 13,940 million (2006: euro 11,079 million).

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Knauz MINI

Ask MF: Service Bulletins

MotoringFile Sections: Ask MotoringFile Jan 30th, 2008 9 Comments

Motoringfile reader Kim asks this week.

Is there a quick & easy way to find out all recalls and service bulletins for my 2003 Mini Automatic? (not an “S”)

You could do a quick Google search or even search here at MF. But those won’t give you a complete list like you might be looking for.

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Clubman Accessories PDF Download

MotoringFile Sections: R55 Jan 30th, 2008 9 Comments

Yesterday we brought you the full brochure. Today, we’ve got the Clubman accessories brochure in PDF format. Again a big thanks to our friends at Morristown MINI for supplying us with the PDF.

[ Clubman Accessories Brochure ] PDF (1mb)

If you’re in the NJ area, be sure to check out Morristown’s Clubman launch part on February 15th from 5pm until 9pm.

MINI of Manhattan

Autoweek.nl Captures the R57 Up Close

MotoringFile Sections: R57 Jan 29th, 2008 25 Comments

The Dutch publication Autoweek.nl has one of the best R57 spy-shots to date. While the new pop-up roll-bar system is hidden expect it to increase rear visibility somewhat along with what appears to be a slightly larger rear window.

Expect the new convertible to debut in the spring of 2009.

[ Nieuwe Mini Cabrio speelt buiten ] Autoweek.nl

Clubman Brochure PDF Download

MotoringFile Sections: R55 Jan 29th, 2008 18 Comments

For all you Clubman fans out there who just can’t wait for launch day, we’ve got something special for you. Thanks to our friends at Morristown MINI, we’re happy to present the official Clubman brochure. You can grab it below.

And if you’re in the Morristown NJ area, make sure to check out Morristown’s Clubman launch part on February 15th from 5pm until 9pm. Food, music and MINIs!

[ Clubman Brochure ] PDF (5mb)

Check back tomorrow for another Clubman related download.

M7 Tuning

What Car? Gives BMW & MINI a Green Light Award for “EfficientDynamics”

MotoringFile Sections: Awards, Efficiency Jan 29th, 2008 1 Comment

Official BMW Group (UK) Press Release: BMW Group has won What Car?’s coveted Green Award. With EfficientDynamics introduced across the BMW and MINI model ranges as standard in 2007, What Car? rewarded BMW’s efforts with one of most coveted awards in the UK automotive calendar. The UK’s self-styled new car buyers’ bible also announced its 2006 car of the year, the BMW 3 Series, as its ‘Best Compact Executive’ car for the third year in a row. MINI Cooper S retained its ‘Best Hot Hatch’ trophy.

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White Roof Radio #218

MotoringFile Sections: Podcast Jan 28th, 2008 8 Comments

mini Gabe does a rockin’ intro to get us started and we jump right into our 2 minutes of tech talk, reminding everyone that the great RSS reader NetNews Wire is now free. Then Todd and Gabe are putting Windows on their Macs.

In February, Gabe will be going on the BMW/MINI Press Junket for Rolls Royce, BMW //M3 and 1 Series as well as the Clubman. Watch MF in the coming weeks for more information about that, including a way that you can even help with the reviewing!

And the big part we cut out last week about warranty stuff. Remember, when in doubt, check with your SA. They will always steer you in the right directions.

Finishing with a few questions from our live audience. Don’t forget, we do this on Thursdays and the next time live it will get posted on MF and here the morning of.

Woofcast 218:

Shownotes/Download | Subscribe | WRR @ iTunes

MINI Magnetic Badges

MINI Cutting Jobs at the Oxford Plant

MotoringFile Sections: Rumor Jan 28th, 2008 33 Comments

We already knew that BMW Group is planning on cutting 8,000 jobs this year, consisting mostly of temporary workers. While that surely impacts MINI’s corporate offices, we weren’t sure how that would impact the Oxford plant. Through sources we’ve now learned that MINI plans to cut as many as 90 temporary positions. As a result of this, production will be cut by approximately 3,000 cars and all shifts will be shortened by 90 minutes.

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White Roof Radio #217

MotoringFile Sections: Podcast Jan 28th, 2008 1 Comment

mini How about a little brake talk before getting going? By the way, if you are wondering, US$1,000 is pretty steep for a brake job on the MINI. It’s about the easier car to do brakes on.

Moving on to things that we either have to replace or have replaced but didn’t work. We even included a few minutes of Mac talk in there somehow too.

Plus, news of the week from Motoringfile.

We were live for tonight and tomorrows show via uStream.tv. Thanks to everyone for coming by and playing along from home! So you know, we do the show every Thursday at 7PM PST. If you would like to join us, keep an eye out the morning of because a reminder will be posted.

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Peter Doulman Talks About the MINI Challenge in Austrailia

MotoringFile Sections: Best of the Web, Motorsports, R56 Jan 27th, 2008 5 Comments

Here’s a great interview with Peter Doulman, winner of the Australian 2L Touring Car Championship in 1993, who will also be running in the upcoming Australian MINI Challenge.

“I’ve had experience working with BMW in the past so I know the quality of their product and the MINI Challenge so far seems to be an extension of that,” he said.

“They not only know how to build race cars, but with the success of MINI Challenge overseas they know how to run a professional and thriving category and we wanted to be a part of that.”

After enormous success in Germany, Great Britain and New Zealand, MINI Challenge Australia will hit Australian tracks at Eastern Creek in March.

[ Doulman To Make Tracks For First Mini Challenge Title ] NMD.com.au

MF Sunday Recap

MotoringFile Sections: Site News Jan 27th, 2008 No Comments

For it being a slow news week, we were able to dig up some great things! There was the 12 most important cars (eventhough the 50 worst was a better list), that silly fake MINI, information regarding a possible 4th BMW brand and the new JCW logo.

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2009 MINI Convertible Caught at the ‘Ring

MotoringFile Sections: R57, Video Jan 25th, 2008 18 Comments

It’s video Friday here at MF and today we have a sneak peak at the R57 MINI convertible undergoing some hardcore Nurburgring testing. While this particular video dates back to late 2007, it’s probably worth a look if your a MINI convertible fan or just hearing screaching tires around the ‘Ring.

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More Awards for the MINI Brand

MotoringFile Sections: Awards, R55, R56 Jan 25th, 2008 1 Comment

It must be award season, and MINI is cleaning up. According to Carpages, which has listed quite a few of them.

The January blues have been well and truly beaten by MINI in 2008 with new year awards from Top Gear, What Car?, BusinessCar and Parker’s Car Guides. With successes in these publications that cover retail and fleet, new and used car sales, the champagne is off the ice and the detox will have to wait!

Business Car, Top Gear Magazine, What Car and others have all bestowed some love on our favorite little car.

[ Bumper MINI Awards ] Carpages.co.uk

Ask MF (Guest Host Edition): Is JCW A Good Idea for an Older MINI?

MotoringFile Sections: Ask MotoringFile, DIY, JCW, R53 Jan 24th, 2008 27 Comments

After last week’s Ask MotoringFile marathon, we realized we still have a couple more that needed to be answered. However for today’s edition, we’ve got some professional help. The question comes courtesy of Dustin:

Is the R53 JCW kit a good idea to refresh your higher milage stock MCS? Providing that the R53 JCW engine kit still available at dealers (which I don’t know if it is or not, or how long MINI plans on producing them if they are) It would seem that the new head and SC fitted to a MINI at say the 100K mark would make the mechanicals sound for the next 100k (since the expected life of the SC is only 150k), plus the new HP would breathe new life into a car for a loyal owner.

Great question Dustin. While we like the JCW upgrade for the R53 quite a bit (and the R56 for that matter) we’re not sure if it’s the best solution if the car isn’t under the factory warranty at this point. Especially considering the cost. So in order to give you a good picture of your aftermarket options, we’d like to turn over this question to Eric Savage, owner of the renowned MINI tuner Helix and longtime friend and supporter of MF. He also knows a thing or two about brewing beer, but that’s a story from another time. Anyway, to the Eric’s answer…

The John Cooper Works package has always been a popular option for new MINI buyers for a couple of reasons: it has the prestige of a factory tuned car, and it carries the factory warranty. As far as I know, retrofitting the JCW kit on an high-mileage car does not extend the warranty on the car (or the new parts, for that matter) which makes it less attractive for the high-mileage MINI owner. The big knock on the JCW package has been its nearly $6000 price tag once installed. It is for that reason that companies such as Helix Minisports has made a living tuning our favorite cars. We can do what the JCW package does–and much more–for substantially less money.

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Previous Select MF Features

2007
MINI Officially Updates Line-up for 2008
New Models & Production Locations Confirmed
MotoringFile's MINI United Coverage
2007 JCW Kit Officially Announced
MINI's Top Secret Colorado Project
2009 Factory JCW MCS (Stage II)
More MINI Variants Officially Confirmed
MINI Clubman Official Photos and Specs
R56 Pedestrian Crash Analysis
Future JCW Vehicles Revealed
MINI USA's Motorby Pilot Program
MINI Clubman Update & Sketch
BMW To Re-Brand JCW
2007 MINI MotoringFile Q&A
MINI One and MINI Cooper D Now Official
2007 MINI Reader Reviews
2007 MINI USA Pricing and Options
MINI Unveils the Sidewalk

2006
MF Design Analysis: 2007 MINI
2007 JCW Accessories Revealed
MINI Names the R55: The Clubman 2007 MINI In Detail (Part 2 / Part 3)
2007 MINI Official Photos (Part 2 / Part 3)
2007 MINI Drops Weight
Official 2007 MINI UK PDFs
2007 Nav Includes iDrive-Like Controller
2007 US Market Options Packages
Hey Stracco: The Interview
Let's Plan: MINI Clubs & MTTS
MINI's Official R56 Preview Photos
MINI's Official R56 Preview
Next Generation MINI Revealed (#2)
'07 MC & MCS Spotted in Death Valley
2007 MINI Color List (US Market)
'07 MINI Gets More Power/Less Weight
MF Review: MINIs on the Dragon
MINI USA Releases JCW GP Pricing
JCW Cooper S Long Term Review
Seven New Colors for 2007
MINI Release Info on Next Gen Engines
Chicago Autoshow Gallery
JCW GP at Geneva (final release info)
2006 JCW Product Info
MINI Concept Detroit - In Detail
MINI Sourced Triump Still Years Away
US Connection for MINI's new Roadster
First MINI Now Triumph?
More News on the MINI Triumph Concept

2005
Behind the Wheel of the 2007 MINI
MINI Concept Tokyo - In Detail
MINI Concept Frankfurt - In Detail
Driven: The Nürburgring Nordschleife
MINI Wins at Targe Newfoundland
2006 JCW Accessories
US Market Color Changes for 2006
Getrag's All Wheel Drive MINI In Depth
BMW/MINI to Buy JCW?
Official 2006 MINIUSA Pricing
Special Editions/Package for 2006
Checkmate Options Package (USA)
JCW Direct From to the Factory in '06
Tips on How to Sell Your MINI
2006 Model Year Timeline
MINI's 2006 Color Changes
Next Generation MINI Revealed
Official MINI Armrest Revealed
MotoringFile Review: MCS Auto

2004
Details on the MCS Limited Slip Dif
MotoringFile 2004 Holiday Gift Guide
Getrag Tests All-Wheel Drive MINI
Q&A on the OutMotoring ARC Armrest
2005 Chicago Auto Show / Gallery
MINI USA's JCW GP Delivery Program
2005 MINI Changes
The Cabrio In Depth / Gallery
Special Edition MC40 / Gallery
MINI Plant Tour Review
Hood Rub Service Bulletin
2004 Chicago Auto Show / Gallery

2003
MINI Accessory Additions for 2004
CVT Paddles Retrofit
2005 MINI Spotted
Rear Fogs Almost Here
New Prince Engine Caught Testing
MINI Releases Hood Rub Bulletin
MINI_Motion Launched
MINI Conquers Snow and Ice
MINI One D Announced
MINI Named North American Car of the Year
Black Wow
Helix Minisports

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MotoringFile Buyers Guides

R50 ('02-'06 MC) Buyers Guide
R53 ('02-'06 MCS) Buyers Guide

MotoringFile Reviews

Auto Reviews:
'08 MINI Clubman
Comparison: '08 BMW 135i
'06 R53 MCS vs '07 R56 MCS
'07 R56 JCW (Stage 1)
'07 MINI Cooper S Long Term
'07 BMW Z4 M Coupe
'07 MINI Cooper & Cooper S
Audio: '07 MC/MCS at the Track
'06 JCW GP Long term
Reader Review: JCW GP
'06 JCW Cooper S Long Term
Comparison: '06 Lotus Elise
Comparison: '06 Mazda MX5
Comparison: '06 UK Focus ST
Comparison: '06 Civic Si
Comparison: '04 TVR T350
Comparison: '06 Nissan 350z
Comparison: '06 VW GTI w/DSG
Podcast: Cooper S Auto
Podcast: BMW 325i
Podcast: JCW MC Soundkit
'04 JCW MINI Cooper Tuning Kit
'05 MCS: One Month Review
'05 MCS Auto
'05 JCW S 1st Drive
'05 MINI Cooper
'05 MCS Conv. Long Term
'05 MINI Cooper S
'05 MCS Cabrio 1st Drive
'04 JCW MCS First Drive
'04 MC w/JCW Tuning Kit
BMW M3 SMG Vs. MCS
'04 MINI Cooper CVT
'02 MCS 3 year Review
Autocrossing the MINI Range

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Performance Accessories:
R56 JCW Suspension (Track)
R56 JCW Suspension (Street)
R53 Craven Speed Short Shifter
R53 M7 Understrut System
Kumho Ecsta SPT Tires
R53 M7 Strut Tower Plates
R53 JCW Alcantara Wheel
R53 JCW Brake Kit
R53 Webb 15% Pulley
R53 Helix MCSa 15% Pulley
R53 H-Sport 19mm Sway Bar
R53 MCS Supersprint Exhaust
Podcast: R53 MCS SS Exhaust
R53 JCW Cold Air Intake
Reader Rev.: R53 JCW Brakes
R50 Supersprint Exhaust
R50 Remus Exhaust
R50 Promini Intake
R50 Remus Dual Exhaust
Schroth Harness System
R50 CVT Steering Wheel Paddles

Exterior Accessories:
Miniature's Receiver Hitch
OEM White Tail Lights

Lifestyle Accessories:
MINI_Motion Watch
MINI_Motion Driving Shoe

Audio:
MINI Digital SoundModul
ICE-Link Plus iPod Adapter
Official BMW/iPod adapter
ICE-Link iPod Adapter
Kenwood iPod Interface
Alpine iPod Interface
Harman Kardon Stereo

Interior Accessories:
JCW Alcantara Steering Wheel JCW Leather Dash
MCAW Auto Up Circuit
MINI Rear Camera
MINI Rear Saddle (official)
MINI Rear Cargo Storage Case
Official MINI Rear Saddle Bag
2004 MINI Armrest Reviewed
Mymini Knee Pad
MINI Bluetooth Kit
MINI Video Input
Aftermarket Bluetooth Integration
Ian Cull Auto-up Circuit
Universal Mobile Phone Holder

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MINI Model Number Cheat Sheet:

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