Archive for May 2008

Live Woofcast tonight

Sections: Podcast May 15th, 2008 6 Comments

Video tonight. Click the link to watch and chat.

AC Schnitzer Tunes the Clubman

Sections: In the Press, R55 May 15th, 2008 14 Comments

As they have with the R56, AC Schnitzer has decided to turn their skills toward the Clubman.

They have boosted power to 226hp and 210ft/lb of torque. Added a new body kit and a very interesting exhaust ’silencer’ that should help keep sound levels in check with local law enforcement. Add the newly designed 18″ wheel and there you have it. Full press release after the jump.

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R57 MINI Convertible Spied in the States

Sections: R57 May 15th, 2008 11 Comments

Leftlanenews has more spy shots of the 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible. Still with the top up, but they are doing some testing here.

This MINI is due out spring of 2009. And until we get to see it with the top down, follow the link below for the most current spy shots as well as a bunch since December 2007.

You can keep up with all of the R57 news right here at Motoringfile as well, just watch the R57 section.

[ Spied: 2009 MINI Cooper Convertible in America ] Leftlanenews.com

CNet Reviews the Clubman

Sections: R55 May 14th, 2008 8 Comments

Brian Cooley from CNet Car Tech takes his turn with the MINI Clubman S. It’s an interesting review to say the least.

Of course he doesn’t like the rear pillar or the Club door. Also, it would seem he isn’t a huge fan of the Automatic Transmission either.

It’s a great way to spend 3 1/2 minutes if you don’t have anything to do. If you are a fan of the 1 Series, he does a pretty good review of that as well immediately following the Clubman review.

Thanks everyone for sending this in!

[ 2008 MINI Cooper Clubman S Review ] Cnettv.com

MINI USA’s JCW Ordering Guide PDF

Sections: JCW, R55, R56 May 13th, 2008 15 Comments

A few weeks ago we talked about timelines and general information on the JCW cars. This week we’ve got the final (and official) ordering guides from MINI USA. You can grab them below.

+ MINI USA JCW Ordering Guide / MINI USA Official PDF

For more information check out our previous story on all things JCW and MINI USA related.

White Roof Radio #244

Sections: Podcast May 12th, 2008 No Comments

To start, get used to hearing the reminder about MTTS, coming up in just a few weeks! Don’t forget to register.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for a new badge from Motoringbadges.com. The ‘I’m the Stig’ badge is very cool and it’s the next one coming!

So, live again tonight, sans Gabe. So Todd and I spent some time talking about electric cars. Of course we’d love to hear your thoughts about electric cars as well!

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iPhone your MINI: The Shure Music Phone Adaptor Reviewed

Sections: DIY, R50, R53, R55, R56 May 12th, 2008 3 Comments

This one sent in by MF regular Nathaniel Salzman. It’s a great way to get iPhone integration in your MINI without breaking the bank!

MINI iPhone integration: The Shure Music Phone Adaptor

The topic of iPod integration in the MINI is nothing new on MotoringFile. Options abound for getting your music through the speakers of your MINI’s stereo. With everything from integrated factory and ICE-LINK adaptors, to factory AUX port adaptors, to head-unit replacement. Each option has its inherent advantages of function and integration, and disadvantages of sound quality, chord management, or price.

Another common topic is that of mobile phone integration, particularly BlueTooth solutions both OEM and after market. Like with iPod integration, the available solutions vary in cost, compatibility, and function.

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White Roof Radio #243

Sections: Podcast May 11th, 2008 No Comments

Live again, audio only since I wasn’t wearing pants. Also, we got Gabe for tonight, but he was too wiped out to keep going, so tomorrow it’s just Todd and myself.

If you haven’t yet, don’t forget to register for MTTS! Remember, if you don’t register you won’t get the free bag of swag! And, if you are going to LA, come by and look us up. We will be celebrating our 3rd anniversary!

To those of you that have offered to run the WRR myspace page, I will be getting back to you later this week. Thanks!

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2008 MTTS is Coming, Will You Be There?

Sections: Events, MTTS May 9th, 2008 27 Comments

Sure the price of gas is going through the roof with no relief in site. But, if you are really a MINI person, trust me when I say this is an event you are not going to want to miss!

If MTTS this year is half as cool as MINI United was last year, it’s going to be awesome! Check out the MTTS site to get the lowdown on all of the events that will be going on. Don’t forget to subscribe via RSS or email to get those updates as they happen! Of course, the games and activities are cool to be sure, but the real reason you’re going is for the MINIs and the people. If you have never experienced a large scale MINI event, you will be in for a treat!

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BMW & MINI Win Engine of the Year Awards

Sections: Awards, Official News May 9th, 2008 9 Comments

Official BMW Press Release: Munich / Stuttgart. With six awards for five engines gained at this year’s “International Engine of the Year Awards”, BMW has successfully defended its position as the world’s leading manufacturer of efficient high-performance power units. For the second time in succession, the 3-litre straight six engine with Twin Turbo and High Precision Injection has won the overall ranking in this most significant international engine competition. The 225 kW/306 bhp engine employed in the BMW 3 Series, the BMW 1 Series Coupe and Convertible, as well as in the new BMW X6, also has repeated last year’s victory in the 2.5 to 3-litre engine category.

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White Roof Radio LIVE Tonight!

Sections: Podcast May 8th, 2008 12 Comments

That’s right, going for 3 in a row. Todd and I will be doing the Woofcast live tonight via uStream.tv.

Thanks again to everyone for stopping by and listening along! If you missed it, don’t worry, this is getting very easy for us to do and we will doing it more often than not in the future.

Check back at 9PM CST (7PST, 10EST, 8MTN, 4HST, 03GMT) for all the action. Last time we did this at night we had over 50 people. Lets try to break that tonight!

Worldwide MINI Sales up 17.5% for April

Sections: Sales May 8th, 2008 2 Comments

Official BMW Press Release: Sales of the MINI brand continued to be very positive. In the month just past, 21,463 MINI were delivered to customers, 17.5% more than in April 2007 (18,264). For the year to April, 79,680 MINI were sold, which represents an increase of 22.1% (prev.yr.: 65,244).

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Gas Prices Driving Buyers to Smaller Cars

Sections: Best of the Web, Efficiency May 8th, 2008 19 Comments

A great article via the Paper of record. It would seem that those SUV drivers are really getting tired of having to swipe their credit cards twice to fill up their tanks.

In what industry analysts are calling a first, about one in five vehicles sold in the United States was a compact or subcompact car during April, based on monthly sales data released Thursday. Almost a decade ago, when sport utility vehicles were at their peak of popularity, only one in every eight vehicles sold was a small car.

Amazing stats. Oh, but there’s more.

Sales of Toyota’s subcompact Yaris increased 46 percent, and Honda’s tiny Fit had a record month. Ford’s compact Focus model jumped 32 percent in April from a year earlier. All those models are rated at more than 30 miles per gallon for highway driving.

Not to mention MINIUSA Sales up almost 40% for April.

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Japanese Honda Powered Classic Mini

Sections: Best of the Web, Motorsports May 7th, 2008 14 Comments

You have to give it to the good lads over at Jalopnik. Besides being huge fans of the Chevy El Camino, they also find some of the coolest stuff you’ll ever see on a car. Case in point, this race-prepped Mini.

Here are things we know about this racing Mini from Japan: mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive, gigantic wheels, Honda B18c engine. We’re not sure what compelled this individual to take the original Mini platform and flip it on its head, but we’d like to see this thing take on a Renault R5 powered by an SR2ODE motor for some reason. Clearly, what the Mini has been missing all this time is Integra Type-R power.

I’ve seen this done with a MINI (mid-engine BMW 6), but not in a Classic. Crazy.

[ Japanese Mini Cooper Does Everything Backwards ] Jalopnik.com

BMW & PSA Making Engines Together (Again)

Sections: Official News May 6th, 2008 19 Comments

As we indicated on BimmerFile a few days ago (we sat on it for a while as per a request from a source) BMW would be utilizing engines similar to the four cylinder turbo specifically utilized in the John Cooper Works MINI Cooper S. Today it was all made official:

(Official Press Release) Bayerische Motoren Werke AG. will use the four-cylinder engines it has jointly developed with French carmaker PSA in BMW brand cars, chief executive Norbert Reithofer said in a pre-release of his interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. He said the future generation of the BMW 1 Series will be fitted with these four-cylinder engines. The report said BMW had previously intended to use these engines only in the MINI brand cars. Reithofer also disclosed the new generation of the BMW 7-Series, which will be launched this year, will be fitted with a new hybrid engine.

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