More in our continuing MTTS 2008 coverage. This time, Todd and I talk from Road America!
We got the chance to talk to some listeners and about the event. I think you’ll enjoy this. I have since talked to Todd on the phone and he tells me he has some great stuff coming up for you later in the week, including an interview with the man that has the highest mileage MINI in the United States. Should be awesome!
Those crazy kids over at Webridestv.com have decided to see if the MINI Clubman actually handles like a go-cart by taking it to a local indoor kart track and racing it against one.
Before you go all crazy and yell foul, watch the video, the result is not what you think.
A quick warning. While not riddled with cuss words, the presenter is a bit loose with the language. No f bombs or anything, but you could get some raised eyebrows in the office.
According to Edmunds, it would appear that the US will be getting the JCW MINI at the same time as the UK, Europe and Japan.
Good news for American Mini fans: the 208-horsepower Mini John Cooper Works cars are coming to the U.S. at the same time buyers in the U.K., Europe and Japan are getting them. That is to say, right now. The U.S. is Mini’s No. 1 market.
In fact, some of you have seen the cars at your local dealer already and some will even get to drive the new JCW this coming weekend at MTTS Chicago. But it wasn’t always this way.
It used to be that an R50 (with CVT no less) fit the bill.
But that’s when my family was younger and smaller. The kids were 4 and 2, so the miniature rear seat worked fine.
But the kids, as they do, got bigger. Luckily, so did the MINI.
The 2008 Mini Clubman served as my family transport vehicle last weekend, and guess what? My kids fit in it. Now they are 10 and 8, so like the Mini Clubman, they’re considerably bigger. But also like the original Mini, I’m not sure how long even the Clubman would work as a full-fledged family vehicle. With the driver’s seat adjusted for my 6-foot frame my eight-year-old daughter didn’t have a lot of room to spare. Pretty much the same situation existed for my 10-year-old son behind my wife.
Great write up over at Edmunds. Something to think about if you are struggling to make the MINI your family car.
Mini USA vice-president Jim McDowell took some time this week to talk to the guys at NextAutos.com, the new site by Windingroad.com. Much of the information here was covered in the Fox News interview we posted earlier this month. There are some new nuggets here as well.
Recent word of 500 electric Minis coming to the U.S. is accurate (but the announcement caught them “by surpriseâ€) and plans are to have cars in the hands of actual customers “about this time next year.†That said,it isn’t clear whether these cars will be sold, leased, or otherwise disbursed. It is also undetermined whether these cars will be offered outside of California. continued →
MF Exclusive: A MINI Diesel is Coming to the US Market but it’s not the Cooper D some might expect. Instead MINI has been working on a new model designed from the ground up with an engine that will comply with laws in all 50 states. You know it as the R60, the public will know is as the MINI crossover.
The diesel powered R60 could use a new BMW derived 4 cylinder engine and will feature an urea injection system similar to the one seen on BMWs. The R60 is expected to launch worldwide in late 2009 as a 2010 model in a range of petrol engines (including the new JCW 1.6L turbo) and we would expect the diesel to be at least six months behind that schedule.
1st Gen MINI R50: One & MC Hatch R52: All 1st Gen MINI Convt. R53: MCS Hatch 2nd Gen MINI R55: Clubman R56: Hatch R57: Convertible R58: Coupe R59: Roadster R60: MINI Crossover R61: MINI Crossover Coupe 3rd Gen MINI F55: Clubman F56: Hatch F57: Convertible F60: MINI Crossover F62: Traveller
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Sections: MTTS, Podcast Jul 27th, 2008 4 Comments 
More in our continuing MTTS 2008 coverage. This time, Todd and I talk from Road America!
