And once again ladies and gentlemen, Markko Martin driving the hell out of the Countryman WRC. Look for the car to lose it’s camoflauge in a few months and make it’s rally debut in the first half of next year. Also be on the look out for a surprise concept based on the car above at the Paris Motorshow.
Now, turn it up and hit full screen. (more after the break) continued →
One of the worst kept secrets of the MINI world has been the Cooper SD. We reported on it almost a year ago and have even shown you pictures of the engine. Now MINI has been caught red-handed by Worldcarfans.com with a pre-production model out on the streets of Munich.
First some facts. This engine is a modified version of the 2.0 turbo diesel found in the BMW 1 and 3 Series. We expect that it will produce around 141 hp (143 PS) and 221 ft lbs of torque. That’s around 20 ft lbs more than a JCW. Most news outlets are reporting that it will have some unique bodywork. We believe (based on photos and sources) that there will be no difference in the way this car looks over the standard Cooper S with the exception of the lower plastic grille. In an effort to allow for more cooling MINI has opened the mesh pattern up further. Otherwise the little “D” badge on the back will be the only way to tell the two apart. continued →
The Countryman WRC testing continues as this week the team is in Portugal working on the gravel set-up. We love the sound (yes that is based off of the 1.6L found in the JCW) and love to see this thing finally launching itself through the forest. We’ll be seeing a lot more of these kind of videos over the next six months as Prodrive gears up for a full assult on the WRC in the middle of next year. (more video after the break) continued →
MINI’s city car is real and will debut in concept form sometime over the next year. That’s what sources are telling us as new information continues to leak out.
The mini-MINI will be based off of the current R56 platform but will be shortened to original Mini proportions. Sounds like a perfect platform for BMW’s new three cylinder engine doesn’t it? That’s what BMW thinks as well and we expect the 3 cylinder power plant to debut in the new Mini city car before it makes its way to the R56 replacement’s lower model ranges.
What we don’t know is how MINI will alter the seating layout. Given modern crash standards a 2+2 layout that the classic Mini had would be impossible. We expect the small MINI (or Minissimo as Autocar calls it) to either adopt a 2 or 2+1 seat layout similar to the Toyota IQ. continued →
Everyone except Gabe in tonight to cover news from MotoringFile, some Ask Chad and even a content portion of the show. Bonus, we managed to get more than a little distracted during news to talk about other cars and scooters.
If you missed MTTS but still want the chance to have a look at the Countryman (look but not touch), keep an eye on your local dealer. We are noticing a few display cars showing up on dealer lots here and there for a few days. Worth watching for if you want to check this MINI out. Also, Todd thinks that the US might be able to get delivery in January, time enough to use your MTTS discount coupon. Don’t worry, we are keeping a very close eye on this for you!
Woofcast 350:
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MotoringFile would like to officially congratulate RSR Motorsports for yet another fantastic effort this weekend in the Grand-Am series.
Official Release: MINI USA congratulates RSR Motorsports on their second-place finish this evening in the Salt Lake City 200 held at Miller Motorsports Park. This marks the third podium in a row for the both the team and car No. 198. During the 2010 season of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, the RSR team has achieved two wins, a second and a third place finish – the best season ever for a MINI racing team.
Official Release: The BMW Group has been named as the automotive industry’s Supersector leader for the sixth consecutive year, and is therefore the world’s most sustainable automobile manufacturer. This was the conclusion of the SAM Group, published in its latest evaluation for the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). The BMW Group is the only company in the automotive industry to have been listed in this important group of sustainability indexes every year since it was established in 1999 and named Supersector leader for each of the past six years. This year, the BMW Group is also the only German company to be ranked among the 19 Supersector leaders worldwide. continued →
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Sections: Countryman WRC, R60 (Countryman) Sep 16th, 2010 7 Comments 
