Aug 6th, 2013
Modifying cars ca be a slippery slope. This is the biggest slope we’ve ever heard of. (Via Axis of Oversteer).
First it was just to be the caging, full containment seat, and removing of some metal in select areas. But this soon now included a race clutch/flywheel and a Quaife LSD, as the 2003 R-53 Mini Cooper only came with an open Differential. Nothing overly drastic as far as I was concerned, especially since I really never drove the car other than to the track and back, but when Greg said he thought he could build me a custom front sub frame that sounded pretty interesting as I was looking for better handling anyway. The Mini had just been eating up the Hoosiers, never lasting more than a couple days or so. continued →
Jul 22nd, 2013
MINI’s been toying with concepts for years that show the potential versatility of the brand’s products. Now we have three new ones based on existing products. The trio each reflect different aspects of the rise in popularity of camping and festivals, creating a choice of premium home-from-home options for the traveller.
Feb 20th, 2013
This from the UK, Autocar has had a bit of fun pitting the new MINI JCW GP against a bonkers little kit Mini made out of racing bits and half a motorcycle. While one could hardly consider this a legitimate “comparison” it is a fun contrast between the two extremes of a track-only Mini mongrel and MINI’s self-described halo car. Video after the jump.
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Oct 4th, 2012
The MINI is a very popular platform for customizers the world over. While most take their cues from a street racer, tuner scene aesthetic, Polish custom car firm Carlex has gone in a very different direction with a brown leather and brass clad steampunk Countryman. Featuring the obligatory brass accents and clockwork in every nook and cranny, the photos lead us to believe that Carlex wants people to know they can do more than just custom leather upholstery. While primarily focused on the car’s interior, Carlex also pushed the theme to the exterior — setting copper wheels and trim against flat dark silver paint (or possibly vinyl). For added Jules Verne-inspired fun, their model isn’t your typical “booth babe” either. Full gallery after the jump.
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Jun 22nd, 2012
German tuning company AC Schnitzer has built a racing car based on the MINI JCW Coupe. Dubbed the Raptor, AC Schnitzer have released a video of the car claiming it to be the world’s fastest MINI. While on its face that’s a bit of an outlandish claim, the results seen in the video (after the jump) are pretty compelling. continued →
May 23rd, 2012
[Official Release] Editor of Italian VOGUE presents her one-off MINI at the 20th Life Ball in Vienna in support of AIDS LIFE.
A special car to befit a special occasion: Franca Sozzani, chief editor of Italian VOGUE, has designed and presented her very own MINI model exclusively to mark the 20th anniversary of the charity event. The model in question is a MINI Roadster, the first open-top two-seater in the brand’s history. The one-off creation, which went under the auctioneer’s hammer at the AIDS Solidarity Gala and raised a donation total of 54,000 euros for HIV projects, left the audience of around 43,000 in no doubt: this is set to be a sporty, feminine summer. Franca Sozzani decorated the roof of the 184 hp MINI Roadster – which has a top speed of 227 km/h (141 mph) – in a stylishly intricate floral design which, in combination with very “of the moment” Deepest Purple matt paintwork and gold hallmark MINI rally stripes, produced an impressively complete work of art. continued →
Feb 1st, 2012
German tuning outfit AC Schnitzer has created a series of bolt-on performance mods for the already high-performing MINI Coupé. Touching everything from the transmission to the brakes, they’ve put their spin on the new hard top two-seater. continued →
