Jan 25th, 2015
When it comes to tech, it’s fair to say that the US always get the cool stuff first, but this time around it seems our European counterparts have had exclusive access to a very interesting service since 2012. That service is called Google Compare and serves, amongst other things, as an auto insurance hub. In Europe, you can basically buy you car insurance through Google. As it turns out, this service might soon be available in the US. continued →
Jan 24th, 2015
Back in September, we shared our insights regarding the next MINI Countryman. The most successful MINI – after the Hardtop that is – will share the same extended UKL platform as the future BWM X1 and could come as a five and seven seater vehicle. In addition, the F60 Countryman will most likely boast similar engines currently seen across the FXX lineup, with possible diesel and plug-in options offered throughout the lifecycle of the car. Very few details regarding the exterior design have been available until now, but our colleagues at Autocar just revealed interesting tidbits on the matter. continued →
Jan 23rd, 2015
For over five years we’ve reported (and reported and reported) on MINI’s internal desires to produce a smaller car than the R53, R56 and especially F56. In 2011 MINI gave us a view of what this car could be with the Rocketman concept. While the BMW Group could not make a business case of the concept initially, we learned back in October of last year that the city car had been in fact green-lighted by the Board. Yesterday, Automobile double-downed on our previous reports and revealed that MINI designers and engineers are actively working on the Rocketman, or should we say the MINI Minor. Automobile’s Georg Kacher also indicates that the Superleggera will join the ranks of the FXX generation. Although we can’t confirm the veracity of these claims, I don’t think we could have ended the week on a better note. continued →
Jan 14th, 2015
Everything that we know is about to change! That’s a bold statement, but given the scoop Autocar managed to grab from BMW’s Advanced Engineering Department, we are in for a wild ride regarding future BMW and MINI models. According to Autocar journalist Hilton Holloway, the BMW Group is on a quest to a radical engineering overhaul which will result in reinventing legacy cars into all-wheel-drive range-extender electric cars. To comply with EU fuel consumption regulations, future BMWs and Rolls-Royce will boast unprecedented EfficientDynamics technologies, including:
- Mix of steel, aluminum and composites for body construction
- Electric motors as primary drive source while combustion engines act as energy generators
- Advanced aerodynamics to reducing air and rolling resistance at speed to a minimum
- 3D connected navigation systems that anticipate traffic and road types
Although it will require some time before the Group can pack all these innovations into a single vehicle, we’re already witnessing the efforts of the Advanced Engineering Department with the successful i3, i8, and upcoming G11 7 series. continued →
Jan 6th, 2015
I guess 2015 couldn’t start with just good news. Sunday the BBC reported that a car transporter ship was grounded in the Solent deliberately after it began to list. According to the news channel:
The Hoegh Osaka was run aground off the Isle of Wight on Saturday evening after developing problems once it had left Southampton, Ingar Skiaker, chief executive of Hoegh Autoliners said. The ship is now listing at more than 50 degrees and a salvage operation is expected to take several days. However, no oil is thought to have leaked from the ship.
Those of you familiar with the BMW/MINI delivery process know that Hoegh Autoliners is one of the shipping companies used to transport cars across the Pond. And from what we gather, it appears that 65 MINIs were on board at the time of the incident. While this is quite unfortunate, it is a relatively low number compare to the 1,200 vehicles Jaguar/Land Rover lost in the process. Although Oxford will probably shift production priorities to make up for the lost cars, US customers shouldn’t be directly affected by the incident as the ship’s original destination was Germany and the Middle-East. continued →
Dec 23rd, 2014
All good automotive press will at some point conduct long-term testing and provide updates. Car and Driver has an update on their 2014 Cooper S. continued →
Dec 14th, 2014
For your weeekend to be complete, MotoringFile recommends watching at least one MINI related video. Fortunately for you, we’ve got you covered. Our colleagues at EVO recently reviewed the F55 Cooper S and similar to the F56, the verdict is quite positive. continued →
When it comes to tech, it’s fair to say that the US always get the cool stuff first, but this time around it seems our European counterparts have had exclusive access to a very interesting service since 2012. That service is called Google Compare and serves, amongst other things, as an auto insurance hub. In Europe, you can basically buy you car insurance through Google. As it turns out, this service might soon be available in the US. continued →
