Dec 4th, 2011
For the second year in a row, MINI has been ranked #1 in customer satisfaction for mass market brands. Sharing the #1 spot with Lexus in the luxury brand category. This isn’t about satisfaction with the cars themselves, but rather peoples’ satisfaction with the purchase experience at the dealership.
MINI ranks highest among mass market brands for a second consecutive year. Buick and GMC, respectively, follow MINI in the mass market segment rankings. The mass market brands with the greatest improvement from 2010 are Volkswagen (moving from 13th rank position to fourth), Scion (moving from 11th rank position to fifth) and Nissan (moving from 18th rank position to 12th).
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Sep 13th, 2011
The latest version of MINI’s turbocharged Prince engine features variable valve timing, direct injection and a tall torque plateau that starts early and pulls the Cooper S forward with plenty of gusto. It even does heavier duty under the bonnet of the Countryman. The 2011 model year upgrades to the Prince engine brought adjustments to the power band and solved nagging issues some owners found with their R56s. So it’s little surprise that Wards has named the updated Prince to its Top Ten list of Engines for 2011.
Another new engine on this year’s list is the 1.6L turbocharged direct-injection I-4 that packs a mighty punch in the MINI Cooper S. With a specific output of 113 hp/L, this package quickly rose to the top of a crowded field of new small-displacement 4-cyl. engines in this year’s competition.
The latest “Prince” engine in the Cooper S is assembled for BMW by PSA Peugeot Citroen in Douvrin, France, and integrates BMW’s excellent Valvetronic fully variable valve timing system, which enhances power and fuel efficiency. Driven hard, this prince of an engine still musters better than 34 mpg (6.9 L/100 km) during our test drive.
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Jul 28th, 2011
Official Release: Driving pleasure, premium quality and reliability guarantee the latest models from the BMW and MINI brands the highest acclaim in international automobile markets. That has been confirmed yet again in a recent study conducted by international market research firm J.D. Power. In its latest customer survey – the Automotive Performance and Layout Study (APEAL) – assessing satisfaction levels among North American new car buyers, the BMW 5 Series range, BMW X3, BMW Z4 and MINI Countryman emerged as winners of their respective vehicle segments. In addition, four more models from the BMW Group finished in the top three of their category. This tally means the BMW Group boasts the highest number of segment winners of all manufacturers in the latest APEAL survey. continued →
Mar 14th, 2011
Moving up from last year’s fifth place finish, MINI sits atop the J.D. Power and Associates’ 2011 Customer Service Index Study in the category of dealer service in the mass market segment. Lexus topped the Luxury category with MINI parent company BMW down in seventh place. The study covers the first three years of ownership, measuring owner satisfaction regarding visits to dealers for service, maintenance and repair work. The survey covers five main areas: quality of work done, ease in getting appointments, the performance of the service adviser, the facilities themselves, and the experience of receiving your vehicle again. Congrats to MINI for coming out on top. Full table of results after the break. continued →
Jan 26th, 2011
Let’s be honest. The back seat in the MINI is a bit diminutive. However, that didn’t stop members of the Pilobolus Dance Company from cramming a world record-breaking 26 people into a standard MINI Cooper. That’s with doors shut and the roof closed, people. It’s quite a feat of human acrobatics. They don’t even fold the rear seats down. You can watch the video here and remember, the safety word is “pineapple.” (Video after the break) continued →
Jan 14th, 2011
German automotive publication Automobilewoche, a sub-publication of Automotive News, has named the MINI “Car of the Decade.” Our german is a little rough, but what we’re able to glean out is that while Ford’s Fiesta and VW’s Golf family of cars outsold the MINI from 2000-2010, the MINI deserves the honor because it’s been a game changer. More specifically, the MINI has created an entire car segment that previously didn’t exist: The Premium Small Car. Big congrats to MINI and a big thanks to Gert H. for sending us the news.
Dec 9th, 2010
Auto Industry analysts Ward’s has announced their Top Ten engine winners for this year and among the results are two power plants from BMW Group. First, a 3.0L Turbo straight six from BMW, then the newly revamped inline four from the MINI Cooper S. It’s a diverse list of winners, which includes motors from both the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf. Each winner was chosen not just for its technological advancement, but for the stand-out performance they offered the vehicles they propel.
“We have something for everybody on this year’s Ward’s 10 Best Engines list,†says Drew Winter, editor-in-chief of Ward’s AutoWorld magazine. “It’s the most diverse mix we’ve ever had, as well as the most technologically advanced.â€
You can see the full list, plus commentary from Ward’s on the winners here.
