Section: MF Feature

April 2012 MINI Worldwide Sales Flat, YTD Sales +8.6%

MotoringFile Sections: MF Feature May 8th, 2012 No Comments

As with the MINI USA sales numbers, fewer business days in April led to flat year-over-year sales in the wide world, yet overall sales for the year are up nearly 9% over 2011. Here’s the official breakdown:

[Official Release] With 23,789 vehicles delivered in April, worldwide sales for MINI remained at last year’s level (prev. yr. 23,839/ -0.2%). In the month under review, MINI achieved strong growth in several European countries such as France (1,569/ +22.2%) and Italy (1,652/ +13.9%), however there was lower demand in southern European countries such as Spain and Portugal. The brand also experienced dynamic growth in Asia, such as in Japan (1,353/ +32.4%), China (1,905/ +36.1%) and Korea (450/ +50.0%). The new MINI Roadster has had an excellent start with nearly 2000 units (1,976) already delivered to customers since its launch at the end of February. Year-to-date, MINI sales are up +8.6% with 92,000 units compared to 84,699 in the first four months of 2011.

[Source: BMW Group]

The Rolls Royce MINI Goes On Sale at Harrods

MotoringFile Sections: MF Feature Apr 17th, 2012 6 Comments

[Official Release] The MINI Inspired by Goodwood is the most ambitious and luxurious special edition model the brand has ever launched. To celebrate delivery of the first customer cars, a single example is going on display in prime position at Harrods, the world’s most aspirational shopping destination.

The MINI which takes inspiration from the design team at Rolls Royce Motor Cars, forms part of a specially created window display. It is also visible from inside the iconic Knightsbridge store, allowing shoppers, pedestrians and drivers on the busy Brompton Road to see it. continued →

White Roof Radio #417

MotoringFile Sections: MF Feature Mar 13th, 2012 No Comments

News from Motoringfile, including an interview with Rob Pasaro, Head of the BMW App Center Mountainview. And as Todd prepares for his actual birthday celebration, he continues his quest to remind you of famous people who were born this month.

Moving on to Ask Chad, one of the questions was about Cooper exhuast systems. The ones we mentioned in this episode are the Megan Racing, Magnaflow and the Borla. Since we are talking Cooper, we also have a bead on a JCW Sound Kit for the R50 if you are interested. You can hear Todd’s original review here.

Woofcast 417:

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Download| 1:19:10 | 39mb | WRR @ iTunes | Show Notes

BMW Group Targets Another Record Year for 2012

MotoringFile Sections: MF Feature Mar 13th, 2012 No Comments

Official Release: The BMW Group is confident about the current financial year after a record year in 2011. “We are targeting new highs in sales volume and pre-tax earnings for 2012”, stated Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG at the Annual Accounts Press Conference in Munich on Tuesday. The Automotive segment remains on course to achieve an EBIT margin of between eight and ten percent, in line with our long-term profitability targets. Provided that the global economic climate does not take a turn for the worse, the BMW Group forecasts an EBIT margin in 2012 for the Automotive segment at the upper end of this corridor. continued →


MF MINI Winter Wallpaper

MotoringFile Sections: MF Feature Dec 23rd, 2011 2 Comments

Just for MotoringFile readers, here’s a special set of MINI winter wallpaper. These shots come from MINI’s recent Snowman event in Innsbruck, Austria. Sizes are 1600×1035. Get the full set here, or see them all after the jump. Enjoy. continued →

MF Vault: Five Year Anniversary of the JCW GP

MotoringFile Sections: JCW GP, MF Feature, MF Vault Nov 29th, 2011 29 Comments

Here at MotorongFile we’re making December JCW month to celebrate five years of the GP as well as discuss the future of the brand. And there is no better way to start this celebration than re-running some of our favorite pieces on the mythical JCW GP over the years. Today we give you the first of three articles from the MF Vaults that tell the story of the most special (new) MINI made yet. We’re going to talk about the details behind the car as well as another epic drive in it. Finally we’ll focus on the future of JCW. But today we want to present our very first full review of the GP as it was posted on MF almost five years ago to the day.

The MINI JCW GP is the ultimate expression of factory performance for the first generation MINI. It’s a car that eschews most of the typical compromises to focus on performance both at the road and track. But what’s it like to actually live with a GP for a week? Is it a car that can become part of daily life or does the lack of compromises make it less useful as regular transportation? With all the recent GP reviews over the last few months we thought it was more appropriate for our review to focus on these questions rather than simply the basics covered elsewhere.

My week with the GP started with frigid temps and salt encrusted roads. Having driven in winter conditions since I had my license, I was generally prepared for the lack of grip. But it’s hard to be truly prepared for the power of the GP if you haven’t driven a seriously modded MINI or JCW MINI. And it was that power that made winter or cold weather driving so interesting and at times fun.

continued →


Steve Jobs Changed Our World

MotoringFile Sections: MF Feature, Opinion Oct 5th, 2011 12 Comments

It’s rare when someone affects our lives as much as Stve Jobs has. Whether you have an iPhone in your pocket or not, Steve Jobs has defined our technological present and future more than any one man in the world. And today he passed away at a young 56.

When the iPod Mini was released, Steve said Apple was inspired by the minimalist design of the MINI itself. He thought the MINI was cool because it was small. Less is more was the idea and the iPod Mini delivered on that in a new smaller form-factor. Why does it matter to us? Because here was a man that created the future by looking at what was around him. In this case it was the MINI that inspired his team. In other cases it was the button on a Lecia Camera. Whatever the situation was, Steve took what was right in the world and created something inspired and new. And ultimately something that changed the world in which we live.

Steve and the people at Apple have inspired automakers like MINI and BMW to create in different and distinctive ways. MINI Connected and BMW ConnectedDrive are here (more or less) due to Apple. But you could go further in saying that BMW’s recent gamble and total re-think of it’s brand with BMWi is more inline with Apple’s re-invention (and Steve Job’s mantra of ‘Stay Foolish’) than anything from BMW in its history. And one could make the argument that the closest automotive equivalent to what Apple has done recently is actually the launch of the original Mini in 1959.

In any case, Steve, we will miss you greatly. continued →

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MINI Model Cheat Sheet

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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'12 JCW Coupe
'11 Fiat 500 Sport
'11 Tesla Roaster 2.5 '11 Countryman Comparo
'11 Cooper S Hatch
'11 Countryman MCS (FWD)
'11 Countryman MC (auto)
'10 Mayfair MCS (auto)
'11 Countryman MCS (ALL4)
'10 MINI E
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'09 JCW Hatch
'09 JCW Clubman
JCW Stage I vs JCW Stage II
'08 Clubman S (Auto)
1st Drive: '08 MINI Clubman
'08 Smart Fourtwo
Comparison: '08 BMW 135i
'06 R53 MCS vs '07 R56 MCS
'07 R56 JCW (Stage 1)
'07 MINI Cooper S Long Term
'07 BMW Z4 M Coupe
'07 MINI Cooper & Cooper S
Audio: '07 MC/MCS at the Track
'06 JCW GP Long term
Reader Review: JCW GP
'06 JCW Cooper S Long Term
Comparison: '06 Lotus Elise
Comparison: '06 Mazda MX5
Comparison: '06 UK Focus ST
Comparison: '06 Civic Si
Comparison: '04 TVR T350
Comparison: '06 Nissan 350z
Comparison: '06 VW GTI w/DSG
Podcast: Cooper S Auto
Podcast: BMW 325i
Podcast: JCW MC Soundkit
'04 JCW MINI Cooper Tuning Kit
'05 MCS: One Month Review
'05 MCS Auto
'05 JCW S 1st Drive
'05 MINI Cooper
'05 MCS Conv. Long Term
'05 MINI Cooper S
'05 MCS Cabrio 1st Drive
'04 JCW MCS First Drive
'04 MC w/JCW Tuning Kit
BMW M3 SMG Vs. MCS
'04 MINI Cooper CVT
'02 MCS 3 year Review
Autocrossing the MINI Range

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Performance Accessories:
M7 Rear Chassis Brace
R56 JCW Engine Kit
R56 JCW Suspension (Long-Term)
R56 JCW Suspension (Track)
R56 JCW Suspension (Street)
R53 Craven Speed Short Shifter
R53 M7 Understrut System
Kumho Ecsta SPT Tires
R53 M7 Strut Tower Plates
R53 JCW Alcantara Wheel
R53 JCW Brake Kit
R53 Webb 15% Pulley
R53 Helix MCSa 15% Pulley
R53 H-Sport 19mm Sway Bar
R53 MCS Supersprint Exhaust
Podcast: R53 MCS SS Exhaust
R53 JCW Cold Air Intake
Reader Rev.: R53 JCW Brakes
R50 Supersprint Exhaust
R50 Remus Exhaust
R50 Promini Intake
R50 Remus Dual Exhaust
Schroth Harness System
R50 CVT Steering Wheel Paddles

Exterior Accessories:
MINI Do More Clubman Hitch
Miniature's Receiver Hitch
OEM White Tail Lights

Lifestyle Accessories:
MINI_Motion Watch
MINI_Motion Driving Shoe

Audio:
MINI Digital SoundModul
ICE-Link Plus iPod Adapter
Official BMW/iPod adapter
ICE-Link iPod Adapter
Kenwood iPod Interface
Alpine iPod Interface
Harman Kardon Stereo

Interior Accessories:
JCW Alcantara Steering Wheel JCW Leather Dash
MCAW Auto Up Circuit
MINI Rear Camera
MINI Rear Saddle (official)
MINI Rear Cargo Storage Case
Official MINI Rear Saddle Bag
2004 MINI Armrest Reviewed
Mymini Knee Pad
MINI Bluetooth Kit
MINI Video Input
Aftermarket Bluetooth Integration
Ian Cull Auto-up Circuit
Universal Mobile Phone Holder