MotoringFile


Section: Reviews

MF Review: Tesla Roadster Sport

MotoringFile Sections: Reviews Feb 22nd, 2010 15 Comments

2011 Tesla Roadster Sport

Today we’re reviewing something outside the immediate BMW world to give you a bit more insight into the increasingly important electric car market.

Nothing prepares you for the feeling of a really fast car. Hitting 60 mph in anything under four seconds is a sensation that is both riveting and alarming (at first). But take away the sensation of that expected engine sound and your notion of speed is completely re-written.

Over the years I’ve personally had an opportunity to drive a number of fascinating cars. But nothing has prepared me for what I’m behind the wheel of while snaking through the abandoned West Loop streets of Chicago. The Tesla Roadster Sport is that good. This almost iconic electric sports car based on the Lotus Elise is both a game changer and a nod to the past in all the right ways. But more than anything it represents some part of a very bright future.

This isn’t some eco-friendly commuter car that tries hard to remind you that you aren’t driving. The Tesla represents eco technology on our terms as enthusiasts.

continued →

MF Review: The MINI E

MotoringFile Sections: MINI E, Reviews Nov 25th, 2009 12 Comments

Recently Michael from BimmerFile had a chance to spend some extended time with the new MINI E. Since neither Todd, DB or myself has had an opportunity to get behind the wheel, Michael was kind enough to take a break from his BF editor duties and write a full review – Gabe

Background

With greenhouse gas emissions on the rise and society as a whole looking for ways to combat that seemingly endless trend, lawmakers will be introducing more stringent emissions standards within the next few years. This will greatly impact auto manufacturers and the beloved internal combustion engine. We have already seen the first phases of the BMW Group’s Efficient Dynamics program, which is designed to combat emissions with the introduction of newer technologies such as direct/forced induction and Advanced Diesels. The next phase, hybrids, are coming with the recently released X6 and soon to launch 7 Series. BMWNA president Jim O’Donnell has openly stated to us that they are currently exploring turbo charged four cylinder options for BMW in the US, (6 cylinders have been the smallest BMW engines here since 1999) but that the BMW Group will not sacrifice dynamics or performance while striving to improve emissions. With that said; the basic idea is that a BMW Group product must drive well, offer performance all while being efficient. continued →

MF Reader Review: Mini Do More Clubman Trailer Hitch

MotoringFile Sections: Accessories, Reviews Aug 10th, 2009 8 Comments

IMGP0246

We’ve been wanting to get our hands on a Mini Do More trailer hitch for years but never had the right opportunity. Luckily we found someone who had not only bought and use the hitch. But also towed pretty much everything you could think of.. including a plane. Enjoy:

I ordered my Clubman (on January 24, 2008) with the “factory tow package” and was disappointed to find it deleted when I took delivery on 2/29/08. I was further disappointed when Mini of Peabody (MA) told me they wouldn’t install an after-market hitch (giving me some vague story that it wasn’t crash-tested with a tow hitch).

So I spent next 12 months on the waiting lists of MiniFini and Mini Do More while they perfected their Clubman hitches. Finally in January ‘09, I ordered and installed Mini Do More’s Trailer Receiver Hitch & Tow Wiring Harness. continued →

BimmerFile Review: BMW 335 Diesel

MotoringFile Sections: Diesel, Reviews May 16th, 2009 12 Comments

Since diesel is all the range on MotoringFile these days, we thought it appropriate to point our readers to our first diesel related review on our sister site BimmerFile. The 335d is the first BMW diesel in the in recent memory to be sold in the US and proves that efficient powerful diesels can actually come to market in the US. Something MINI Cooper D fans certainly love to hear.

+ BF Review: 2009 BMW 335d / BimmerFile

M7 Tuning

MF Review: 2004 BMW 3 Series ZHP

MotoringFile Sections: Reviews May 11th, 2009 22 Comments

Normally we keep out BMW related content on our sister site BimmerFile however this is a special case. Considering the reader interest in my accounts of selling my MINI and buying something else, I thought some of you might enjoy a full review of my new car.

It’s early Saturday morning. Spring in Chicago. The kind of hour that an auto enthusiast looks at as the golden hour. The roads are clear and the weather is back from the brink of a wretched Chicago winter.

And I have a red BMW parked in my garage. Yes the MINI is gone and I’m back to rear wheel drive with a propeller on the hood. I wouldn’t call the car “just” a BMW, yet it doesn’t quite justify a real M badge (despite the peppering of that letter throughout the car by the company). It’s not single purpose driven like the Z4 M that I’ve lusted after for years, or the perfect urban runabout like a stock manual transmission Cooper would be. Instead it might just be the best all around automobile I’ve ever owned. continued →

MF Review: 2009 MINI Convertible Cooper S

MotoringFile Sections: R57 (Conv.), Reviews Mar 16th, 2009 11 Comments

Okay so this should be pretty easy right? The R57 is the convertible version of the R56. So I can copy and paste any one of our many review of the R56, do a find and replace here and there and I’m done.

Wow that was easy. Now I can go back out and drive the thing. I’ve got one day left with the new 2009 version of the MINI Cooper S Convertible and I’m dying to get outside and put the top down. The sun is out, the temps are hovering near 60F, it’s Chicago in March and the lakefront beckons.

Yes the 2009 MCS Convertible (MCSc or R57 for short) is a chop top R56. But the culmination of this is much more than simply a roofless coupe. This new convertible truly has its own identity. For one the R56 platform just feel so much more right for this car than the previous iteration. The power delivery, the exhaust note and the more supple ride all just feel right in this car. Forget arguments about hard edge handling and raw edge performance. The R57 feels like a bigger leap over the previous drop-top than the R56 over the R50/R53 Cooper and Cooper S hardtops built from 2001-2006. continued →

MINI Magnetic Badges

MF Review: JCW Stage I vs Stage II

MotoringFile Sections: JCW, R56 (Coupe), Reviews Nov 17th, 2008 40 Comments

JCW MCS JCW

Unlike the previous Cooper S, MINI has taken a two prong approach to developing a faster MINI or the R56 MCS. First out of the gates was the JCW “Engine Kit” which debuted in July of 2007. The kit developed 192 bhp and had 201 ft lbs of torque for an MSRP price of $2100 (plus installation). But unlike the previous JCW dealer installed kit, this new kit was easily installed in an hour and relied mostly on software to achieve its performance gains. You could think of it as a kit that unlocks the hidden potential in any stock R56 MCS.

We coined the term “Stage 1″ JCW for this engine kit when it became clear through sources that MINI was creating something even faster and more powerful. In July of 2008 MINI released the “Stage 2″ or factory JCW car to the public. This car was a little closer to the original R53 kit in it’s design. Not only did it feature revised software but also upgraded mechanicals. We won’t go into details here (you can read that in our full review) but needless to say it’s fast. continued →

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Previous Select MF Features

2009
» World Debut: MINI Coupé Concept
» World Premier: MINI Roadster Concept
» Exclusive: MINI Product Roadmap Revealed
» Exclusive: MINI's 2011 Product Strategy.
» World Premier: MINI Beachcomber Concept
» Exclusive: MINI Likely to Move Some Production to Germany
» MINI Releases JCW WC50 Special Edition
» Exclusive: Rolls Royce to Create Special Edition MINI
» MINI Mid Life Cycle Refresh Coming in '10
» MINIproduct Roadmap Revealed
» MINI 50th Anniversary Models Revealed
» JCW Diesel a Reality
» MINI's Mid Life-Cycle Refresh
» MotoringFile Does the 24 Hours of Lemons
» MINI's City Car to go RWD
» MINI to Launch Progressive Activity Vehicle
» JCW Re-Imagined: Our Take on the Factory JCW
» JCW GP to Return?
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2008
» MINI JCW in Depth / MINI USA JCW Pricing
» MCS Engine's Cold Start Issue (Update)
» Official History of the Modern JCW Tuning Kit
» MINI Crossover Concept Official Release
» MINI Dealers to Sell Fiats in North America?
» MINI Challenge Race Car in the US
» MF's MINI United Video (part 1)
»
MF Exclusive: Ask Stracco Part 2
» R57: Seriously Always Open
» Factory JCW MINI in Detail
» Fiat & BMW To Co-Develop Next MINI?
» Exclusive MINI Takes the State Info
2007
» MINI Officially Updates Line-up for 2008
» New Models & Production Locations Confirmed
» MotoringFile's MINI United Coverage
» 2007 JCW Kit Officially Announced
» MINI's Top Secret Colorado Project
» 2009 Factory JCW MCS (Stage II)
» More MINI Variants Officially Confirmed
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» R56 Pedestrian Crash Analysis
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» 2007 MINI MotoringFile Q&A
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» 2007 MINI Reader Reviews
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2006
» MF Design Analysis: 2007 MINI
» 2007 JCW Accessories Revealed
» MINI Names the R55: The Clubman » 2007 MINI In Detail (Part 2 / Part 3)
» 2007 MINI Official Photos (Part 2 / Part 3)
» 2007 MINI Drops Weight
» Official 2007 MINI UK PDFs
» 2007 Nav Includes iDrive-Like Controller
» 2007 US Market Options Packages
» Hey Stracco: The Interview
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» MINI's Official R56 Preview
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» 2007 MINI Color List (US Market)
» '07 MINI Gets More Power/Less Weight
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» MINI USA Releases JCW GP Pricing
» JCW Cooper S Long Term Review
» Seven New Colors for 2007
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» Chicago Autoshow Gallery
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» 2006 JCW Product Info
» MINI Concept Detroit - In Detail
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2005
» Behind the Wheel of the 2007 MINI
» MINI Concept Tokyo - In Detail
» MINI Concept Frankfurt - In Detail
» Driven: The Nürburgring Nordschleife
» MINI Wins at Targe Newfoundland
» 2006 JCW Accessories
» US Market Color Changes for 2006
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» MotoringFile Review: MCS Auto

2004
» Details on the MCS Limited Slip Dif
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2003
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» MINI_Motion Launched
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MotoringFile Reviews

Auto Reviews:
'09 Cooper S Convertible
'09 JCW Coupe
'09 JCW Clubman
JCW Stage I vs JCW Stage II
'08 Clubman S (Auto)
1st Drive: '08 MINI Clubman
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:
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:
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




MINI Model Number Cheat Sheet:

1st Gen MINI
R50: One & MC Coupe
R52: All 1st Gen MINI Convt.
R53: MCS Coupe
2nd Gen MINI
R55: Clubman
R56: One/MC/MCS Coupe
R57: One/MC/MCS Convt.
R60: MINI SUV