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.
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 →
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 →
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.
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 →
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 →
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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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
Sections: Reviews Feb 22nd, 2010 15 Comments 
