MINI USA Press Release:
Additional Member of MINI Family Offers Flexibility, Fun and Performance
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - July 29, 2007… The wraps are now off the new MINI Clubman, an all-new addition to the MINI model range. With an anticipated international debut this fall, the MINI Clubman will go on sale in Europe this November in three model configurations: the MINI Cooper Clubman, the MINI Cooper D Clubman and the MINI Cooper S Clubman. In the US market the MINI Cooper Clubman and the MINI Cooper S Clubman will be available early next year. Although US pricing has yet to be announced, the MINI Clubman is expected to be positioned between the MINI hardtops and MINI convertibles.
The eagerly anticipated MINI Clubman will be like nothing else on the road and defies convention in its concept and style. With its hallmark design elements, the MINI Clubman is clearly a MINI from every angle. Yet it is the MINI Clubman’s unique rear-end design and new proportions that distinguish it from other members of the MINI family. Read the rest of this entry »
This week, MINI.com unveiled their official MINI Clubman website which features a very slick computer-generated MINI Clubman that you can rotate and zoom in on to see various aspects of the vehicle without any “camo-tape”.
To add to the hype, various sites around the net have posted official photos of the Clubman ahead of the press embargo. I must say that if anything, the photos have made me want to test drive one .
MSNBC had a good article about BMW’s goal in “building a greener Bimmer”. They discuss the fuel efficiency gains achieved across the BMW model lineup (including MINI) that give hybrids like the Prius a run for their money. They also touch on BMW’s hydrogen research and the joint venture on a hybrid engine with DaimlerChrysler and GM.
If hydrogen doesn’t become the green fuel of choice in the future, or if global warming accelerates, BMW may have to switch gears. To hedge its bets, it’s investing $130 million to develop hybrid engines in a two-year-old joint venture with DaimlerChrysler and General Motors. The first hybrid Bimmer will be launched in 2009 — though the company won’t say which model it will debut.
Someone got pretty lucky with their video camera while cruising along the freeway. In this YouTube video, two MINI Clubmen (is that right? Clubmen?) - anyway - they were seen cruising down the road with the usual camo-tape. Pretty cool to see them out in the wild like this:
AC Schnitzer announced its tuning package for the R56 MINI this week. Although so far the modifications include suspension, exterior and interior touches, and exhaust, engine enhancements are sure to follow. All in all I like what they have done to the R56 from a cosmetic perspective. For full details, click the link below the photo.
This has to be one of the coolest videos I have seen in a while. Russ Swift does it again - this time in a MINI convertible with a very nice looking passenger if I do say so myself .
For those who do not know - some owners have discovered small areas of rust starting to form under the driver and passenger door seals of 2002 - 2006 MINIs. It appears the seal traps moisture, which is causing the rust to start forming in certain environments. If you are one of those MINI owners who have found rust under your door seals and have gotten denied service under warranty from your dealer, you may be interested in this technical bulletin sent to dealers back in January of 2007. Hopefully it will help you get your issues straightened out.
If you have been in New York in the past month or so, you just might have seen this awesome ad campaign while traveling through Times Square (click the photos for larger versions):
Special thanks to diedhairbri and TampaMCS for these awesome shots!
Last week, Forbes.com posted an article on the MINI Clubman. Nothing really new was presented in the article, but it is cool for Forbes to take notice. Here is an excerpt from the article (full version available at the link below):
The Clubman is aimed at consumers who find the current Mini Cooper too small. “We’re looking at the type of person who wants a Mini but also wants to surf, for example,” Cutler said. “It’s more adaptable to someone who does that — or someone who needs space for a dog or a mountain bike.”
Cutler said that the Clubman’s larger interior and cargo capacity will cut down on the need to contort items in order to get them into the car, as may be necessary with the current Mini Cooper.
Cars.com posted it’s Top 10 Memorable Movie Cars list and for the second year in a row, the MINI Cooper S from the Italian Job took the 10th spot. Interestingly enough, 2 of my favorite movie cars took the first and tenth spot.
10: 2003 Mini Cooper S, “The Italian Job”
9: 1959 Cadillac Ambulance, “Ghostbusters”
8: 1974 Dodge Monaco, “The Blues Brothers”
7: 1932 Ford coupe, “American Graffiti”
6: 1976 AMC Pacer, “Wayne’s World”
5: 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390, “Bullitt”
4: 1964 Aston Martin DB5, “Goldfinger”
3: 1961 Ferrari 250 GT, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”
2: 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, “Smokey and the Bandit”
1: 1981 DeLorean DMC-12, “Back to the Future”
Monday, July 30th, 2007
3 Comments 
Posted by Pedro in Modern MINI, MINI Press 
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