Category: MINI

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MINI

MINI Chilli package gets the trots

2011 MINI range

MINI has gone into crazy bargain mode by slashing $3600 off the price of its populr Chilli packge. Now buyers of any new MINI Cooper, Cooper S and Cooper D Hatch, Cabrio or Clubman can tick the Chilli box for a relatively meagre $900.

The goodies offered vary from model to model, but fear not, MINI hasn’t cut the options in line with the price reduction. The Chilli pack remains unchanged from the previous pricing. So, if you’ve not long bought a new MINI with the Chilli pack and paid $4500 for the privilege, you’ll really have the…

Full details form MINI after the break.

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MINI

I think it’s gonna be a long, long time

MINI Rocketman Concept

This funky little MINI Rocketman concept was one of the stars of this year’s Geneva Motor Show. We’ve previously heard a production model is likely and now we can start to put a date to MINI’s latest plans. According to Auto Express the Rocketman will launch in 2014.

Sized at around 400mm longer and 500mm wider than the original classic Mini, the Rocketman represents a genuine return to mini motoring. The final version will be MINI’s entry-level model and is expected to carry over the 3+1 seating configuration from the concept as well.

The Rocketman will draw from BMW’s i brand, too. That’s likely to mean the use of a carbon fibre shell and aluminium chassis, in order to keep weight down.

Ian Robertson, BMW sales and marketing director, explains “MINI will never produce a car under the ‘i’ brand—this is exclusively for BMWs—but the technology we are developing for the ‘i’ family of cars will certainly be made available for the rest of the BMW Group.”

[Source: Auto Express]

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MINI WRC

MINI WRC Rally d’Italia debut in pictures

MINI WRC

After a long build up the MINI WRC made it’s full race debut at Rally d’Italia on the weekend. Dani Sordo achieved consistent results bringing his car home in sixth place. Kris Meeke had a few teething problems and did not finish the race. Dave Wilcox, Technical Director, has a debrief on the event where he details some of Meeke’s issues.

There’s quite a break now until the MINI WRC is back in competitive action at Rally Finland (28–30 July). Dani Sordo will be back in the car this weekend, though, fulfilling promo duties at the Cornbury Park Rally Show near Oxford.

Meanwhile, here’s a small gallery of images of the two MINI WRCs from Sardinia.

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MINI WRC

MINI WRC Team: Ready to go

MINI WRC

This time next week we’ll be reflecting on the return of MINI to the world rally stage at Rally d’Italia. Can drivers Dani Sordo and Kris Meeke make an impression in the John Cooper Works WRC?

Dave Richards, Team Principal, seems quietly confident, “The MINI has performed better than we dared hope in testing and the S2000 car’s debut in Portugal was very encouraging. However, we are all too aware of the challenges ahead of us and take nothing for granted, but whatever the outcome, Sardinia will be an historic event for the entire team and everyone who has supported us to get this far.”

After the break you can see the team’s latest video and press release.

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MINI

MINI Ray is the one for you

MINI Ray

Last week the MINI Ray was launched in Australia. It’s the cheapest MINI you can buy and has a list price of $25,500.

First launched in Europe back in 2009 the MINI Ray is based on the MINI One, currently not sold in Australia. Featuring a 72kW/153Nm 1.6 litre engine, the Ray has a combined fuel consumption figure of just 5.4l/100km. According to MINI that’s good enough to offer a range of over 700km per tank.

Standard colours are Pepper White (pictured) and Chilli Red. In addition three metallic colours can be optioned: Midnight Black, British Racing Green and Velvet Silver. A choice of six boldly coloured mirror caps ensure the Ray stands out from the crowd, helped also by model-specific alloy wheels.

The Australian allocation of the MINI Ray is limited to 300 models for now and you should be able to see them at your local dealers now.

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MINI WRC

MINI WRC Team officially launched

MINI WRC team launch

The MINI WRC Team was officially launched in Oxford overnight. To celebrate the occasion, one of the team’s works drivers, Kris Meeke, took to the Plant Oxford forecourt and performed a motorkhana display in his new MINI John Cooper Works WRC. Amateur video footage of that run can be seen below.

It’s all about development for the MINI WRC in 2011 and they will take part in a reduced program competing in just six of the 13 rallies on the WRC calendar. From 2012, though, the MINI WRC Team will be hoping the lessons learnt this year will allow them to challenge the established teams from Ford and Citroën. Meeke will be joined by Spanish rally ace Dani Sordo, so the driving roster should be up to the task at hand.

Rally Jordan takes place this weekend, then in early May, the MINI WRC will debut at Rally d’Italia in Sardinia.

David Richards, Chairman and Chief Executive, Prodrive Group, can’t wait for the team’s first race, “We have been working towards this moment for more than two years and it is truly exciting to be launching the MINI WRC Team and what I believe is the most stunning car in World Rallying, the MINI John Cooper Works WRC. We have an experienced team, a talented driver pairing and, most importantly of all, a strong partnership with MINI. We are now eagerly looking forward to demonstrating the performance of the car on its debut in Sardinia in just a few weeks.”

More detail below from MINI motorsport, including a link to download the team’s full media kit. There’s over 30 pages of info to keep you interested. You can also keep abreast of MINI motorsport activities by checking out their website, which includes links to various social media.

[Thanks to Aaron for the video tip]

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MINI Motorsports

MINI motorsport readying itself for 24 hour enduro

MINI motorsport

We just stumbled across this teaser that indicates MINI will have an official presence at this year’s Nürburgring 24 hour race.

The MINI motorsport website states, in part, “MINI will also be demonstrating its staying power in the 2011 motor racing season, when it faces the competition at the demanding 24-hour race on 25 and 26 June.

“Whether at Pflanzgarten, in the Carousel or on the Döttinger Höhe: this year fans can look forward to a new challenger from MINI in the ‘Green Hell’.”

Apparently full details will be revealed soon and we’ll be on the case as soon as we know more.

[Source: MINI motorsport]

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MINI Targa Tasmania

AUSmotive heading to Targa Tasmania

Robinson/Neagle MINI JCW

AUSmotive will be returning to Targa Tasmania in 2011. We’ll be forming part of the service crew to support car #923 driven by Andrew Robinson and Dennis Neagle.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Targa Tasmania rally and it’s going to be huge. You can see a full entry list HERE.

For an insight into what working as service crew entails, take a look at our report from 2008. In 2011 you can keep an eye here, or at our Twitter and Facebook pages for updates.

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MINI

MINI Coupé prototype spied in the US

MINI Coupé

As the release of the MINI Coupé nears, public sightings are on the rise. Here, a pre-production Coupé sporting a JCW-style body kit, has been seen in California.

You can add the Coupé to the list of cars to make their first appearance at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show. It’s also expected they’ll be on sale down under before the year is out.

The Coupé and its Roadster sibling are likely to be the last models built on the second-gen MINI platform. The third generation hardtop, which will set the scene for future MINI styling, is due in 2013.

[Source: Jalopnik]

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Green Machines MINI

All-wheel drive MINI hybrid spied

MINI Hybrid AWD

Autoblog brings us new pics of a very interesting prototype vehicle, it’s a regular looking R56 MINI Cooper S hatch; regular until you see the dangly bits at the rear of the car. It’s understood the front wheels will be driven by conventional petrol power, while the rears will be driven by electric power.

Sporting a “Hybrid test vehicle” sticker not much detail is known about the car in terms of power specs and the like. It’s expected the hybrid powered model will hit the market in 2013 with the launch of the next generation MINI.

[Source: Autoblog via MotoringFile]

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MINI WRC

MINI JCW S2000 shows promise in Portugal

Armindo Araujo

Portuguese driver Armindo Araujo created headlines by mixing it with the higher spec WRC cars on the first day of competition at Rally Portugal.  Araujo had the honour of making the competition debut in the MINI John Cooper Works S2000 in the event.

By the end of Day 1 the Portuguese was sitting pretty in seventh outright, just 97 seconds behind fifth place. From there, though, a combination of bad luck and mechanical gremlins conspired against hopes of moving further up the time sheets.

Speaking after the event Armindo said, “Obviously I am sad not to have completed the rally in front of my home fans. Despite this I am extremely optimistic looking ahead.

“The set-up of the car was fantastic. Punctures are part of rallying, and the engine has been sent off for analysis. I am certain we can solve the problem quickly. We have plenty of time before the start of the Rally d’Italia on 5th May.”

It’s in Italy, too, that the MINI WRC will make its race debut with Briton Kris Meeke and Spaniard Dani Sordo at the wheel.

[Source: MINI Motorsport | Pic: Brian Butcher via Rally Buzz]

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Formula 1 MINI Motorsports

Nowhere man – part 2

2002 MINI Celebrity Challenge

In the second part of our “Nowhere man” special you’ll read all about Tom’s on-track action, after he was given the chance to share the limelight with the celebrities at the 2002 Australian Grand Prix.

Day six—qualifying

We watch the F1 cars do their qualifying sessions and have lunch with the celebs at the BMW facility. We get a great pit walk, seeing all the F1 cars up close, as well as the absolute extravagance of the teams. The weather is not good all day and the F1 cars have a tough time in their sessions. I am pretty happy, as my third place is fine, but the thought of trying to go fast in the wet is making us all very nervous. Geoff Brabham informs us in the briefing that we’re going onto the track no matter what the conditions.

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