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MINI

MINI JCW Paceman in detail

MINI John Cooper Works Paceman

After revealing the John Cooper Works Paceman late last year MINI is back with a suite of new pics and detailed press kit ahead of the car’s market launch. You can access that info after the break. Before you do a quick recap of what the JCW Paceman has to offer:

  • Engine: 1.6 litre four cylinder with twin-scroll turbocharger
  • Max power: 160kW @ 6000rpm
  • Max torque: 280Nm @ 1900–5000rpm (with overboost 300Nm @ 2100–4500rpm)
  • Weight, unladen to DIN/EU: 1400kg/1475kg (1420kg/1495kg auto)
  • Drive: All4 all-wheel-drive with electromagnetic centre differential
  • 0–100km/h: 6.9 seconds
  • Top speed: 226km/h (224km/h auto)
  • Fuel consumption (combined): 7.4l/100km (7.9l/100km auto)
  • CO2 emissions: 172g/km (184g/km auto)
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MINI

MINI performs massive backflip!

Guerlain Chicherit completes backflip in MINI All4 rally car

If you happened to be a four-time freestyle skiing world champion and a very handy rally driver you’d want to combine both sports wouldn’t you? Well, why not we ask. Thankfully, for our viewing pleasure, 34-year-old Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit just happens to fit that bill and has indeed combined his love of the snow with his love of driving.

The result is Chicherit being able to lay claim as being the first ever driver to perform a backflip in a car, in this case a MININ All4, using a static ramp (ie. without the aid of a special ramp with moving elements to boost the car’s rotational movement).

Regardless of the caveats that may apply to this bold claim, watching a car do a backflip is not something you see everyday, so what are you waiting for, check out the jump after the jump!

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MINI

MINI Australia extends JCW GP allocation to 55

MINI John Cooper Works GP

Christmas has come early for local fans of the MINI John Cooper Works GP, with an extra 25 models confirmed for Australian delivery. That brings Australia’s total allocation to 55, following an earlier boost of 10, and now 25, extra models. A nice increase from the originally announced 20 deliveries.

The JCW GP is priced from $56,900 and, unusually for a MINI, is unable to be altered from the standard spec.

MINI Australia General Manager, Kai Bruesewitz says demand for the exclusive model is running high, “Almost every JCW GP Edition already has a customer name against it and judging by the success of previous limited edition MINI models, the remainder won’t be gathering dust.

“With a total worldwide production of just 2,000 units, the MINI JCW GP Edition looks set to become an instant collector’s item and Australia punches well above its weight in securing a substantial chunk of that production.”

MINI say the GP2 can lap the Nürburgring in 8 minutes 23 seconds and call it the fastest MINI ever. The first Australian deliveries are expected in January.

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MINI

MINI JCW Paceman revealed

MINI John Cooper Works Paceman

A performance version of a two-door MINI Countryman: it’s just what the world has been waiting for! And yet, somehow, for reasons we can’t really justify, we think this new John Cooper Works Paceman is a bit of alright.

It’s based on the regular Paceman, revealed a few months ago, and features the same 160kW 1.6 litre turbocharged engine found in the more extreme MINI JCW GP. With its standard All4 all-wheel drive system and 6-speed manual gearbox it can reach 100km/h in 6.9 seconds.

The JCW Paceman will make its official debut at January’s Detroit Auto Show and will go on sale in overseas markets from March 2013. Australian buyers keen to investigate this model won’t have to wait too long either as it will be on our roads before the middle of next year.

Full details from MINI can be read below.

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MINI Video

MINI Countryman gone to the dogs!

MINI Countryman driven by Porter the dog

MINI and first class publicity stunts go hand in hand. And here’s one that will not only make you chuckle, it will also warm your heart. Awwwww.

The Auckland SPCA and MINI have teamed together to teach three dogs how to drive a MINI Countryman. The premise of the stunt suggests if a stray dog is smart enough to be taught how to drive then it deserves a home.

In the video after the break you can see Porter get his few minutes of fame, and, we hope, the path to a safe new home. We’re not sure if his classmates, Monty and Ginny, will also get their own driving video, but we wish them well too.

[Source: drivingdogs.co.nz]

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MINI

The four-door MINI out scaring the children

MINI Traveller prototype

If only this was a photo of a MINI in a Halloween costume. Alas it is a genuine four-door MINI hardtop, codenamed F55 and possibly called the Traveller. It’s based on the third-gen F56 platform and is scheduled for release shortly after the next-gen two-door MINI.

The F55 has shorter front doors to make room for the conventionally opening rear doors. The wheelbase is a tad longer and it is, in our opinion, another example of BMW watering down the MINI brand.

Others may argue that it’s a bona fide attempt to overcome criticisms the MINI is too small and that this four-door model will appeal to a broader market (read ignorant US buyers). Firstly, isn’t that the same argument used in support of the Countryman. Secondly, isn’t part of the appeal of the MINI that it deliberately doesn’t suit all buyers?

Anyway with up to 10 separate models to carry a MINI badge in future we suppose we’ll just have to get used to the ongoing mainstreaming of MINI.

[Source: MotoringFile | Pic: Gmotors]

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MINI WRC

Five questions with Chris Atkinson

Chris Atkinson, 2012 WRC Rally Italia

Chris Atkinson’s current employer Motorsport Italia has published a short Q&A interview following his sixth place finish in last weekend’s Rally Italia. It’s all pretty standard fare, tyre selection, happy with the result; stuff like that.

But the last question, and Chris’ response, tease at a possible extension of their working relationship beyond next month’s season-ending Rally de Espana.

Q: What are your expectations for the upcoming rally in Spain, the final WRC event of the season?

Chris: As always, we’ll do our best. We’re looking forward to the event. It’s always an interesting one with the switch between gravel and Tarmac set-up during the event. It’ll be a shame that the season’s over already though. It’ll be my fifth and final event this year with the team and it’s been great working with them. Fingers-crossed that soon well have something new and exciting to announce for next season!

Of course, this also gives at least some hope that Prodrive may not be the only team running MINI JCW WRCs in 2013, after BMW announced they were pulling the pin on the WRC.

[Source: Motorsport Italia | Pic: Motorsport Italia]

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MINI WRC

MINI abandons WRC, Prodrive to carry on

Chris Atkinson, WRC Team MINI Portugal, 2012 Rallye Deutschland

MINI has announced it will abandon its factory support for WRC Team MINI Portugal at the end of the current season. That means Australia’s Chris Atkinson , contracted only for the final five races of the 2012 season, will enter another WRC off-season in limbo.

BMW Motorsport has left the explanation to Dr Kay Segler, Senior Vice President MINI Business Coordination and Brand Management: “MINI will abandon its works involvement in the WRC at the end of the 2012 season. By the end of the season WRC Team MINI Portugal will have competed in every rally in 2012. As such, in accordance with FIA regulations, we will have achieved the WRC homologation for the MINI John Cooper Works.

“In doing so, we would have achieved the prerequisites to allow those interested to continue to run the car in the WRC on a customer rallying basis. BMW Motorsport will continue to further develop the 1.6-litre turbo engine in conjunction with Prodrive.”

Thankfully, then, Prodrive will continue to carry the MINI flag until at least 2018, as outlined in an official team statement: “Prodrive’s existing long term contract with MINI remains unchanged. This ensures the sales, support and development of the MINI John Cooper Works WRC and S2000 cars, as well as the supply of engines and parts from BMW Motorsport for use by all teams in the WRC, regional and national rallies throughout the full homologation period of the car to 2018.”

For their part, Motorsport Italia (aka WRC Team MINI Portugal) has acknowledged the news by saying “thanks” but not much else.

[Source: BMW Motorsport & Prodrive | Pic: Photo4]

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2012 Paris Motor Show in pictures – part 2

2012 Paris Motor Show

Here’s part 2 of our 2012 Paris Motor Show in pictures gallery, which brings you manufacturers from M–Z. Join us as we admire the McLaren P1, the Mercedes-Benz Concept Style Coupé, the Peugeot Onyx and the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo.

We’re wavering a little with our admiration of the Mercedes-Benz A Class, but nothing can hide our amusement at the Nissan Terra or Vauxhall Adam, which must be a huge practical joke. We’re also lamenting the fact Seat has lost its styling edge with the new Leon and that Skoda has taken a step back with the incredibly bland looking Rapid.

And, of course, the Volkswagen Golf GTI is the model we’ll probably take home in the future.

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MINI Motor Shows

Paris 2012: MINI JCW GP & Paceman in video

MINI John Cooper Works GP

MINI has two shining lights at Paris this year, the strictly limited John Cooper Works GP (30 of which are coming to Australia) and the two-door Countryman, otherwise known as the Paceman. Here’s the best videos featuring both cars filed from other people’s correspondents.

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MINI

2013 MINI Paceman revealed

2013 MINI Cooper S Paceman

The wraps have officially come off the new MINI Paceman and if you’ve always had a hankering for a three door Countryman then this is the car for you. Shown here in Cooper S trim we quite like what we see.

MINI is heaping all their trusted buzzwords on the Paceman, saying it has the brand’s hallmark go-kart feeling. Not content with that, they also reckon the Paceman has a muscular stance with sporting prowess.

We can’t really imagine ever buying one, but as an object we do think it’s rather nice. Hopefully, for MINI’s sake, there are many thousands of people who will buy the Paceman and we can continue to admire it for many years to come.

At launch there will be four options available in the Paceman model range. A pair of petrol powered models: the 90kW Cooper and the turbocharged 135kW Cooper S. They’re joined by a couple of diesels in the 82kW Cooper D and 105kW Cooper SD. MINI also promises a JCW version is on the way.

All models, except the Cooper Paceman, can be optioned with MINI’s All4 all-wheel drive system. While the standard 6-speed manual gearbox can be swapped for a Steptronic auto in all Paceman offerings.

Cargo space in the back of that stylish coupé body is 330 litres; a lot for a MINI. Although, for comparison’s sake that’s around 50 litres less than the new Golf. This is a Sports Activity Coupé after all, but with the rear seats folded down you do get a much more usable 1080 litres.

MINI’s seventh model is a four-seater and at the moment they’ve only given us a look at those rear seats. We expect they’re saving a few interior details for the Paceman’s official debut in Paris later this month.

Word is the Paceman will be on sale in Australia early next year. For now we’ve got 50 images, a couple of videos and more press text than you can poke a stick at. They’re all yours after the break.

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MINI

MINI Australia prices JCW GP from $56,900

MINI John Cooper Works GP

30 GPs have been allocated to Australia

MINI Australia has just announced sharp pricing for its limited edition John Cooper Works GP. Priced from $56,900 we reckon MINI will have no problems shifting the 30 cars they have managed to secure from the worldwide allocation of 2000 vehicles.

The GP2 is designed to be a track day hot hatch and boasts coilover suspension and six-pot front brakes among its special features. Its 1.6 litre turbo four cylinder engine has strengthened internals and produces 160kW.

Highlighting its sharpened focus, the rear seats and rear wiper have been removed to help keep weight down.

After making some initial inquiries with Rolfe MINI Garage in Canberra we understand all 30 GP2s coming to Australia will be the same specification. There will be no options available to buyers.

“The appeal for hot-hatch aficionados and track day racers will mean the GP edition won’t sit in showrooms for long so interested customers should move quickly,” said MINI Australia General Manager, Kai Bruesewitz.

The first batch of Australian deliveries is scheduled to be built in November for delivery early next year. We understand the remaining allocation will be built in February 2013 for April/May delivery.

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