The three-night trip will cover some of the most beautiful and historic parts of California’s Gold Country and Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range. The first night’s stay will be in Oakhurst, followed by Murphys the second night, and then Mammoth Lakes for our final night. Our route will take us along Highway 49, where California’s Gold Rush took place 162 years ago. Some of the original mining-town buildings are still in use today and walking down these streets is like stepping back into the wild west days. Our overnight in Murphys will include an optional Sammy HagarFor more information and discount hotel codes for the event check out the SCMM Newsletter (page 9). NorCal MINIs Members Richard and Sharon Stevens have already signed up to go and will leave from the Bay Area. Contact them if you would like to caravan.
concert at the Ironstone Vineyard Amphitheater. The next morning we’ll cross the Sierra Nevada over breathtaking Monitor Pass on our way to Mammoth Lakes for the final evening of festivities
We strongly recommend you get a turbo model--Clubman S or Clubman JCW--as the increased level of performance is very noticeable and simply so much fun. The same can be said for the difference between the standard manual transmission and available auto.He then refers the reader to TheCarConnection for a thorough review. TheCarConnection gave the Clubman an overall rating of 8 out of a possible 10.
Thomas Salkowsky, manager of Mini brand marketing, says that in spite of an increasingly clutch-free world, about 34% of buyers of the Clubman, the Mini Cooper convertible and the hard top buy the manual version, and that even for the AWD version of the Countryman, Mini's answer for a crossover, the manual take rate is about 30%. In New England, according to Salkowsky, it's a 50/50 split between auto and manual, and even in highway-bound L.A. it's about 15%. That's a huge percentage, given the national average. AOL Auto's editor, Kirk Seaman, wrote last year that back in 1985 22.4% of all vehicles sold in the U.S. came with a manual transmission. By 2007, it was 7.7%. AOL Autos says last year it was about 5.5%.To capitalize on this lead in manual transmission sales MINI has recently launched a new marketing campaign - "Manualhood." The campaign touts rowing your own gears complete with car stickers that tell passers-by that the vehicle has a stick. There will also be posters and car toppers; a "Manualhood" Motoring Manual; a phone number, 855-Manual-Up (as in "man up") with a humorous message about what it means to be in the 'hood; and MINI dealerships will have a manual-shift car set aside for test drives with "Manual Up" signage.
On the highway, the MINI Cooper S’ sports button was useful, as it made the vehicle more powerful. Reaching over 180 kilometers per hour (111.8 miles per hour) was easily done, but the vehicle was a bit hesitant to go north of 190. Still, the MINI was a satisfying drive, fast or slow.
The current two door MINI Cooper lineup, which includes the MINI Cooper SE, MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S, ranges from 30.5 million won ($29,000) to 40.1 million won. If you’re looking for more excitement in your drive, the MINI may be a good pick for you. And as the MINI slogan goes, “Please do not tease or annoy the MINI.”
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| [Photo Credit: Auto Atlantic MINI] |
Event highlights include the MINI Cooper Cruise down Highway 40 in Winter Park starting at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug., 4, ending with a live concert at Hideaway Park. On Friday, Aug. 5, the first MINI of Loveland Auto-X will take place in the Vintage Hotel parking lot using the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the BMW Car Club of America’s equipment.
On Saturday, Aug. 6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., PEAK Eurosport presents the NUF! Car Show in The Village at Winter Park, where over 30 MINIs will be on display to the public, including a few classic Mini Coopers. Here’s the full schedule, and for more information go to www.minisinthemountains.com…
1. Fun small SUVReviewer John Heilig concludes:
2. Mini-ness in a bigger package
3. Solid performance
4. Go-kart handling
5. Solidly built
My wife wouldn’t let me buy an original Mini (wisely). She also wouldn’t let me buy an MG 1600. She might let me buy a Countryman, but I think she’d still opt for something larger.
Bottom Line: Got stuff to do? It’s great for getting there in a hurry, but not created to stuff a bunch of things in the trunk. Perfect, happy vehicle for a single female with little baggage.
Zoom Factor: A convenient choice for women who like to put the hammer down.
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| [Photo Credit: GPS Wire] |
The CoCOM, or Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls, was established in the early years of the Cold War to put an arms embargo on Eastern Bloc countries. After GPS was developed by the Defense Department, COCOM limits were put in place so that the government could be sure the technology wouldn't end up in commie-guided missiles.
Of course, the Cold War is over. That your GPS stops functioning when you're moving that fast or that high (which is to say not often) is because it's a relic of a bygone age.
Today's Mini Cooper builds on the heritage of the tiny, front-wheel-drive car that began with the British-built Mini back in 1959. This small hatch offers a compelling combination of engaging driving dynamics, retro-fun styling, and cutesy add-ons (like Union Jack mirror housings and rally stripes). Slightly larger than the similarly retro Fiat 500, the Mini Cooper is nonetheless ideal for constrained parking spots thanks to its 146.6-inch length and 66.3-inch width.
The Mini Cooper hardtop and convertible provide seating for four people, but the rear seats are quite small. Still, the chic Mini has gained favor with hip commuters, while weekend racers have gravitated to the more powerful S and John Cooper Works models. With a 35.1-foot turning circle and compact dimensions, the Cooper will easily slot into the tightest of parking spaces and look good while doing so.
In a recent study conducted by Kelsey Mays of Cars.com, she used a 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350 to find out what the real difference was in fuel economy. Normally, the car gets 31.7 mpg, but with the top down, the car lost 4.4 miles per gallon, an overall 14% decrease occurred.The loss of gas mileage is due to too much wind. As the article concludes:
Despite many attempts by automakers, so far none have succeeded in wind reduction. Maybe they aren’t thinking far enough outside the box, or maybe it is simply impossible to avoid.
The technical department of the MINI WRC Team has done a good job of ensuring that [drivers] Dani [Sordo] and Kris [Meeke] have two well-prepared cars. No easy task, particularly in Finland. The Rally Finland has certain perils that make a complex technical set-up of the car essential. On the one hand, the many jumps demand harder suspensions with a larger spring travel. On the other hand, the car should lie as low as possible in the corners and have good balance in order to be able to use maximum traction.
"Not many teams have found the right combination for Finland in the past," says Finland expert and Mini legend Rauno Aaltonen. In order to find the right formula for Finland, Aaltonen is working closely with the MINI WRC Team and will be available in a consultant capacity during the rally.
Another challenge is the rally's profile, which features a combination of fast sections, some tight corners and many spectacular jumps. In addition, six new special stages are planned for this year. For this reason, the organisers have scheduled three days for the route inspection and co-drivers Carlos [del Barrio] and Paul [Nagle] met on-site last Friday to evaluate the key sections of the 1355-kilometre rally.
. . . most of you have seen BMW's wild camo tape on their prototype test cars that prevent photographers and the public from figuring out the styling. Well, sister company Mini took this idea when the Countryman was introduced and ran with it -- all the way to the insane asylum.
Dubai: AGMC, the official BMW Group importer in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah, has sold a total of 2,014 BMW and Mini cars in the first half of this year, marking a 29 per cent increase over the same period last year.The MINI hatch and Countryman accounted for most of the MINI sales.
The 2014 MINI Cooper is a hybrid vehicle unlike any other. The front wheels are connected to a gas motor, while the rear wheels run on a completely unattached electric motor. The car switches from gas to electric depending on the speed of the car and the driving conditions. This fascinating hybridization movement is thanks to a one-of-a-kind partnership between parent company BMW and the European car maker, PSA Peugot Citroen. Together, these two superstars of car engineering have created a new generation of affordable hybrid cars, specifically designed for the MINI Cooper line.The article further claims that the MINI Hybrid will not be just one car but a series - "Different versions are expected to be seen, ranging from the typical MINI Cooper to the Countryman."
When I have my midlife crisis, I'm going to have it in one of these.
“Finland is a really nice rally and what I would call typical of the sort you would expect in a World Rally Championship. I think I have done it about five times and always enjoy it. I also like the fact there are always lots of spectators, and I think maybe the most on any rally in the championship. It is an exciting rally to do as the roads are fast, we have lots of crests and there are big jumps. You really have to concentrate on all the stages as you are driving flat out, and in many ways it is like being on a race circuit. I was really happy after our test last week in Finland, as the car felt good, so I am going there with a lot of confidence for our performance in this rally.”Meeke said:
“I have been to Finland twice before, but never in a WRC car. You have to treat this rally with respect, as it is most specific with regards to knowledge and I don’t have that knowledge, so I am going to treat it with caution. On some events you can make the pace notes and then drive a hundred per cent, but not here as there is a third dimension with the jumps. However, I am rally-hungry and can’t wait to get back after the long gap since Sardinia. The three day test we did last week went well, and I had a good feeling coming away from it. At the end of the day, that is what this year is all about, getting to know the car and the events.”
The three-night trip will cover some of the most beautiful and historic parts of California’s Gold Country and Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range. The first night’s stay will be in Oakhurst, followed by Murphys the second night, and then Mammoth Lakes for our final night. Our route will take us along Highway 49, where California’s Gold Rush took place 162 years ago. Some of the original mining-town buildings are still in use today and walking down these streets is like stepping back into the wild west days. Our overnight in Murphys will include an optional Sammy HagarFor more information and discount hotel codes for the event check out the SCMM Newsletter (page 9). NorCal MINIs Members Richard and Sharon Stevens have already signed up to go and will leave from the Bay Area. Contact them if you would like to caravan.
concert at the Ironstone Vineyard Amphitheater. The next morning we’ll cross the Sierra Nevada over breathtaking Monitor Pass on our way to Mammoth Lakes for the final evening of festivities
