Autoblog

Click above for a high-res gallery of the JCW MINI

The intrepid (and trustworthy) scribes over at MotoringFile have confirmed with their sources that the softest available suspension tuning in the brand's lineup will be standard on the high-performance John Cooper Works model, while a sport suspension or a dealer-installed JCW suspension kit will be optional equipment. MINI cites the fact that it wants the JCW to appeal to as many potential buyers as possible as the real reason for the decision, though it's a choice that's causing some ire among diehard MINI fans. Some are going so far as to suggest the brand should drop the car's brake upgrade in favor of an actual sport suspension as standard equipment.

[Source: MotoringFile]

Click above for live high-res images of the JCW Minis from Geneva

Car-obsessed readers of Autoblog may not have any problem thinking of their car as a social expression of who they are, but that's not necessarily true for the majority of the population of the world. Many people consider their car a necessary appliance, something required in life that they care little about. But recently, stylish, trendy and lovable vehicles are causing more people to form a personal attachment to their car, one that they would like to share with others. A look at social networking sites such as Facebook shows that people are interested in getting to know other drivers with the same type of car.

So, with that information established, what kind of car is most likely to attract attention? According to a recent survey by the U.K. "used car hypermarket" Carcraft shows that MINI owners are the most likely to reach out on the interwebs, with Honda Civic owners coming in at a distant second. Follow the break for Carcraft's list of the Top Ten "Friendliest" Cars, along with the accompanying press release.

[Source: Carcraft]

The Wienermobile is a marvel of American motoring, with 72 years in service and a design more memorable than any other. At 27 feet in length, the legendary frankfurter is also one of the bigger vehicles on the road, but that's all changed with the introduction of the MINI Cooper Wienermobile. At only 15 feet in length, the diminutive mystery meat machine is a more compact tribute to one of America's favorite foods, and its down-sized footprint is better for the environment, too. Oscar Mayer unveiled the Mini Wienermobile as part of a promotion celebrating the company's 125 years in business, though the company didn't say whether the MINI Cooper would remain in the Wienermobile fleet.

While it wouldn't be right for the MNI Cooper to replace the original Wienermobile altogether as the official transportation for the world's biggest hot dog, we think it's certainly capable enough to join the fleet, especially after we learned how dangerous the original can be on icy roads. Follow the jump to view some funny video of Super Bowl champion Michael Strahan checkin' out the MINI Wienermobile. He digs them chrome rims something fierce.

[Source: New York Times via AutoblogGreen]

Click above for high-res gallery of our time with the 2008 Volvo C30

We've been told for so long that hatches don't sell here in the U.S., so it's surprising to see a new crop of two-box premium cars going on sale. MINI started it with its R53 Coopers; retro flash met modern dash and it sold successfully enough to warrant an upgrade to the R56. Volvo's got the same lust for entry-level customers to its premium wares, so on the scene rolls the C30. Based off the S40, the C30 reaches back over three generations of boxy-but-good styling to a time when Swedish cars wearing the alchemist's symbol for iron had curves and a shooting brake profile. Hatch/wagon/brake/estate - call it what you will, Volvo's hoping it can call the C30 a success.


All photos ©2008 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc.

Mini is readying its R56-based replacement for the current Cooper droptop, and it will retain its cloth roof. While there's been widespread adoption of retractable hardtops, the Coop is staying soft. That's good for weight and center of gravity, so the 'vert will still handle charmingly. True to the Cooper's retro mission, Senior VP of Brand Management, Kay Segler contends that the cloth roof offers an experience more true to classic alfresco motoring. The reasoning is that traditional convertible tops open wider than hardtops, so the skyward vistas are less impeded in the Cooper, which is why they pledge to never luxe up their car with metal origami. It could also be that there's no place to put the larger roof stack of a folding hardtop.

[Source: Inside Line]

click above for live high-res images of the JCW Minis from Geneva

MINI brought out their Works versions of the Cooper and Clubman in Geneva today. Using a fleet of R/C cars and rally legend Rauno Aaltonen (The Flying Finn), they hammered home the idea that MINI's are small on size but big on excitement. We had already seen a ton of press pics so there weren't any real surprises, just a healthy appreciation for these great small cars that now have John Cooper Garage's tuning prowess added to the mix. The JCW Cooper and JCW Cooper Clubman have indeed hit the bullseye for enthusiasts once again. Featuring performance upgrades and new interior appointments, these are the cars that will be used as the basis for the MINI CHALLENGE 2008 race cars.

In JCW trim, the turbocharged MINI 1.6L four now puts out 207 HP. The resulting 0-60 should now clock in at just under 6.5 seconds for the Cooper, while the ever so slightly portlier Clubman is likely to be a tick or two slower. Unique light alloy wheels, a new performance exhaust system, upgraded suspension, and a modified six-speed manual transmission are just some of the mechanical upgrades. Aesthetically, the John Cooper Works models stand out with their distinctive body kits and unique interiors, all for a not-so-mini base price of under $30,000.

Follow the jump for MINI's endless press release.

Following the relaunch of John Cooper Works as MINI's in-house performance division, the little carmaker that could is preparing to unveil the new JCW MINI Cooper S at Geneva auto show, which is now approaching as rapidly as the hot hatch itself. Meanwhile details are emerging over what the first factory JCW will include, and it looks good.

In brief, JCW has reworked, upgraded and optimized the turbocharger, the pistons, the air intake, the transmission, the clutch, the brakes, the wheels, the exhaust and the ECU. The crew at MotoringFile, those intrepid gurus of everything MINI, says that while the bigger turbo, upgraded induction, cat-back exhaust and electronics do their part, the pistons are where it's at, revving higher and smoother than those in the conventional Cooper S. Output is expected to be around 210-220 hp (versus the stock 172 hp), with torque skipping up to 206 lb-ft. To handle the extra juice, MINI fits a heftier six-speed with a chunkier clutch, putting the power down with lightweight rims and keeping it in check with JCW logo-shaped calipers, which will join an array of the new-look emblems placed around the car. We don't yet know what the extra spec will amount to in discrenable performance numbers, but MINI has reportedly upped the top notch on the speedometer to 260 km/h (~160mph) instead of the 240km/h (~150mph) on the stock Cooper S.

All in all, the JCW Cooper S promises to amount to more than the sum of its parts, offering a complete factory performance vehicle. When the car launches next month, MINI is expected to highlight the close relation between the new JCW MINI, which will eventually be available in hatchback, Clubman and convertible forms, to the Challenge racer it prepared for the track.

Thanks for the tip, Gabe!

[Source: MotoringFile]

click above to view more JCW-related MINI images

Back in December of 2006, we reported that BMW had officially acquired the John Cooper Works garage with the intent of making it the MINI brand's official performance label, much like the M division is to BMW. Over a year later, Munich has finally relaunched the JCW division, which is headlined by the evolutionary new logo you see here.

The rebranding of JCW is more than an exercise in badge engineering, however. The new effort draws on the decades-long heritage that has been shared between Cooper and MINI, starting with the first MINI that F1 engineer John Cooper tuned and continuing through the resuscitation of the MINI brand by BMW to today's rapidly expanding second-gen range. John's son Mike Cooper continues on as chief executive to oversee JCW's activities under the Bavarian wing, which will include products for both road and track.

In addition to the one-make John Cooper Works CHALLENGE racing series (spec car shown above), JCW will also continue to offer the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit as well as a catalogue of individual components for the top-of-the-line Cooper S versions of the MINI hatch, convertible and Clubman. The bottom line is that with JCW under the same white roof, MINI can now offer even more packages and options than the gazillion choices already in store for buyers, all with full factory backing.

BMW released a bunch of retro-licious MINI Cooper JCW pics, which we've put into the gallery below along with descriptions of what you're looking at. The official BMW/MINI press release can also be found after the jump.

[Source: MINI]

We've covered the JCW kits for the new R56 MINI already, but it seems we may have gotten some of the details wrong. According to our pal Gabe over at MotoringFile who knows what he's talking about concerning all things MINI, the tiniest division of BMW has two different JCW kits in mind for the R56. We already discussed how the US version of the Stage I kit (shown above) is slightly different than the Euro kit because of the already-upgraded exhaust manifold we get in the States, but we've also learned that the Stage I that went on sale last month produces 192 HP and a hefty 199 lb-ft of torque. That makes the Stage I about equal to the previous-gen JCW GP edition because of its increased torque. But some people want to see a higher horsepower number as well, and that's where the Stage II kit comes in.

The Stage II should be able to match the 218 bhp of the JCW GP, as well as adding even more torque to the mix. The Stage II kit includes a larger turbocharger, a new intake and a reprogrammed ECU. MF is also reporting that for the first time ever the new MINI will be wearing multi-piston brake calipers. The Stage II will be sporting 4-piston pots in place of the customary single piston numbers on all other MINIs. While pricing hasn't been set, MF says the decision has been made to NOT include the JCW Sport Suspension, perhaps because of cost. Unique JCW wheels will also be available for ordering separately when the Stage II kit arrives in the second half of 2008.

[Source: MotoringFile]

What could possibly be smaller than a MINI? We're likely to find out in a few years as Motoring File reports that BMW is in the early stages of developing an even smaller model to join the MINI lineup around 2011 or 2012. The Bavarian automaker needs a new ultra small car to improve its corporate average CO2 emissions, but such a vehicle wouldn't jive with the BMW brand image. Enter MINI, which is now adding the larger Clubman model to its lineup, but will likely find itself with an even smaller car to help out its parent company. Motoring File surmises such a car could cost as little as £8,500, or about £2,000 to £3,000 less than the least expensive MINI on the market now, the MINI One (see gallery below).

A smaller MINI may actually move the retro brand closer to the car from which it sprung, the original MINI Cooper. The current car resembles the original in appearance, but is considerably larger, even more so since the second gen. debuted. The original MINI developed by Sir Alec Issigonis (on a napkin, no less) was only as large as it absolutely needed to be. It would be great to see today's MINI pumping out vehicles that adhered to that standard again.

[Source: Motoring File]