Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The all-wheel drive Mini has arrived... sorta [w/VIDEO]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/28/the-all-wheel-drive-mini-has-arrived-sorta-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/28/the-all-wheel-drive-mini-has-arrived-sorta-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/28/the-all-wheel-drive-mini-has-arrived-sorta-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The Mini Tec AWD Mini - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you want a chunky Mini CUV, you don't need to wait for the Mini Countryman - you can have this Frankenstein'd love child of a vintage Mini and a Honda engine and all-wheel drive powertrain instead. The folks at Mini Tec have bolted a Honda B20 engine up front, and then they went and built a custom subframe to house all-wheel-drive gubbins blagged from a CR-V.

The result is a stripped-out, widened Mini that rockets off the line and can even do tricks in the snow on Yokohama slicks. If you're interested in buying one, you need to provide the Honda guts and Miata parts - and the Mini. The rest - the custom fabricated subframe, body panels and A-arm suspension will run you $2,695. Check out the high-res gallery below and a video after the jump.


Gallery: Mini Tec AWD Mini


[Source: Super Fast Minis via Speedhunters]

Continue reading The all-wheel drive Mini has arrived... sorta [w/VIDEO]

The all-wheel drive Mini has arrived... sorta [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aftermarketawdb20b20 engineB20EnginecooperCR-Vhatchbackhonda all-wheel driveHonda B20honda b20 engineHonda CR-VHondaAll-wheelDriveHondaB20HondaB20EngineHondaCr-vminimini coopermini tecMiniCooperMiniTectunervtecTue, 28 Jul 2009 13:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19111348/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/07/28/the-all-wheel-drive-mini-has-arrived-sorta-w-video/19111348/article-detail.xml 19111348 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/minitec_awd_mini_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/07/minitec_awd_mini.jpg <![CDATA[In the Autoblog Driveway: 2003 VW Jetta SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil)]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/04/in-the-autoblog-driveway-2003-vw-jetta-svo-straight-vegetable/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/04/in-the-autoblog-driveway-2003-vw-jetta-svo-straight-vegetable/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/04/in-the-autoblog-driveway-2003-vw-jetta-svo-straight-vegetable/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,



One lesser-known movement in green car technology is converting diesels to run on SVO, or Straight Vegetable Oil. Unlike biodiesel, which is produced by chemically modifying vegetable oil so that it can be used in a diesel vehicle with no modifications, SVO requires a second fuel system for the vegetable oil in addition to the standard diesel fuel system. Also, one doesn't operate and fill up an SVO vehicle like a normal petrol or diesel car. It sounds like a lot of work, so why are more and more people kicking up the veggie quotient of their diesels' diet? We decided to look into it.

No automaker offers an SVO-powered vehicle in its line-up, so tapping a press fleet for a quick evaluation was out of the question. Fortunately we stumbled upon Chuck and Tom Norton, a pair of sibs who run Turtle Plastics, an eco-friendly plastics business in Lorain, OH.  The Norton boys recently had a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta TDi converted to run on SVO. Though Tom's the primary driver, Chuck was happy to hand over the keys to their "Vega Jet" for a spin last week and helped us understand what it's like to own and operate a vehicle that eats out of a dumpster. Let us explain...

Continue reading In the Autoblog Driveway: 2003 VW Jetta SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil)

In the Autoblog Driveway: 2003 VW Jetta SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil) originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Apr 2006 12:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>B20B5biodieseldieselFull Circle FuelsFullCircleFuelsGolden Fuel SystemsGoldenFuelSystemsGreaseGreaselGreaserJetta tdiJettaTdiStraight Vegetable OilStraightVegetableOilSVOvegetable oilVegetableOilTue, 04 Apr 2006 12:13:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/605391/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/04/04/in-the-autoblog-driveway-2003-vw-jetta-svo-straight-vegetable/605391/article-detail.xml 605391 http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/04/IMG_4936_thumbnail.jpg http://www.autoblog.com/media/2006/04/IMG_4936.jpg -1 2