Autoblog

Seemingly a rolling contradiction in terms, the upcoming MINI SUV model, previously (but probably not officially) known as the Crossman, has been seen out in the wild again. Like before, the little SUV wears very little clothing, leaving almost all of its altered-bits out in the open. After looking at the previous set of spy shots and the newest one here, we just can't see the not-a-Crossman doing any off-roading. Soft-roading... maybe, but we honestly think this is a vehicle that will never see anything worse than bad weather.

Naming and classification reservations aside, MINI may not have much trouble moving curb-busting Coopers off of dealers' lots, as many enthusiasts will likely be drawn to the availability of all-wheel drive on a MINI for the first time. Not only that, this vehicle could be one of the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive vehicles on the market in the U.S., save for hte Suzuki SX-5, and there's something to be said for that.

[Source: Autoweek]

The MINI has been on a growth spurt since the introduction of the second-generation model. With the 3½-door Clubman wagon on its way to dealerships, the new convertible set to follow, and even a sports-coupe derivative rumored to be in the works, the BMW division is focusing on the development of a crossover based on the MINI.

No big news there, we've been watching the spy shots roll in for months now. The surprise, however, is that it won't be called the Colorado as previously thought. No, that was just a working title, an internal codename. It won't be called the Monte, either, as previous reports suggested. According to a recent interview in German publication Auto Motor und Sport, MINI's CEO Kay Segler said the retro soft-roader will likely be called "Crossman".

Magna-Steyr is expected to build 80,000 Crossmans (Crossmen?) at its factory in Austria each year, starting in 2010. The name, of course, combines Crossover with Clubman, the wagon variant on which it's based. Think it'll entice more buyers than "Colorado" or "Monte"? Leave your opinion in the comments section below.

[Sources: Auto Motor und Sport via Autoblog.nl and eGMCarTech]

Monte Carlo is to the World Rally Championship what the Monaco Grand Prix is to Formula One. Aside from being held in the same tiny European principality, it's probably the most iconic, most well-known rally stage in the world. They couldn't cancel it. They wouldn't. They have. Sort of.

Headlines around the motorsport world have been shouting that the Monte Carlo stage will be absent from the 2009 WRC calendar for only the third time since the series' inception. But that's only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Starting in two years' time, every stage on the race calendar will alternate years, in a bid to include as many locations as possible in the series each year without overcrowding the calendar and putting additional stress on the teams. (And the motoring press, for that matter, thank you very much.) Whereas this year saw no less than 16 rally stages in the WRC, next year will be reduced to 15, and the 2009 and 2010 calendars will be burdened by only 12 rounds each. Yet over the course of the '09 and '10, 24 countries will have hosted WRC stages. So in point of fact, while the Monte Carlo stage is cancelled for the 2009 schedule, it returns in 2010 and will apparently alternate every year thereafter.

Follow the jump to view the full calendars for the 2009 and 2010 seasons of the FIA World Rally Championship.

[Source: Autosport]

The MINI Monte (as in "Carlo") might not be arriving on our shores in 2009. Instead, it could actually be built on our shores. Most MINIs are made at BMW's plant in Oxford, but that factory is already at capacity. It has been rumored before that Magna might be contracted to build the MINI SUV at its plant in Austria, but the latest top secret word has BMW looking at the Spartanburg, SC plant where the X5 is built.

Of course, if the MINI's fabrication costs were dollar denominated, and if the dollar/euro exchange rate continues to go where predicted, a U.S. build would make sense for BMW's coffers and could make purchasing one a little easier for U.S. buyers.

[Source: Auto Express]

Spy shooters were able to capture one of the first pics of MINI's fabled pseudo-SUV undergoing testing, and according to the Brits over at AutoExpress, it will carry a 'Monte' moniker when it arrives in showrooms sometime in 2009. While we're equally perplexed by both the notion of a biggie-sized MINI and the name 'Monte', at least the latter rolls off the tongue nicely.

The shots show what is essentially a stretched Clubman with a slightly jacked-up ride height, but the added length won't include the addition of another set of doors. Instead, MINI's engineers have apparently decided to keep the "Clubdoor" for passengers relegated to the rear confines. Motivation will be provided by a variety of gasoline- and diesel-powered engines, ranging from 1.4- to 1.6-liters, although there's no word on whether AWD will be part of the package.

MINI insists that, much like its other offerings, the Monte will be an environmentally-friendly 'ute (if you can call it that), since it will include a start-stop engine system, regenerative braking and a host of other fuel-saving technologies pilfered from BMW's Efficient Dynamics program.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Who needs Ferrari? That's the rhetorical question asked by Girard-Perregaux, the noted Swiss watchmaker. For years GP made watches under license from Maranello, but since Ferrari moved their timepiece contract over to Panerai, Girard-Perregaux hasn't missed a beat.

Unveiled together with several other timepieces at the recently concluded watch and jewelry show in Basel, Switzerland, the Girard-Perregaux Monte Carlo Fly-back chronograph pays homage to one of the most famous runnings of the most famous rallies in motor racing history. In 1970, Björn Waldegaard drove and Lars Helmer navigated their #6 Porsche 911 S through a notoriously tricky course spotted with icy patches but no snow to claim victory at the legendary stage of the Monte Carlo Rally.

Their names are engraved on the case back along with a reproduction of the car's registration plate. The words "Monte-Carlo 1970" appear in bold red letters on the black face that displays the unique chronograph and tachymeter movement, a fly-back complication that doesn't lose a second in re-setting the mechanism on the fly. It's all held in a steel case fastened with a black alligator strap and limited to an edition of 250.

[Source: TimeZone via Luxist]

There's smug satisfaction and then there's smug satisfaction. And the folks over at Citroen Sport are enjoying some serious smug satisfaction after taking a brilliant 1-2 finish in the Monte Carlo Rally. Taking first AND second is enough to make any team happy, but to compound that, this was the first race for Citroen's factory rally team since returning to the World Rally Championship, and the first race for their shiny new baby, the Citroen C4 WRC.

First place was taken by three-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb and his co-pilot Daniel Elena. To make the victory even sweeter, Loeb was fresh back at the wheel after recovering from a broken arm. Claiming the checkered flag at Monte Carlo set a new record for Loeb as his 29th career rally win. This was also the fourth time Loeb won in Monte Carlo, tying the record shared by rally legends Sandro Munari, Walter Rohrl and Tommi Makinen.

The second Citroen factory team driven by Dani Sordo took second place behind Loeb and ahead of Marcos Gronholm's Ford Focus. Not a bad day for Citroen and for Loeb, who are off to a great start to claim another championship.

[Source: Citroen]

Reports are surfacing that suggest that Lancia is considering reviving the Monte Carlo nameplate for a new model. The original Monte Carlo was a small mid-engined sports car from the 1970s, designed and built by Pininfarina. Because Chevy already had dibs on the name in the US (and does still), the American version was sold as the Scorpion, and was marred by modifications that were required for certification on American roads. Lancia raced the Monte Carlo in Group 5 and was the basis for the legendary Type 037 Group B racer.

Lancia's parent company Fiat has been in the process of rejuvenating its many brands, and with Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Ferrari all returning to their respective heydays, Lancia's next. But with only a handful of quirky models in its line-up, Lancia is in need of a halo car to boost its sales and image. A small, affordable mid-engined sports car could be just what the doctor ordered. But without a cost-effective platform in the Fiat Group on which it could be based, its production could be a tough sell to the bean-counters.

[Source: Autocar via Winding Road]