38 Articles
ETC
Utah man builds iRacing simulator inside 2005 Mini Cooper S

When racing and gearhead genes meet art and a Sawzall

Recalls
Mini recalls 86,000 hatchbacks, convertibles from 2002 to 2005

Mini is recalling 86,000 early models over concerns that the power steering can fail, and this isn't the first time the automaker has had problems with the steering gear on first-gen Coopers.

Report
New Mini Cooper only just now being delivered due to EPA certification

The Mini brand and its products have typically been a runaway success for BMW, but sales of the retro hatchback dropped a drastic 20.5 percent last month, and have been doing such pretty much all year.

Official
Mini Oxford gives birth to 3-millionth car [w/video]

With the latest generation of Minis having only recently launched a few months ago, the company's Plant Oxford has found another reason to celebrate as it reached two major milestones almost simultaneously. Since production of the new, BMW-revived version began there in 2001, the factory has produced 3 million of the retro-looking models and 2 million vehicles exported outside of the UK. Just four years ago,

First Drive
2014 Mini Cooper

More Mini Than Ever Before

If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone from Mini refer to 'go-kart-like handling,' I'd be retired, living on a beautiful piece of coastline somewhere in the Caribbean. Perhaps even on the shores of Puerto Rico, where Mini chose to launch its latest Cooper and Cooper S hatchbacks. As with so many frequently used phrases, though, there is indeed some truth to the cliché – while the Mini C

Official
Mini prices new Cooper Hardtop from $19,950* as configurator comes online

As surprised as the face of the new 2014 Mini Cooper makes the model look, customers shopping for the third-gen hatchback won't be surprised at all come spring. When the Hardtop goes on sale, it will not only offer a similar design to the outgoing model, it will also have a familiar price with a starting MSRP of $19,950 (*plus $795 for destination).

Official
Mini announces thoroughly modern engines and chassis for 2014 Cooper

The 2014 Cooper will come with a three-cylinder engine and the Cooper S will get a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, both with Mini's TwinPower turbochargers.

Report
Judge to approve settlement of Mini CVT lawsuits

BMW has agreed to settle a number of class-action lawsuits out of court. The suits stem from drivetrain issues on the 2001 to 2006 R50 Mini Cooper – in particular, its continuously variable transmission. The transmission was known to fail, often without warning on otherwise healthy and well-maintained vehicles.

Report
Last chance to order an R56 Mini Hardtop

Mini will be ending custom orders of the current R56 Cooper Hardtop ahead of the retooling process for the new F56 Mini. That means owners who aren't enamored with what they've seen of the model's new look (shown in the gallery bel

Video
Honda engines and giant killing in the classic Mini Cooper

Electric Federal has taken a fresh look back at the enduring legacy of original Mini with a video interview with Heritage Garage's Graham Reid, one of the foremost experts on classic Minis. As Electric Federal points out, it's important to remember that the Mini did not start out as a performance car. It was built in response to the Suez Cana

Spy Shots
Official
28 "flexible ladies" cram into a Mini Cooper [w/video]

The Mini Cooper is now confirmed as a great car with which to pick up chicks-up to 28 of them at a time, to be specific. That's the number of limber ladies you can fit in a Mini, as proven earlier this week in London.

Video
Here's Mini's R/C Cooper in action at the Olympics

There were requests from all around to see video of the electric "Mini MINI" radio-controlled cars that are being used to retrieve javelins, hammers, shots and discus' (disci?) at the London Olympics, and here it is.

ETC
Olympics to use Mini Cooper R/C cars for javelin, discus retrieval

We can't help but cringe at the notion of 'product integration' efforts most of the time, particularly when it comes to movies and sports. That's because as often as not, the placement efforts seem contrived. And while the notion of using a Mini Cooper to retrieve thrown javelins, hammers, shot and discuses at the London Olympics might not seem like the world's most natural pairing, we can't i

Video
Watch Mini JCW GP's official Nürburgring run

Let's just go ahead and say it: a sports car is not really, truly a sports car until it has set a time on the Nürburgring. Until then, it's just seats on wheels. The Mini John Cooper Works GP edition has, however, earned its car stripes: just 2,000 of the fancy Minis are headed for production, and one of them has lapped the 'Ring in 8:23.

Report
Mini sued over CVT failures. Again.

A group of Florida plaintiffs have come together to file a class action lawsuit against Mini. Their issue is with the reliability of the Continuously Variable Transmissions in first-generation Cooper hatchbacks from 2002-2006 and in Cooper Convertible models from 2006-2008. A cursory web search on the matter returns plenty of results from

Video
Mini Britalian Job celebrates London Olympics with sendup of heist film

Mini is gearing up for the Olympics in a big way. The company has released a short film featuring a gaggle of former gold medalists, including Daley Thompson, James Cracknell, Jonathan Edwards and Matthew Pinsent. Thompson plays the ringleader of an elite driving squad sent to retrieve a set of gold medals pilfered by none other than Zach Bowman

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