Well at over 4 metres long it certainly isn't MINI. The longawaited concept SUV from MINI is finally making its debut at the Paris Motor Show. This will certainly have the motoring press talking. We believe it is aimed mainly at the US market as motoring fans are probably looking to downsize to a more economical SUV, and it is certainly different. Who would have thought in 1959, nearly 50 years ago when the Mini was first introduced it would grow to this BIG!!.
The MINI Crossover Concept is a design study for a fourth variant in MINI’s current model range. With four doors, four drive wheels, four single seats and at four metres in the length, the Crossover Concept combines versatility and style: its main aim is to tempt new target groups into the world of MINI. The MINI Crossover Concept is packed with innovative design details and practical solutions. It seeks to retain MINI ownership as a unique prospect as competitors continue to try and replicate the successful MINI recipe.
You know what they say about length…The MINI Crossover Concept is the first MINI model to measure over four metres in length and almost 1.6 m high, giving it greater practicality and enhanced flexibility. Interior personalisation opportunities are also increased.
Looks matter…The MINI Crossover Concept still features many of the typical MINI characteristics, such as the wheels located at four corners to highlight the ‘go kart’ feeling, the circular design features and the entertaining use of space and functions. More than just an all-wheel drive, however, the MINI Crossover offers fantastic flexibility and meets more specific customer requirements.
With four doors, two on each side, you may think the MINI Crossover Concept has a conventional feel after all. But you’d be wrong. Two conventional doors can be found on the passenger’s side (front and back), with a third for the driver. The fourth door, for the rear passenger on the driver’s side, slides back along the outside of the car for convenient access and loading.
The rear door has a frameless, retractable window and when open, swivels to one side to facilitate the loading of long items, such as skis, snowboards and surfboards. But it doesn’t stop there: the capacity can be increased even further due to the folding roof cover which extends across the whole length of the roof and there’s even a transport case which can be fitted on to the outside of the rear door.
But it’s what’s inside that counts…With more storage space than ever seen before in a MINI, the MINI Crossover Concept offers additional capacity and uniquely, the opportunity to personalise the layout of the interior.
The four seats are individual, single seats which can be adjusted forwards and backwards by up to thirteen centimetres in the rear – allowing more legroom to the rear passengers. The front and rear seats are linked visually by the new MINI Centre Rail – a matt-polished aluminium fastening rail which extends from the dashboard through the middle of the car, to the rear. A unique fastening system can be used with the Centre Rail to attach cupholders, storage units and entertainment consoles which can be passed between the front and the rear passengers.
The MINI Crossover Concept features a new display and control console which hosts all major entertainment, telecommunication and navigation functions: the MINI Centre Globe. This three dimensional globe can be personalised independently by both the driver and passenger as the display is shown in two hemispheres – for example, allowing the passenger to surf the net whilst the driver follows the navigation.
Operated by a touch-sensitive surface, the MINI Centre Globe can also be programmed by a trackball situated on the steering wheel, buttons or slide controls in the lower section of the globe, or even by a keyboard which extends out from the dashboard on the passenger’s side.
The MINI Centre Globe also hosts the stop/start function, whereby the driver inserts a Keyball into the upper edge to start and switch off the engine.
The MINI Crossover Concept previews at the Paris Motor Show and is the basis on which a series production will be developed in the future.
Comment on the MINI SUV in our forum at www.britishminiclub.co.uk
Friday, September 12, 2008
MINI Crossover 4x4x4x4 debuts
Friday, September 5, 2008
British Mini Day - Catton Hall 2008 CANCELLED
We know many of you have been looking forward to the event with it being a new venue etc but we are afraid it is out of our hands. We would like to thank everyone who has contacted us with there support and understanding and kind offers of help. We very much appreciate this. Thank you.
We will in due course be inviting all Premier Class entrants to take part in the Premier Class at British Mini Fair in January 2009 (date to be confirmed)
Mini Regards
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
MINI Cooper JCW wins UK's best hot hatch
Auto Express has announced that the new MINI Cooper John Cooper Works although only being available for a month has been voted as the UK's best hot hatch.
The fastest-ever series production MINI has beaten off competition from the likes of the Honda Civic Type R, Volkswagen Golf GTI and Clio Renaultsport to take top spot in the annual Auto Express New Car Honours.
An amazing 211 hp, or 132 hp per litre, is delivered from a heavily revised 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol power plant and forms the basis of the appeal of the new MINI John Cooper Works.
Despite the newcomer’s engine being an identical unit to that featuring in the high-performance MINI CHALLENGE race car, the CO2 emission and fuel consumption figure for the MINI John Cooper Works beats the competition hands down.
The MINI John Cooper Works offers supreme performance, finely-honed chassis dynamics and an industry-leading ownership prospect which proved irresistible to the team of judges at Auto Express.
David Johns, Editor of Auto Express magazine said: “The latest JCW model to be produced at MINI’s Plant Oxford is a firecracker. Not only is it one of the quickest cars in its class, it’s also one of the most environmentally-friendly. It outscores all its rivals for entertainment, bringing the no-frills thrills of the original to life in a thoroughly modern and brilliant package.”
New online guide helps motorists stay safe on the roads
TyreSafe helps motorists understand the value of tyre safety with a set of new online tyre safety lessons
Motorists now have access to a set of ten easy-to-follow, digitally animated tyre safety lessons, via the TyreSafe website. With independent research conducted by a leading tyre manufacturer and TyreSafe member revealing that almost 80 percent of cars on British roads are running with incorrect tyre pressures, TyreSafe has added the visual guide to its website in order to help motorists avoid the problems associated with poorly maintained or neglected tyres, such as premature wear, increased stopping distances or additional fuel costs.
“The new online guide will help motorists overcome a number of issues which may be increasing their risk on the road or creating additional motoring costs,” comments TyreSafe chairman Rob Beddis. “The digitally animated guide is designed to provide motorists with invaluable advice regarding tyre safety, helping us to achieve our goal of making the UK’s roads safer for all.” In June 2007 [confirm], TyreSafe became the first tyre safety organisation in the UK to sign up to the European Road Safety Charter, a road safety initiative from the European Commission which aims to save 25,000 lives lost on EU roads by 2010.
The lessons are designed to educate motorists about tyre wear and tyre pressure, and cover all aspects of tyre maintenance, providing the viewer with a clear explanation of how to measure tyre pressure and tread depth, together with advice about tools and cost implications.
The ‘Tyre Wear’ section encompasses wear and damage to tyres, tread depth, accidents and general tyre safety, while the ‘Tyre Pressure’ section covers why tyre pressure is vital to road safety, how to check pressure levels and where and when to adjust tyre pressure.
The new online guide can be found at www.tyresafe.org.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
MINI USA and ABF build world's fastest Cooper S
MINI USA and ABF have collaberated to create the World's fastest MINI Cooper S. The has an amazing racing pedigre and this has taken it one step further by going down the quarter mile drag strip in a superb time of 10.48 and a terminal speed of some 135mph. Quicker than any MINI we have seen at the British Mini Showdown. The MINI in question is a 2002 model and has it's supercharger thrown away in favour of a rather large Garrett Turbocharger. a new computer means it is pushing out some 650 horses
For the full spec, more info and a video of the run please visit autoblog.com
Saturday, August 16, 2008
MINI Rickshaw at the olympics..whatever next
The marketing guy's at MINI never cease to amaze us. What other car maker would have come up with an idea for a MINI Rickshaw at the Beijing Olympics to ferry visitors around the city. As daft an idea that it sounds we would certainly like a ride in this unique vehicle
The MINI press release goes like this : A very special MINI vehicle is providing passengers with a fantastic, unforgettable driving experience of a most unusual type. Locals and visitors to the games alike can move smoothly through the busy traffic in the Asian capital in a MINI Rickshaw made specially for Beijing - a typical MINI experience.
Pure muscle power drives this exciting, emission-free vehicle through the streets of the Olympic city. The MINI Rickshaw perfectly captures Beijing's dynamic combination of tradition and progress, coupled with a touch of fantasy and individuality - as only MINI can do.
From 11 August, anyone looking for excitement who would like to explore Beijing in a slightly different way has been able to experience the mixture of bicycle and MINI Clubman in trendy club and scene districts such as the old Beijing quarter of Hu Tong. Simply get in and enjoy the typical MINI feeling in this pulsating city of a million. In addition, it is also possible to try out this unique form of transport at the local MINI dealership.
The real Chinese lucky charms and talismen on the bicycle and in the inside of the vehicle are intended not only to bring the passenger luck, but also, of course, to release positive energy for the entire Olympic Games.
Worlds most expensive classic Mini
This very blinged up Mini Limo is apparantly the most expensive Mini Limo in the world. Created for Regina daughter of a Kazak oil billionaire from a 1986 Mini Chelsea.
Stretched to an amazing 5 meters 60cm it makes it the Worlds longest stretch Mini Limo.The Mini has special build gold and multicolour alloy wheels with 13" on the front and 15's on the back with a specially made Swarovsky Crystal in the centre of each wheel.
It is certainly very bling with 3 metre long windows and a 48" LCD screen and 70 tft monitors plus 30 parking sensors.
To see the full story of this crazy Mini, how it was built and painted, plus why they did it go to : www.millioneuromini.com To see images of the finished Limo go to : www.trendhunter.com let us know what you think by adding your comments to this post
Friday, August 1, 2008
Production resumes at Longbridge
Although not Mini realated news Longbridge played a very big part in the history of the production of the Mini. Indeed the very last classic Mini rolled of the line in 2001. It is good news in the region that full-scale car production has restarted at the former MG Rover plant in Longbridge, Birmingham. Shanghai Automotive (SAIC) said it had sold 70% of the orders for its new model, the MG TF LE500.
The company has 55 dealers across the UK and believes the first cars will be with customers by next month.
MG Rover collapsed in 2005 with the loss of about 6,000 jobs. It was bought by Nanjing Automobile Corporation for £53m but they were taken over by SAIC. There are currently about 165 workers at Longbridge but the figure is likely to rise, according to the company.
SAIC said it hoped to produce 700 of its sports cars by the end of the year. The model will cost nearly £16,500.
Eleanor De La Haye, of MG UK, said: “We are delighted to have reached this important point and are looking forward to seeing the cars in showrooms shortly.” (BBCnews.co.uk: August 1).
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
British Mini Day Himley Hall DVD
We all enjoyed our British Mini Day at Himley Hall 2008. It was a major success with a massive turn out of Mini fans from all around the UK and Europe. With top Mini's on display in the Premier Concours and an incredible display of Minis on club stands. You can now re-live the day with this professional DVD from Top Hat Video.
Buy this well put together DVD direct from there eBay shop at http://stores.ebay.co.uk/bluesmokebaz for just £10 a copy with free postage. If you prefer you can send a cheque direct to 'Top Hat Video' at 27 Austin Close, Milking Bank, Dudley, DY1 2ST we are positive you will enjoy this DVD as much as we did and it is a well worth addition to any Mini collection
Friday, July 25, 2008
Mini 50 years is coming!!
2009 is the year to celebrate 50 years of greatest car of all time the Mini. Be it the classic or the new Mini it is an incredible achievment. Hear at the British Mini Club we have already started work on our events for this very special year. 4 events are planned across the year, we have ideas in place and are working on more. Some special and unique classic Mini's will be raffled at these events and of course the Premier Concours will take place with the finals in September. Just imagine saying you are the proud owner of the countries number 1 classic Mini and new MINI in the 50th year.. what an honour.
Other events we know of being planned are MINI United which comes to the UK for the first time. The recent press release from MINI reads: 50 years of Mini and MINI to be celebrated in England 2009 will mark the 50th anniversary of the launch of the original Mini, and the second generation new MINI will be commemorating this incredible achievement in style, right here in England.
The MINI United festival, which in recent years has brought together thousands of classic Mini and new MINI owners to celebrate a British icon, will be staged at a renowned race circuit in England and kicks-off on 22 May 2009. The exact location and further details will be announced in the near future.
But as it happens we at the British Mini Club are 99.99% certain we know where MINI United will be held. But of course we can't divulge that information just yet.. But be assured this event will be massive as will our own British Mini Days in 2009
