Mini Countryman Dakar Special Edition. Only 11 cars available for France

To celebrate Stéphane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret victory in the 2013 Dakar Rally with the MINI ALL4 Racing, the British company owned by BMW created the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman ALL4 Dakar Winner 2013 of which only 11 will be built and they will be only available in France.

The 218hp (160kW) turbocharged four-cylinder engine drives all four wheels just like the racing car for to a better ability to drive off road. It comes painted in a matte black and several stripes painted in a bright green with the Dakar Rally winner’s logo, "MINI ALL4 Racing” lettering and the car number 302 on the doors.

Inside we also have a bright green on the contrast stitching for the gearshift lever gaiter and floor mats, and the embroidered winner’s logo on the head restraints. We also have green stripes for the black interior trim strip on the center console.

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This is the right way to advertise a car. This time Mini got it right

After i showed you the lame advertisement that took advantage of the scandal with the horse meat, now i will reveal to you something that is much more effective when promoting a car. In the video below we get to see a modified John Cooper Works Mini doing a back flip in the French resort of Tignes.



The driver was the French Rally Raid world champion, Guerlain Chicherit, and it looks crazy. Your move Red Bull.

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Mini used the horse meat scandal to promote itself

 
I think it is wrong to use this type of scandal to get some publicity but I assume it is original and the advertising company that came up with it had a "good" idea since everyone is talking about it. From what i found out this ad was printed in an English newspaper (could be wrong). See it for yourself below and tells us what you think.

Source: 9gag 

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MINI Clubman Bond Street for the 2013 Geneva Motor Show

Don't be confused, this version has nothing to do with the British special agent but instead with the major shopping street in the West End of London, targeting the " style-conscious customers of the particularly discerning variety".

This special version comes painted in a metallic Midnight Black with Cool Champagne contrast colour for the roof, exterior mirror caps, lower sections of the C-pillars, bonnet stripes, and an exclusive trim ring for the 17-inch light-alloy wheels in Twin Spoke Black design, with the side indicator surrounds and door sill strips displaying Bond Street lettering.

On the inside we get Lounge Leather sports seats in Carbon Black with piping and stitching in Deep Champagne. Also standard is the leather trim for the Colour Line and armrests with contrast stitching in Deep Champagne, floor mats with black piping and contrast stitching likewise in Deep Champagne, and the Chrome Line Interior package.

Sales start in March 2013 with four engines available: the 90kW/122hp MINI Cooper Clubman and MINI Cooper D Clubman with 82kW/112hp alongside the MINI Cooper S Clubman (135 kW/184 hp) and MINI Cooper SD Clubman (105 kW/143 hp).

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BMW and Mini will have 23 FWD models

BMW 1GT

The Minis were always FWD, but BMW has earned a reputation building RWD cars with spectacular handling and performance since the very beginning in 1929 with the 3/15 DA-2, but now things will change and we have found out that BMW will have 12 cars with front wheel drive and Mini 11.

Some of them deserve mention, we have a Z2 with front wheel to compete with the Mazda and Alfa Romeo rear-wheel drive cars in the same segment, and from Mini we will have a "Saloon" that has little to do with the original model.

See the images below to find out what other models BMW and Mini will introduce in the next few years.

Source: autocar magazine

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Short News: Mini Benz. Here's a rare find. [Video]

 

According to the description of the video on youtube, this is an Austin Mini with many Mercedes parts, that ultimately creates a good looking car. You will be able to find this car at the Palace Stephanie in Cannes, France.

Source: Youtube

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Mini Paceman John Cooper Works

Here you have the first pictures and information of the new Paceman JCW (John Cooper Works) that borrows the engine from the Countryman JCW.

It is a four cylinder, turbocharged, 1.6liter producing 215 hp (160kW) and 280Nm (207lb/ft) of torque or 300Nm (221lb/ft) with the overboost. The top speed and the time it takes to reach 100km/h (62mph) aren't known yet, but the four door version (Countryman) has a maximum speed of 225km/h (140mph) and sprints to 100km/h (62mph) in just seven seconds, so we expect the Paceman to be a little faster.

Outside there are the normal changes and appendices expected on a more sportier version of a car with modified bumpers with larger air intakes, a rear spoiler and a dual exhaust.

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