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Despite Mini's woes, Clubman sales surging

The Mini Clubman has a polarizing design, but those who like it are snapping it up. According to Automotive News, the Clubman is on pace to become Mini USA's best selling model. Almost 1,700 vehicles were sold during the first quarter of 2016, and the vast majority – 1,037 units – were sold last month alone. These facts are made all the more noteworthy because Mini's sales fell 15 percent during the first quarter. The surging sales of Mini's newest model are especially good news for the brand's coffers. The Clubman is the most expensive non- John Cooper Works model you can get, aside from the upcoming Convertible. It doesn't sound like there are too many Clubman models going for the $24,950 starting price, either. According to Mini Dealer Council Chairman Michael Vadasz, dealers are doing solid business on customized orders, which, he tells AN, "is what Mini is all about." About one in four Minis built today are custom orders submitted by consumers, who love taking advantage of the Porsche-like breadth of a la carte options, no matter what it does to the final price. The fact that Mini is seeing so many custom Clubmans, then, is a very good thing. As for why the Clubman is doing so well, Mini USA Vice President David Duncan says it's because the car just isn't so Mini, moving the brand beyond its traditional subcompact class to the compact segment, where it can challenge cars like the Audi A3. "We see that as a fast growing segment, so having an entry in there gives us that opportunity," Duncan told Automotive News. "And then when you look at the car itself, it's got a premiumness about it that really takes us to the next level and allows us to compete against brands that we weren't typically competing against." Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

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.
The flexible females used every available space in the car, including the footwells and dashboard, to set the Guinness World Record for the most people inside a 2012 Mini. They beat their own previous record of 27, set last year.
Organizer Dani Maynard said before the attempt that the girls had undergone extra training and stretching since last year's record-breaking stunt. "While we have not quite been able to fit any of the girls into the Mini's glove box, there is a surprising amount of space to utilise," she told UK news site Metro.

These vehicles are least likely to be recalled over their lifetimes

Recalls can be a real pain, especially if the vehicle has to be left with the dealer for extended repairs or parts delays. However, some models see far fewer recalls over their lifetimes than others, and as iSeeCars’ new study shows, some might almost never be recalled. iSeeCars analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to create a model that predicts the likelihood of a recall over a 30-year vehicle lifespan. So, while the numbers are based on current recall data, they should be viewed as rough estimates rather than set-in-stone numbers. Still, the results are interesting, and they show that commonly held views on vehicle reliability and lifetime maintenance costs donÂ’t tell the whole picture. The 10 least-recalled vehicles: 10. Lexus IS 300: 0.7 recalls over a 30-year period 9. Mercedes-Benz GLC: 0.7 recalls 8. Mercedes-Benz GLA: 0.6 recalls 7. Hyundai Elantra GT: 0.6 6. Nissan 370Z: 0.5 5. Lexus RX 450h: 0.5 4. Mercedes-Benz CLA: 0.5 3. Lincoln MKZ Hybrid: 0.5 2. Lexus NX 300h: 0.3 1. Mini Convertible: 0.2 Seeing the Lexus name on the least-recalled list isnÂ’t surprising, but it might be a shock to see Mercedes and Mini so high on the list. In between several Japanese brands, five other Benzes, two Ford Fusion variants, and the Chevy Trailblazer ranked on the full list of 33 least-recalled vehicles. For every “best” list, there has to be a “worst” list, and in this case, iSeeCars found 25 models that take recalls to a whole new level. The Tesla Model Y is projected to rack up 62.4 recalls over its lifetime, followed by the Porsche Panamera at 61.8 and the Tesla Model 3 at 56.8. Luckily, many Tesla recalls are handled with an over-the-air update instead of a trip to the dealer, but the numbers are concerning. Plus, iSeeCars pointed out that Teslas buck the normal recall trends. Most new models tend to see fewer recalls over time, but some of the American EV makerÂ’s vehicles see consistent recall activity and even increases in the number of actions. Government/Legal Recalls MINI Ownership Safety