2011 Used Turbo 1.6l I4 16v Manual Fwd Premium on 2040-cars

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Mini to skip 2016 Detroit, Geneva Auto Shows

Following a report from the team at MotoringFile, rumors have been swirling that Mini will join Jaguar Land Rover and abandon this year's North American International Auto Show. We can officially confirm that the BMW-owned brand will be passing on not only next month's Detroit show, but also Europe's flagship Geneva Motor Show. It all has to do with positioning. See, auto shows can be two things – they can be news events, or they can be consumer events. On the consumer side of the equation, we have the sprawling Chicago Auto Show, while both Geneva and Detroit lean heavily towards being a source of breaking news. Based on Mini's official statement, it looks like it was that positioning that led the brand to pass on two of the world's most important auto shows. "The BMW Group confirms it has decided Mini will not be represented at the shows in Detroit and Geneva. This decision reflects Mini's new product and brand strategy, which was presented to the public on June 24, 2015," Mini USA spokesperson Mariella Kapsaskis told Autoblog in an official statement. "Part of the new brand strategy is focusing on selected auto shows and an increased engagement with events that increase MINI's access to other relevant target groups." Max Muncey, PR manager for NAIAS, corroborated the statement from Mini. "The North American International Auto Show is one of the few shows to carry the international moniker. As such, we focus on making news with global media outlets rather than serving as a consumer show," Muncey told Autoblog. "Mini's decision reflects this positioning." According to Muncey, Detroit hosted 5,000 journalists last year, while its media coverage was roughly double that of LA, where Mini held the world debut for the new Convertible and the US debut for the Clubman last month. In our opinion, with both those debuts out of the way and not much else coming down the pipe in the near future, prioritizing auto shows based on consumer attendance rather than media attendance seems like a sound strategy. Here's hoping Mini returns to the frigid wastes of Detroit for the 2017 installment of the North American International Auto Show.

Mini reveals new design details, including a round touchscreen

It’s not that the Mini brand wants to reinvent the wheel. Except that maybe it does. It's even reinventing the circle. “Charismatic Simplicity” is what the brand has termed its new design language, which will show up on a new family of all-electric models. The looks will appear on the next-generation Cooper and Countryman. The interiors reflect the most noticeable changes on the cars, marked especially by a round OLED (organic light-emitting display) — yes, the entire central circle of the infotainment system will be a touch-sensitive display. It will have a diameter of 9.4 inches and will combine all the functions of the infotainment system and the instrument cluster. Touch control will manage infotainment and climate functions. That's certainly the most intriguing detail previewed, but Mini did not share images of the touchscreen. Here's all they've shared so far:  At the centre of the visually reduced interior is the circular central instrument display iconic of MINI, which will be reinterpreted in the form of an OLED display in the upcoming model family. MINI is the worldÂ’s first car manufacturer to offer a touch display with a fully usable round surface. The OLED display has a diameter of 240 millimetres and combines the functions of the instrument cluster and the on-board monitor. The sleek design and frameless look give it a particularly high quality appearance. The touch control enables a completely new, minimalistic user interface that also controls the integrated infotainment and climate functions. With the purist dashboard as a stage for the circular central display, MINI continues the traditional design heritage of the classic MINI. The steering wheel, not really reinvented but tweaked, will be available in a couple of versions, with either two spokes or three, and Mini will offer a variety of colors, patterns and fabrics for the seats. Finally, the alloy wheels are updated, to “no longer focus on the sculptural nature of the spoke structure, but on a graphic design characterized by strong color contrasts,” the company says. “This creates an illusion of size, which is further emphasized by the outward-pointing spokes.” “Our purist, progressive approach combines the simplicity of functional elements with the emotionality that Mini is renowned for,” says Oliver Heilmer, head of Mini Design. “We are convinced that the conscious reduction to a few, but expressive elements enable innovations that would have been unthinkable before.”

2015 Mini John Cooper Works Hardtop Video Review

There was supposed to be some track driving in this video. When Mini invited me to drive the 2015 JCW Hardtop, I was instantly interested because, well, I love cars and I love hot hatches. But adding to the excitement was the proffered time to drive the beastie on both a private racing circuit and an autocross-like cone course. But the gods that watch over Internet video weren't with me on that day. My track driving footage was spoiled, and the autocross setup ever so slightly less than photogenic. Thankfully, the selection of hills and dales around the New York-Connecticut border is ample and attractive. Video recording of the JCW, complete with a mild-soundtrack of it spitting out 228 horsepower was saved. For those of you that missed the written First Drive feature, this paragraph summarizes my feelings rather neatly: "It only took fifteen minutes of driving on the lilting, tree-lined roads outside of New Haven, CT, to realize that the 2015 Mini JCW Hardtop was a lot less pissed off. And with more power, refined ride quality, a better interior, and an available automatic transmission, a lot more suitable for a wide variety of drivers. The little hellion has matured." If you need more depth than that, by all means go back and read the full report. Or if you'd like the more visceral experience of riding along with me (what a treat!) just stop reading now and watch me talk near a camera.