2009 Mini Cooper Clubman on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Driver in the UK moves an ambulance just to free up a parking space

Finding a parking spot in a populated area can be a huge hassle. Drivers will circle a parking lot or a street a half dozen times, sometimes following a pedestrian like a lion hunting its prey in the hopes that that person will free up a spot. That said, there is no excuse for the guy who allegedly moved an ambulance in order to free up a parking space. According to Yahoo News, a driver in the UK got behind the wheel of an ambulance while paramedics were treating a victim in the back so he could park his Mini Cooper in a space that was being blocked. According to the paramedics, they didn't communicate at all with the Mini driver. The patient suffered "distress and discomfort" but was otherwise unaffected. Unfortunately, police are still trying to find the driver. While we can't do much from Michigan, we can provide a brief description. The suspect is a white male with dark hair in his 50s that stands about 5 feet 10 inches tall. The Cooper had a license plate that starts with RJ60. If you have any information, call the police in the UK at 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Related Video: News Source: Yahoo! NewsImage Credit: Getty Read This MINI

Mini recalls nearly 100,000 cars for potential electrical fire risk

Mini is recalling more than 97,000 cars to address a potential fire risk. The recall covers the 2008-2014 Mini Clubman (including Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works models) and the 2007-2013 Mini Hardtop 2 Door (again encompassing Cooper, Cooper S, John Cooper Works variants). In both models, a control module beneath the driver-side A-pillar is susceptible to water intrusion under certain circumstances. If the electronics inside are exposed to water, a short circuit may occur, which Mini says could lead to a "thermal event" — engineer speak for "fire." While Mini says there are multiple circumstances under which the module can become compromised, the recall is currently limited to models sold in climates where the use of road salt is prevalent. In this environment, road salt entering the cabin via normal means (read: your boots) can accelerate corrosion if water is getting into the cabin. How might that happen? Mini says a common culprit is its own sunroof drain. Here's the full explanation, lifted directly from Mini's defect report: This safety recall involves the Footwell Control Module (FRM), an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) which controls various lighting and power window functions, and is installed near the bottom of the driverÂ’s side A-pillar behind an interior trim panel. Due to several contributing factors (environmental, certain US StatesÂ’ wintertime road treatment, vehicle design configuration and age), over time, the FRM could become susceptible to corrosion. For vehicles equipped with a sunroof, after a multi-year period involving large temperature changes, multiple freeze/thaw cycles can cause the vehicleÂ’s sunroof drain hose to become damaged, loosen and eventually detach from the drain pipe within the A-pillar, which could allow water to enter the vehicle interior. In certain US states, large amounts of road salt may be utilized during their wintertime road treatment activities. If water were to enter the interior, then in combination with road salt that may be present in the footwell, this could create an electrolyte solution. If this solution were to contact the FRM then, over time, this could lead to corrosion, possibly resulting in a short circuit. In rare cases, this could lead to a thermal event.

BMW Neue Klasse X revealed, 2025 Mini Countryman JCW and SE driven | Autoblog Podcast #824

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. In the news, BMW revealed the Neue Klasse X EV, Jeep Wrangler drops the V8, Ford Mustang gets a 810-horsepower supercharger kit and Shell leans into EV charging. We look back on the life and designs of Marcello Gandini. We discuss the various automatic shifters that are now on the market. We talk about driving the Mercedes-Benz CLA, as well as the 2025 Mini Countryman JCW and the electric Countryman SE. Finally, we help a listener pick a newish truck or SUV for around $40,000 in this week's "Spend My Money" segment. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #824 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown BMW Vision Neue Klasse X Revealed: Looking to the past to build a better future Jeep Wrangler bids farewell to the V8 with 2024 Rubicon 392 Final Edition Ford Performance supercharger kit gets Mustang 810 hp with a warranty Shell to unload 1,000 retail locations in pivot to EV charging Marcello Gandini dies at 85. Here's a look at some of his famous designs A discussion on automatic shifters Cars we're driving 2024 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 4Matic 2025 Mini Countryman JCW and SE Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: Design/Style Green Podcasts BMW Ford Jeep Mercedes-Benz MINI Electric Luxury Performance