2007 Mini Cooper S Hatchback 2-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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KBB 2013 Brand Image Awards has some obvious and oddball winners

The sixth edition of the Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards have crowned a wide range of winners - in a couple of cases the recipient of the laurels might say more about KBB users than they do about the actual winner. Compiled from the responses of more than 12,000 shoppers on KBB.com over the past year, there are 13 categories broken into non-luxury, luxury and truck segments "representing the combined wisdom of the American car-buying public."
The award categories have been revamped this year, with some dropping off, some new ones appearing and at least one other given a new term. What isn't surprising is that Honda won Most Trusted Brand for the second year running, Best Value Brand for the third year in a row and took Best Overall Brand, which wasn't on last year's list of awards.
On our own shores, in the non-luxury categories Chrysler got Most Refined Brand and Buick took Best Value Luxury Brand. Neither one of those marques won anything in last year's Brand Image Awards, while Cadillac, which won Best Interior Design Brand and Best Comfort Brand last year - those awards disappeared this year - went home without a single accolade.

Mini officially reveals Frozen Black Countryman and Paceman

BMW has been offering Frozen editions of its cars for several years now highlighted by matte paint and very limited production, and now Mini is getting in on the game with Frozen Black versions of the Paceman and Countryman. Unlike our report from earlier in the week, these models will not wear the Batman-sounding Black Knight name, but instead, like the BMW models, will be dubbed Frozen Edition. That previous intel also had it that production of the Frozen Edition Minis would be limited to just 60 units. Now official, Mini has not confirmed how many - or few - of these limited edition models it would build.
The Frozen Black paint adds silicates to the lacquer finish creating a "matted impression," which sounds like it should be easier for owners to maintain and wash, although Mini still advises against waxing or polishing. This special paint will be offered on all S, Diesel and John Cooper Works versions of the Paceman and Countryman, though it's not clear as of this writing if any will be offered in the US. Mini's press release for the Frozen Black Paceman and Countryman is posted below.

Mini headed to North Pole to meet Santa Claus

It seems that retailers are bringing out the Christmas decorations earlier each year, but Mini's premature holiday spirit could be one for the record books. The day after Black Friday, the "Mini Goes to Santa Claus" adventure will depart from BMW headquarters in Munich, Germany and head up Rovaniemi, Finland (just outside the Arctic Circle) to deliver Christmas letters to Santa Claus -he must have an mail outpost here for his North Pole workshop. Guinness World Records is also getting involved with this trek, by competing for a for the longest-ever wish list to Santa.
Mini has assembled teams of vehicles from 16 countries consisting of all of its current models to drive the almost 1,900 miles. Although it won't be a part of the convoy, the Mini Paceman will be in Rovaniemi to welcome the groups along with former rally driver Rauno Aaltonen who will "demonstrate his unequalled talent" while driving the Paceman. We're not exactly sure what this means, but snowy climates and rally drivers always seem to be a recipe for great entertainment to us.
Scroll down for Mini's press release, but we'll have to wait until later in the month to see what should be some pretty cool pictures of the trip.