2012 Mini Cooper Countryman Awd S All4 on 2040-cars

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Why the 2015 Detroit Auto Show will be the best since The Crisis

The Detroit Auto Show clearly has its swagger back, and the 2015 edition will be a veritable feast for the enthusiast senses. We're talking serious performance, and it will be exhibited in a variety of forms. Sports cars. Supercars. Muscle-bound luxury cars. They're all set for splashy debuts in January in the Motor City. It's another signpost that companies have recovered from the global economic crisis that gripped the industry from 2008-09. For a while, automakers played it safe at Detroit and other shows. Environmentally friendly cars were important, especially for General Motors and Chrysler that were living on loans from Uncle Sam. Ford, Toyota and other companies generally focused on their best-selling or core models. With a few notable exceptions, recent auto shows have been a bit more buttoned-down than in the past. Boring probably isn't the right word, but austerity has been reality. That's changing. Car companies are making money. Sales are up. Aside from the many nagging recalls – and they are notable – the industry now has the time and energy to make performance cars a priority. That will be offered in hard evidence in Detroit. A year from now when we look back at this auto show, we'll sum it up with one word: Horsepower. But make no mistake, this isn't frivolous. Sports and luxury cars are expensive. They're profitable. They boost images and highlight strengths. With that in mind, here are five significant performance-oriented reveals to watch for when the show kicks off in less than two weeks. 2016 Acura NSX Acura's reborn NSX is a strong bet to earn plenty of votes for our Editors' Choice awards. It's one of the most anticipated – and strung-out – reveals of the year. Think back: we actually saw an NSX concept at the 2012 Detroit show, and Acura has spent the last three years teasing the car in a variety of ways. The slow burn, however, means we know a lot about the NSX. It's will use a mid-mounted twin-turbo hybrid powertrain and run with all-wheel drive. It will also wear an innovative zirconium e-coat paint, a new paint process that Honda says is more environmentally friendly. Honda has also said it will build the new NSX in Ohio, where a large part of the car's development work has been done. The original NSX was produced from 1990-2005 and helped establish Acura's performance credentials in the United States. It was a landmark car and a shot across the bow of Ferrari, Lamborghini and others.

Driving the Toyota Tacoma, BMW 430i and Chevy Corvette Convertible | Autoblog Podcast #671

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by West Coast Editor James Riswick and Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. First, they talk about driving the Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road (equipped with a TRD Lift Kit), Mini Cooper S Hardtop 2-Dor, BMW 430i xDrive, Chevy Corvette Convertible and Chevy Suburban with the Duramax diesel engine. They discuss the news, including Toyota's desire to differentiate the 86 from the BRZ, the new Jeep Magneto concept and Greg's opinion piece on why Stellantis needs Chrysler. Last, but not least, they dig into the mailbag to help a listener figure out how to replace their Honda S2000 and Honda Fit. Autoblog Podcast #671 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars We're Driving 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road 2021 Mini Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door 2021 BMW 430i xDrive 2021 Chevy Corvette Convertible 2021 Chevy Suburban Duramax diesel News Toyota 86 reportedly delayed to differentiate it from Subaru BRZ Jeep Magneto: Electrifying the Easter Jeep Safari with a Wrangler EV Why Stellantis needs Chrysler Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes 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: Podcasts BMW Chevrolet Chrysler GM MINI Toyota Truck Coupe SUV Diesel Vehicles Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance

Mini Clubman finally released with All4 all-wheel drive

Update: Mini has just revealed US pricing. The Mini Cooper Clubman All4 will start at $26,750, and the Cooper S Clubman All4 will start at $30,300. Both prices include destination. By now, you're surely familiar with the joke about how cars from Mini are no longer... well, mini. We won't repeat it here (oops, too late), except to say that the first vehicle that really pushed Mini's historic boundaries was the original Clubman in 2008. That machine featured a stretched wheelbase, an extra door on one side and an unconventional barn-door-style rear opening. For 2016, the Clubman recipe was revised with an even longer wheelbase and more conventional side doors, though still with the split rear hatch. Now, finally, the Mini Clubman is available with all-wheel drive. As you would expect from Mini, the new Clubman carries All4 branding. A propellor shaft sprouts from the front differential, and a new rear diff is added with an electrohydraulic clutch to send power to the rear wheels when needed. Mini promises that its All4 system will not only be a boon in inclement weather, but will also aid high-speed handling. We look forward to putting those claims to the test. Drivetrain options are borrowed from the standard front-wheel-drive Clubman range. A 134-horsepower three-cylinder comes in base Clubman models, and a 2.0-liter mill with 189-hp powers upgraded Clubman S models. An eight-speed automatic with paddle shifters and launch control is optional, though shift-yourself purists will surely opt for the standard six-speed manual. Mini says the Clubman S All4 can record a 0-60 time of 6.6 seconds with the automatic, or 6.7 with the manual. That's a couple tenths quicker than the front-drive Clubman S. Cargo space remains at 17.5 cubic feet with all seats in place, or as much as 47.9 with the back seats folded, so the rear differential and propellor shaft don't impinge on passenger space. Fuel mileage figures haven't yet been released, but we'd expect a small drop from the standard Clubman's 25 city and 35 highway ratings. We'd also count on a price increase of a few thousand dollars to get all-wheel drive. Feel free to peruse the press release below for more information. SUPREME DRIVING FUN IN EVERY SITUATION: THE NEW MINI CLUBMAN ALL4 Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 19, 2016 – The market launch of the new MINI Clubman sees the latest model generation of the British brand embark on its advance into the premium compact segment.