2012 Mini Cooper Countryman S All4 Hatchback 4-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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Mini Cooper Royal Wedding Edition: For the couple that literally has everything

As far as wedding presents go, it sure beats a hand mixer. Mini has created a one-off car to commemorate the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The car won't be brought in and parked next to the gift table, however. Instead, it'll be given to a charity chosen by the royal couple, which will then auction it. Mini's design team has personalized a Mini Cooper 2-Door with a hand-made roof graphic and a special interior, which features 3D-printed parts and special embroidery. The idea behind the hand-applied multi-layer roof graphic is that it's a combination of the Union Jack and the Stars & Stripes, representing the couple's nationalities. As an extra touch, the opened doors will project a "Just Married" sign onto the ground. Small detailing around the car is also bespoke, from the chrome finish to the side scuttles. Inside the Crystal White car is a Satellite Grey leather interior, with a trim strip announcing the first names of the bride and groom, as well as the wedding date. There are also accents in the door cards that match the roof graphic's colors. And just in case you're digging the stylistic vibe of the Royal Wedding Edition (not really the official name, but let's go with it), some of the custom work on the car can be replicated with the Mini Yours personalization program. That includes the option of 3D-printed parts. After the wedding on May 19 , the car will go to The Children's HIV Association, or CHIVA, who will auction it. Here's hoping it commands a good price. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mini Royal Wedding View 13 Photos Image Credit: MINI MINI royal wedding meghan markle

Longer, wider, still a Mini | 2017 Mini Countryman First Drive

Think of the 2017 Mini Countryman as the brand's "ah, to hell with it" moment. At a whopping 8.1 inches longer and 5.4 inches wider than the vehicle it replaces, it is quite obviously the least-mini Mini ever. Yet, that size increase makes it more useful, comfortable riding, and better proportioned. If a compact crossover SUV is what's to be, then this is the size it should be. However, it's still quite mini for a compact SUV, coming in at 3 inches shorter than the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class and 4 inches shorter than an Audi Q3. Neither of those are what anyone would describe as "large." And yet, the Countryman boasts a considerably more spacious and usable interior than either of them. Sit in the new Countryman's back seat and you'll be amazed at the space, with plenty of leg- and headroom for even tall people despite a standard panoramic sunroof. Crossovers of similar exterior dimensions, luxury or otherwise, just don't come close to providing as much passenger space. The cargo area isn't quite as impressive on paper, but its boxy shape and the sliding second-row seat make it far more versatile in practice. So, despite being the least-mini Mini ever, the new Countryman is still in keeping with the brand's ethos from the very beginning when Alec Issigonis created a car that was microscopic on the outside but disproportionately spacious inside. There's far more to this redesign than just dimensional changes – the 2017 Countryman grows up figuratively as well. The original model always felt like a Mini Cooper hardtop that ballooned in size and door count. Compared to SUVs of similar price, and more damningly of lesser price, it was crashy, loud, a bit cheap inside, and relatively uncouth. The base model was also embarrassingly slow. The new version feels more like a proper compact luxury SUV flavored with a robust Salt Bae of Mini spice. Actually, that's pretty much what it is. The Countryman now shares its front-wheel-drive platform with the new BMW X1, which itself benefits from various trickle-down elements from elsewhere in the BMW Group. For instance, processes developed for the 7 Series are in part responsible for the new, stiffer structure that contributes greatly to the 2017 Countryman's other great advancement: the exponentially better ride. The old one harshly crashed over bumps in a way that only Fred Flintstone wouldn't find tiresome.

New Zealand SPCA teaches rescue dogs how to drive a Mini

No, this isn't an April Fool's joke or some sort of wacky car commercial. It's the SPCA Auckland (located in New Zealand) coming up with an innovative way of proving that it's possible to teach a rescue animal new tricks. Monty, Porter and Ginny are all dogs rescued by the SPCA Auckland, and each was taught the ability to drive a Mini Countryman around a track.
After being strapped into the driver's seat, the dogs are able to use their paws to start the car, steer it and work the gas and brake, which have been modified similar to a car setup for a special-needs driver. These dogs aren't being trained to drive on the street as any sort of driving-eye dogs, rather it is just a demonstration of how smart and docile rescue dogs can be regardless of how they ended up there. Porter was found wandering the streets, Ginny was abused by her owners and seized by the SPCA and Monty was surrendered by his owners to the rescue. Ironically, Porter and Ginny initially got carsick during the exercises, but have since gotten over this.
Think it's a joke? Scroll down to watch four videos showing the dogs in action and another to see what mods were made to get the Mini ready for canine duty. In the first video, you can also see that Porter does a better parking job than most humans!