2008 Mini Cooper Base Hatchback 2-door 1.6l S on 2040-cars

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Mini lifts veil on refreshed Countryman in New York

When Mini introduced the Countryman in 2010, it emerged as the brand's first crossover, its first five-door model and its first to offer all-wheel drive. It also arrived mid-lifecycle in the last generation of Mini Cooper hatchback, with which it shares little more than a passing family resemblance. Now that the Anglo-Saxon automaker is moving on to its third generation of retro hatch, it's given the Countryman a bit of a refresh to keep it current.
Unveiled today at the New York Auto Show, the new Countryman incorporates some very minor cosmetic tweaks to the exterior - so minor, in fact, that you'd be hard pressed to tell one from the other even if viewed side by side. Some subtle enhancements have been implemented to the interior as well, where the large central speedometer remains where it was in the middle of the dashboard (unlike the new Cooper hatch that moves it to where you'd normally find the instrument cluster, behind the steering wheel). The rear seats, however, offer more adjustability.
Mini will offer the new Countryman worldwide in an array of powertrain configurations, ranging from the bare-bones Mini One Countryman with a 1.6-liter naturally-aspirated four offering just 98 horsepower all the way up to the twin-turbo John Cooper Works with 218 hp - North American customers will get the latter, but not the former. The mid-range Cooper S has been enhanced by seven horses to deliver 190 hp, while overseas-only diesel models range from 90 hp to 143. Buyers will be able to choose between a six-speed manual or automatic and front-or all-wheel drive. There are also some new colors on offer and a host of optional equipment, all of which you can read about in the press release below.

NHTSA slaps BMW with $40M fine for slow Mini recall

BMW is on the hook for a $40-million fine after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration slapped the automaker over not recalling Minis that failed to meet minimum side-impact crash standards. The civil penalty from NHTSA concerns 2014 and 2015 Mini Cooper hatchback models that "failed a crash test designed to determine whether the vehicle met crash-protection minimums," the government agency said in a press release issued this week. An October 2014 test revealed the first problem, and the Mini was subsequently retested in July, only to fail again and finally prompt a recall of more than 30,000 cars. But according to NHTSA's investigation that was opened in October, BMW waited too long to issue a recall after it knew the cars did not meet standards and bring them into compliance with more energy-absorbing materials installed by Mini dealers. This is the second time NHTSA slapped BMW with a major penalty, following a $3-million fine back in 2012 failing to report recalls of its cars and motorcycles. "For the second time in three years, BMW has been penalized for failing to meet that obligation," NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said in the release. "The company must take this opportunity to reform its procedures and its culture to put safety where it belongs: at the top of its priority list." In a separate release issued this week, BMW Group said it, "is committed to further improving its recall processes to better serve its customers," and that the company, "respects the role of NHTSA and looks forward to working with them to develop solutions for the future." National Highway Traffic Safety Administration fines BMW $40 million for failing to meet safety requirements Fine is auto company's second since 2012 WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has imposed a $40 million civil penalty and a series of performance requirements to automaker BMW North America for a series of violations of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act and NHTSA regulations. Under terms of a Consent Order issued to BMW, the company acknowledges that it violated requirements to issue a timely recall of vehicles that did not comply with minimum crash protection standards, to notify owners of recalls in a timely fashion, and to provide accurate information about its recalls to NHTSA. NHTSA imposed a $3 million civil penalty to BMW in 2012 for similar violations.

Mini adds limited-edition Coral Red model to 2021 Hardtop line-up

Mini stylists took a trip to the design well and came back with a limited-edition model named Coral Red inspired by the brand's heritage. Offered with two or four doors, it's scheduled to arrive in showrooms this month. As its name clearly implies, the Coral Red edition primarily stands out from the Cooper S it's based on with Coral Red Metallic paint borrowed from the Clubman's palette. Black paint on the door mirrors and on the roof adds a touch of contrast. Mini also added 17-inch Rail Spoke wheels, LED lights at both ends, plus a long list of piano black trim pieces including the headlight bezels, the door handles, and the emblems. Photos of the interior haven't been published yet, but the BMW-owned firm noted the Carbon Red edition gains additional piano black trim in the cabin. It also receives black leatherette upholstery. Mini made no mechanical changes, so power for the Coral Red comes from the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine as the Cooper S. It's turbocharged to deliver 189 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 207 pound-feet of torque at 1,350 rpm, and it once again spins the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. Alternatively, buyers who want two pedals can order a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic at extra cost. Approximately 300 examples of the Coral Red have been earmarked for the American market. Pricing starts at $34,125 for the two-door and $35,370 for the four-door, figures that include a mandatory $850 destination charge. In comparison, the standard Cooper S costs $28,100 with two doors and $29,100 with four. Why Coral? Although the pink-ish Coral Red color comes from the Clubman, the first Mini to wear something like it was the 1100 Special model introduced in 1979 to celebrate the Mini's 20th anniversary. It was one of the first in a shockingly long line of limited-edition variants released largely to hide the fact that British Leyland (and, later, the Rover Group) either didn't know how to replace the original Mini or didn't have the money required to fund the project, depending on the era, market conditions, and who was in charge of either company at a given time. Sold exclusively in England, the 1100 Special was available in two metallic colors named Silver Grey (shown above) and Rose, respectively; the latter was close to 2020's Coral Red hue. Silver cars featured a black vinyl roof, while Rose cars were topped with beige vinyl.