2009 Mini Cooper S Hatchback 2-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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Remember that world-record jump crash? Here's every angle, including the human one

While there are those who watch automotive exploits hoping (secretly or otherwise) for a spectacular crash, most of us are happy when everything goes smoothly. But at the end of the day, a daring stunt wouldn't be a daring stunt if there weren't some element of danger. And make no mistake about it, Guerlain Chicherit's recent long-jump record attempt was a daring stunt if ever there was one.
Chicherit, for those unfamiliar, is a French athlete who made the rare transition from "conventional" sports to motor sports. An accomplished professional skier, these days Guerlain drives a specially-prepared Mini Countryman in off-road events like the Dakar Rally and in death-defying stunts. Last year he managed to backflip his Mini and land in the record books, and this past winter he went after Tanner Foust's record by attempting a 360-foot jump at a ski resort in the French Alps. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.
Despite several practice jumps at closer distances, the final attempt ended in a massive cartwheel crash in front of the gathered crowds. Several spectators published footage of the crash soon after it happened, but now GoPro has released a more comprehensive compilation showing the lead-up to the event and the jump itself from every angle - inside, outside and away from the vehicle. It's guaranteed to make you cringe, but remember that Guerlain miraculously escaped with minimal injury and will live not only to tell the tale, but likely to take another crack at it. Whether you're the kind to gawk at such a crash or not, the video below is worth watching.

Man criticized for filming rather than helping road rage victim

A man from Cheshire in England was criticized on social media after he filmed a road rage brawl and provided color commentary for it instead of helping the victim. According to the Daily Mail, Alec Wall was traveling through Cheshire when he came upon a strange scene. A red Mini was stopped at a light, and standing next to it in traffic was a woman in a white dress. As Wall watched, the woman lunged for the Mini's driver's door, wrenched it open, and began fighting with the woman behind the wheel. While the women fought, Wall pulled out his phone and started recording. "Road Rage!" he shouted as he filmed. Apparently finding the situation extremely funny, Wall continued to film, giggling all the while and providing commentary on the scuffle. "Oh my God, actual road in a rage!" he shouted. Once he returned home, Wall uploaded his video to a Facebook page called Idiot UK Drivers Exposed where it racked up nearly 90,000 likes. Not everyone found it as funny as Wall did, however. Comments began piling up chastising Wall for his flip attitude and his failure to intervene in the fight. "How about instead of laughing and screaming 'road rage' like a moron you do something productive like get out of your car and try to defuse the situation? Use some intelligence..." said one commenter. "I really have failed to see what the camera man is laughing at," said another. "It looks to me like someone being seriously assaulted. Why is that funny?" There is no report on the cause of the incident, or how it ended. Related Video: News Source: The Daily Mail Auto News Weird Car News MINI road rage fight

Mini John Cooper Works Countryman revealed with more power

While we got a first look at the new generation Mini John Cooper Works Countryman a couple of months ago, the official reveal came Wednesday night. The sportiest version of Mini's small SUV combines more aggressive styling with the most powerful engine Mini has offered so far. The powertrain itself is fairly familiar as a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. But power has increased from 301 to 312 ponies. Curiously, the horsepower gain seems to have come at the cost of torque, which is down from 331 to 295 pound-feet of torque. Mini didn't provide any dyno charts, so it's unclear if perhaps there's more torque available elsewhere in the powerband. Despite the extra power, the JCW Countryman's 0-62 mph time is 5.4 seconds, half a second behind the outgoing model. Like the past JCW models, the new Countryman also gets upgraded brakes and suspension, as well as an adaptive exhaust system. It's now fitted with wider tires all the way around at 245 mm compared to the old model's 225 mm. So there's potential for this new version to be grippier and better-handling. Granted, we won't know for sure until we're behind the wheel, and hopefully we'll get more details about the braking and chassis changes closer to the on-sale date. Styling has been changed to match the increased performance. The JCW Countryman gets different front and rear bumpers with larger grilles and unique accents. Lighting patterns are tweaked, too, and 19- and 20-inch wheels are available in designs specific to the JCW. Of particular note are the indentations in the hood that suggest intake scoops above the grille. The interior is swathed in red and black accents everywhere, including the recycled polyester textile dashboard covering. And although Mini hasn't gone into detail about features, the JCW is likely packed with goodies including an advanced highway driving assist that can even execute lane changes. For once with a new model reveal, we actually do have pricing, and it's not cheap. The Mini John Cooper Works Countryman will start at $47,895 including destination charge. Production begins this coming March with examples reaching dealers in May. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.