Video: Rally MINI!

Here's a video of a MINI wallowing in its Rally heritage.

[From a MINI USA Press Release, 08/07]*
"...[In] 1960, the MINI for the first time won a rally in its category, the Geneva Rally, with brothers Don and Erle Morley at the wheel....[T]wo years later the MINI was even able to clinch overall victory in rally racing, with Pat Moss, the sister of world-famous Formula 1 driver Stirling Moss, and co-driver Ann Wisdom bringing home the Tulip Rally in the Netherlands.

Another two years later the MINI works team entered the annals of motorsport once and for all: No less than six MINIs showed up for the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally, already the most famous rally in the world. Four of the cars were MINI Coopers developing maximum output of approximately 70 hp from 997 cc in Group 3 trim (close to production standard) and two were MINI Cooper S with maximum output of approximately 90 hp from 1,071 cc in Group 2 trim (improved), together facing more than 290 competitors in the event. Some of the other cars entering the 1964 Monte Carlo Rally had more than twice as much horsepower, such as the 4.7-litre Ford Falcon, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SE, the Volvo 544 “Humpback”, or the Alpine Renault.

In a genuine struggle of David against Goliath, the MINI quickly proved its fortes. With its compact exterior dimensions and broad “stance on the wheels”, as well as its long wheelbase, the MINI excelled through its optimum roadholding and above all its superior grip in bends even at the car’s top speed of 160 km/h or 100 mph..."


*Read the full press release at Motoringfile.com

Maximum Safety in the MINI Cooper

(You may have recieved this in an eNewsletter recently!)*

Maximum Safety in the MINI Cooper: How a very small car can be a very safe car.

Safety is not a matter of size and mass, but the result of brilliant engineering and design.

The 2008 MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper Clubman are among the safest cars on the road today. Despite its diminutive size, a MINI Cooper is engineered to protect its passengers. Safety in your MINI comes in two forms: Active—the capability to maneuver out of harm’s way, and Passive—systems and structural elements that protect occupants from the forces and consequences of a crash. Every 2008 MINI Cooper excels at both active and passive safety, exceeding government standards for equipment and performance in actual crash testing.

As MINI drivers know, their MINI Coopers are agile, nimble and remarkably capable of performing any maneuver needed with precision. That’s handling! And handling is the key to active safety. Handling provides the ability to drive out of danger and avoid accidents.

Your 2008 MINI Cooper is packed with computers, sensors, systems and mechanical equipment designed expressly for optimal handling. Under normal driving conditions, you are blissfully unaware of most active safety in the MINI. It’s only when the going gets dicey that you experience the amazing abilities of your MINI.

Take braking for instance. It’s the way we slow down, and brake function is normally routine and easily modulated. Sometimes, however, you have to slow quickly or stop suddenly. When you do, MINI is equipped with four-sensor antilock brakes (ABS) that refuse to lock and continue to provide controllable braking power in emergency situations. ABS is assisted by Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, a system that adjusts braking force and response according to load. In other words, your MINI will stop differently depending on who and what is onboard and MINI’s braking forces will be distributed accordingly. Similarly, MINI’s Cornering Brake Control is specially engineered to keep you balanced and in control when carving corners. It, too, uses sensors and selective brake application to maintain stability when cornering.

Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) is yet another vital ABS partner in your MINI. DSC is perhaps the single most important safety system on your MINI besides the seatbelts. It constantly senses steering angles and yaw forces and measures angles to detect a skid. If your MINI starts to drift, DSC steps in and applies corrective braking and, if needed, reduces engine power to prevent a loss of control. Government and industry statistics prove that stability control prevents accidents by allowing drivers to maneuver safely in an emergency driving situation, saving themselves and passengers from a crash and potential injury.


In addition to DSC, your MINI is equipped with Traction Control, a system that prevents the front drive wheels from losing traction. It kicks in during acceleration when any slippage is detected. It allows you to pull out to pass with confidence that power will be transferred efficiently to the pavement.

There are other active safety features on your MINI, several of which you probably never considered as such. For example, consider MINI’s headlamps. MINI has automatic leveling xenon headlamps with specially sculpted prisms that boost light output by 25 percent. When you see more and farther ahead, driving is safer. There are also speed-sensing windshield wipers that operate at the optimum speed for good visibility. Heated window washer nozzles that prevent the fluid from freezing in winter assist them. Examine the warning lights in the MINI’s maxi-speedometer bezel, and you’ll find a flat tire monitor so you will know the instant one of your tires starts getting soft.

If an accident is unavoidable, MINI has your back with an ultra-rigid body engineered to absorb the impact forces of a crash before they get to you. Seatbelts with pre-tensioners are critical since you must be held in a secure position for the optimal operation of airbags. Six airbags are standard consisting of front, side and curtain head airbags for the driver and front passenger. The extra-large curtain airbags (integrated in the roof lining) offer optimum protection from head injuries for the rear passengers.

MINI is all about motoring and doing it safely. You can be confident your MINI is equipped to help you be a good driver who is in control at all times. You can also be confident that, in the unavoidable crash, your MINI is designed and equipped to prevent injury, sacrificing itself in the interests of your safety.

*Published by Assael BMW and MINI

Street-racing Crash Kills 7

[Ed. note: Well, this sucks....]

[From: CNN.com] A car plowed into a crowd that had gathered to watch a drag race on a suburban road early Saturday, killing seven people and injuring at least four, police said.

A witness said two cars in the illegal street race sped past just before a car without its lights on came up behind the crowd of about 50.

"There were just bodies everywhere; it was horrible," said Crystal Gaines, 27, whose father was among the dead.

Read the full article at CNN.com

Silverado Truck Reaches 1,000,000 Mile Mark

*Yes, that says one meeeleeion miles, and no, that's not a typo! At least not according to the article from local Wisconsin newpaper, Shawano Leader...

Wisconsin man’s dependable pickup hits incredible milestone
(Shawano Leader, Sunday, February 10, 2008)

GRESHAM, Wis. - Frank Oresnik's trusty pickup truck — he calls it "the old girl" — passed the 1 million-mile mark with a camera crew filming the event and a public-radio audience listening in. "I can't tell you how much fun it was," he said. "It was really humbling, all this interest."

Oresnick uses this perspective: He’s had the oil changed more than 300 times. In fact, the oil’s been changed so often, the oil pan drain plug has needed rethreading. Several times.

Dr. Evil would approve.










Full text available at:
http://www.shawanoleader.com/articles/2008/02/10/news/news1.txt

[Ed. note: So, technically, since most odometers only go to 100,000 miles before flipping, then his odometer actually read zero, right?]

Camtasia Captures MINIUSA!

Doing research for something completely unrelated, I found myself amused at the Camtasia website, and the website it chose for its short video demonstration...

Click the link below for a fun little demo*
www.techsmith.com/camtasia.asp

*not trying to sell you Camtasia

SCMM on whipnotic.com

I got pointed to whipnotic.com, who features a short vid on Southern California MINI Maniacs!

I'm off to check out what whipnotic.com is all about...

whipnotic.com | scmm.org

TV Spot: Passport 9500i Radar Detector

"I'll take "Cheesy Late Night Infomercials" for a hundred, Alex".

Actually, it's only a 60-second spot for the Escort Passport 9500i. ("the i is for intelligent") New school quality, old school cheese. Classic.

high bandwidth - 720x480
low bandwidth - 360x240

www.escortradar.com

MINI CLUBMANia hits the U.S.!

With the official U.S. release of the MINI Clubman only days away, the hype machine is now in full force! Spy photos, leaked press releases, you know the drill. Commercials for the MINI Clubman have even started to surface in US television. Fortunately, we have the power of Internet to get a jump on things. I mean, who could resist a visit to the local MINI dealer after a spot like this... :)




"Club what?" You say? Get up to speed with Motoringfile.com's FULL COVERAGE of all things Clubman (my words, not theirs).

Click this link for more mania inducing videos!

MINI MILEAGE 2007: UPDATE/HOW-TO

Being the dork that I am, I like to keep a variety of statistics in both my work and personal life so I can then go around blurting out random numbers and factoids to anyone who will listen. (i kid!)

I bought my first MINI Cooper in 2003 straight off the lot. I fell in love with the car, the MINI "lifestyle", and coming from a 4-door Chevy sedan, I especially enjoyed the increase in gas mileage! But when folks would ask "What kind of mileage do you get in that thing?" while I had an answer, (being the dork that I am) I prefer proof (a.k.a. "statistics"!)

I have been diligently tracking my MPG since I picked up my second MINI- a 2006 MINI Cooper S in July of 2006. The process is quite simple actually:

1. I use the MINI's built-in Odometer/Trip Meter to track the distance traveled between each fill up...
2. At each fill up, I use the camera on my cellphone to take a photo of the resulting pump reading...
3. I then take another photo of my Odometer/Trip Meter before I reset it...
4. I upload these photos to my cellphone account, where each one is time/date stamped from when I took the photo. This is perfect for when I'm feeling less geeky since I can let them pile up for weeks until a day like today...
   
5. I review each photo and enter the data into a spreadsheet.

With a carefully prepped spreadsheet, now all I have to do is enter the data and the rest is done for me! It's a pretty basic set of formulas- namely averaging, and dividing. (If you really want a copy of my spreadsheet let me know. I'd be happy to send it.)

Here is a brief summary of travel data for my MINI Cooper S for 2007:

• The average fill-up in 2007 was $32 for 10.32 = 3.16/gal. (In the last 3-4 months the typical yield for $40 for is 12 gallons = ~$3.34/gal)
• The median mileage between fill-ups was 242.4 "per tank" (Only about 30% of my mileage comes from traveling farther than 20 miles of highway every few weekends. Gotta visit the fam' y'know!)
• + Overall, my MPG results in an average of 23.82 and a median of 22.68 a gallon.*
• + The highest MPG recorded in 2007: 41.9mpg baby! (Yes, that was a result of about 90% highway driving going to Las Vegas for AMVIV)

For better record keeping in 2008, I'm considering acquiring a gas card (credit card) so I can better track "Days between fill-ups" as well as maintain more consistency of where and how much I pay for each fill up (I also try to purchase the same dollar amount of fuel each time so I can use this as the "constant" in my formulas, which isn't always an option when you're relying on cash).

*(NOTE: I prefer "Median" over "Average" whenever possible. It provides a more accurate look at the data! But then again, I'm a dork.)

So there's a peek into how I get my "numbers" for the on-going "MINI Mileage Update" thread on this blog. I know someone will blow my method of analysis to shreds, but that's how we learn, right?

Ken Block+Subaru Impreza WRX STI = 170ft jump

I'm still in awe over this video clip, hence the lame title of this post!

Game Review: Mini Desktop Racing (Wii)

This review of "Mini Desktop Racing" for the Nintendo Wii was sent to me by a colleague and fellow MINI owner.* Having never heard of the game until now, how do I discuss the review without giving it away?

"Mini Desktop Racing is a single and multi-player racing game with a top down view, much like "Micro Machines". Every level challenges the player to find the best way of navigating through the obstacles and special interactive items."

Or, one of my favorite opening statements of all time:

"[Mini Desktop Racing] is brought to Wii by Conspiracy Entertainment and Dada Design Interactive, the same people that also released such budget titles as Ninja Bread Man and the aforementioned Offroad Extreme."

For the full review, I now direct you toward the full IGN review. The results just may surprise you!

Mini Desktop Racing Review
http://wii.ign.com/articles/840/840529p1.html

*Thanks Griff!

Side-by-side Comparison: 2006 MINI, Honda, Scion, VW

Somehow I ended up on the Kelly Blue Book site again!! I don't know why- I'm not buying or selling anything... While there I ended up clicking the "compare" button. The results are as expected, MINI COOPERS KICK ASS in almost every area!

I'm not saying each of these cars are equally equipped, because frankly, I wouldn't know. But, with equal mileage:

cricka por photo mas grande

Used Car Blue Book, Private Party:

• '06 MINI COOPER S: $21,895.00 (mpg:25/32)
  
• '06 HONDA CIVIC DX: $13,510.00 (mpg:30/40)
  
• '06 SCION TC: $15,880.00 (mpg:22/29)
  
• '06 VW: GTI: $16,620.00 (mpg: 22/29)
  

Again, don't bash me for comparing cars that aren't in the same "league"- KBB.com seems to think they are!

MINIs autocross at Qualcomm Stadium

MINI Coopers rip it up at the BMWCCA Autocross at Qualcomm Stadium



Visit www.MotorkultTV.com for the complete segment.

What is your Carbon Footprint?

And by "your" I actually mean your vehicle. Mine is, like $18/3.2 tons of CO2/year. I guess that's pretty good?!

"[My] car outputs a moderate amount of carbon each year. If all the drivers in [my] range contributed we would offset a million tons of CO2..."

Whats yours? www.carbonfund.org/vw
(don't mind the 'dub...)

Classic Moment: MINIac Birthday

An apology to all you classic MINI lovers. This post has nothing to do with classic MINIs, but rather, a "classic" moment:

The other day I was at a birthday party for one of the hot female members of my MINI club. At the final act of the gift-giving ritual...

S.O. says "close your eyes" and heads to the other room... Birthday Girl closes her eyes for a delightful b-day surprise. Guests wait eagerly.

As S.O. comes out with an unwrapped swaybar box (it did have a ribbon, and a bow!), I thought, "uh-oh, here it comes..." I forgot that Birthday Girl is a MINIac too! Upon opening her eyes, where most girls I know would have said, "um, we need to talk!", her face lights up and she says "Wow! Cool!" Shows you what I know.

Whether or not they had a "talk" later, I'll never know. Nonetheless, I thought that was hilarious! I need to find me a girl like that!

Compare Old and New EPA MPG Estimates

Unless you've been living under rock then you've probably heard of the updated (and most importantly) more accurate MPG Estimates required by our wonderful federal government beginning in 2008. The conversation came up at work today and in doing a little research, I found a great website that allows consumers to compare the old numbers to the new ones. And since I drive a MINI, of course that's the first thing I checked!

source: fueleconomy.gov

Now here's the kicker-- In all of my ongoing MPG estimates (and I'm pretty consistent in keeping them), what's my average MPG? Yep- right about 24-26 MPG! I think this comparision chart will be invaluable to those considering a new vehicle for fuel effiency purposes. Of course it's always important to remember: your mileage may vary.

:bmp:

Racing MINIs (Not to be confused with "racy")

Found an excellent photo gallery tonight, linked to from NAM*...



...with over 100 awesome photos of track and rally MINIs! NICE!
(click the image above to visit!)


*What's NAM?" You say? Why, its NorthAmericanMotoring.com
(" MINI Cooper news, forums, FAQs, and reviews for enthusiasts and owners of the North American MINI Cooper")

Racy MINI Cooper commercial [PG-13]

I was researching the frequency (or lack thereof) of MINI Coopers reported stolen. Instead I found this "suggestive" MINI Cooper commercial.*

Not quite up there with scantily-clad popstars dripping with condiments, it still has all the important "elements":

Racy + MINI = What more can you ask for?

*After closer observation, I'm beginning to think this is one of those cases of "Steal the commercial and put our brand at the end". Not clever at all! I'll still give a shout out to stolengirlfriendsclub.com.

Review: Street Tuner Challenge (Season Two)

DISCLAIMER: I hate mainstream media. I never listen to the radio, rarely go to the movies, and I canceled my Cable subscription 4 years ago and haven't looked back. I'm certainly not the guy you want to review a TV show!


However, now three episodes into "Street Tuner Challenge", I think I've got a pretty good idea of the show enough to provide a few comments. Good or bad, I already know what the finished cars will at least look like, which makes it interesting to watch the show for "show's sake".

Episode One struck me as very MTV-wannabe, very "16-28 male", visually speaking- plenty of seizure-inducing jump-cuts and "ass-high" camera angles (not my word) to suit the Red Bull generation. "Certainly not produced with diehard tuners, racers, or even show-car fans in mind" I said. I found myself hoping for a couple commercials just to remind me I was watching mainstream media.

Episode Two toned it down a bit- Having met most of the FBR guys on many occasions- and I'll admit they're not the staunchest crew out there- in my opinion the production thus far taints the seriousness in which they take the actual under-the-hood aspects of their products in favor of the over-the-top visual designs Hollywood loves so much (the fact that they insist on referring to the FBR team as "the hollywood team" kinda says it right there). Fireball Tim certainly knows how to work the camera and certainly ads to the entertainment value of the show, so it makes for good TV I guess. I really wish I knew more about the other crews and could compare their "treatment".

This week I saw Episode Three and what I percieve as a huge change in direction- Namely, semi-educational? Watching folks remove and disassemble brand new engines and trannys, just to rebuilt them- explaining each step in detail? My friend walks in from the kitchen, stands there for a sec, and says, "Is this the same show?" I was thinking the same thing!

As a fairly new car "enthusiast", I like the different directions each shop is taking their cars and the persona to match is cool too (can you say "executive pre-production meeting"?). As each episode focuses on a different aspevct of building a tuner car- from what I've seen thus far, I think the show will get better (i.e. less camp, more technical) as the season progresses.

At the end of the day, it's just another "reality" TV show designed to space out the commercials and make me think Smirnoff Ice isn't just another flavored malt beverage. If my friend remembers to TiVo them I'll probably watch the rest of the episodes just to give STC/Speed Channel the numbers and validate the MINI brand. (Wow- I could be blatantly pimping my own online show right now, but I got C+ in Marketing!)

As a non-TV-watcher I am interested in other "reviews" of the show as a whole, and if possible, from some of the folks who may be associated with the other teams. As per NDA terms of course.

MINI by Fireballed!
EVO by Skunk2
Focus by FocusSport

streettunerchallenge.tv

Rear-ended on the LIE!

Saw this one on NAM today:

"Today on my way home on the LIE eastbound I was stopped in traffic then got rear-ended by a Ford Explorer which was rear-ended by a person who is in the assigned risk insurance pool. Explorer because its high plowed right into the boot lid and the left rear quarter, I was pushed into the car in front which got pushed into the car in front, in all a 3 car and 2 SUV collision. The cars in front of me took off before the cop arrived..."

I don't know what a LIE is. "Loser In Explorer"? According to the thread (at the time of this posting), no MINI peeps were hurt. If you must follow the thread here it is: [thread]