Unlike previous months MINI USA didn’t talk much about sale other than to give a figure. And it’s curious because sales were actually up 7.9%. MINI USA is reporting that they sold 2,247 MINIs in the manner that compared to 2,082 cars reported last January.

Does this indication a trend in sales? Obviously one month doesn’t make a run. But there is no investigation that the industry and the economy are slowly coming out of person of the worst recessions in recent history. With that MINI USA has a pretty intense value proposition for people looking for cast, performance and economy (not necessarily in that order).

Tags: cars, economy, history, mini, people, style, the, usa

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(Look below for the full release just published hours after this was originally posted).

Over the finally few days we’ve been able to get a clearer focus steady MINI’s pending 2011 representation year cheer and settle much of what sources had been telling us for over a year. And it being so that that more of the details have started to slip onto the web, we can at present start divulging much of which we be aware of. While there will have existence a host of exterior design changes and interior improvements (look for these in future stories), MINI plans to raise power on some models and efficiency across the board. But in an interesting move, MINI power of determination bring the updated powerplants online and into production starting with March 2010. The refresh shouldn’t start production until August of 2010 (to the degree that 2011 models).

Starting by the One MINI is dropping the 1.4L and replacing it with a ultra efficient version of the Cooper’sitting 1.6L powerplant. With 97 bhp (up from 94) and past 36 mpg (43 mpg imperial). On the Cooper MINI will subsist eek out another couple hp and should hit atleast 120 hp (122 bhp) and 118 ft lbs of torque. However any efficiency changes should be minimal as the 1.6L used on that car has had Valvetronic since its launch in 2006.

The Cooper S steady the other hand is where the big recent accounts is. As we’ve confirmed at Detroit, MINI will be adding BMW’s Valvetronic system that continuously variates timing (upon the body the one and the other intake and exhaust camshafts) intake valve lift. Valvetronic-equipped engines are unique in that they rely on the amount of valve lift to throat the engine especially than a butterfly valve in the intake tract. In other words, in normal driving, the “gas pedal” controls the Valvetronic hardware rather than the throat plate. It’s a small difference but one that has served BMW well since it’session introduction in 2001.

With this modify power is up to 181 bhp or 179 hp. Torque is up in the same manner with well at 177ft lbs. However those numbers may go up or down before the official announcement in early February. Efficiency will also be up (due to Valvetronic) through around 10%

Finally MINI will be turning the wick up on the JCW powerplant. With Valvetronic added to the current JCW implement, power should rise to around 215 bhp (approximately 212 hp in the US). Along with all the previously mentioned refresh changes, the JCW will also fall a few spec changes that we’ll tell you about in the coming days.

Note for our US readers, MINI does not purpose to bring any new models to your shores.

Performance, efficiency and driving pleasantry – MINIMALISM offers more of everything. The MINI, MINI Clubman and MINI Convertible will line up in 2010 with an extensively revised range of petrol engines, a move that sees the MINI brand building consistently on its site as the world’s leading builder of inspiringly sporty and exceptionally economical reward small cars. At the same time, all petrol MINI models will meet the EU5 exhaust emissions standard in Europe and the ULEV II standard in the USA from spring 2010. A fresh addition to the model range is the modern MINI One Convertible. Powered by a low-fuel consumption and low-emissions four-cylinder engine producing 72 kW/98 hp, the new model offers an extremely economical way to enjoy that typical MINI go-kart feeling in soft-top form.

Targeted powertrain modifications more remote enhance the relationship betwixt performance and CO2 emissions in all petrol-engined MINI models. An outstanding example of the progress made is the MINI Cooper S, whose new 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine now develops 135 kW/184 hp (an increase of 7 kW) yet emits only 136 grams of CO2 per kilometre in the EU test cycle – 13 g/km less than its forefather. The MINI Cooper and MINI One also take the balance of driving fun and CO2 emissions to another renovated even. The novel MINI One MINIMALISM Line, available with brace engine variants, has the lowest emissions values of any petrol MINI, using optimised engine technology, Brake Energy Regeneration, the Auto Start Stop function, Shift Point Display and other MINIMALISM measures to achieve a CO2 figure of 119 g/km.

Tags: Bmw, car, design, economy, fun, future, mini, new, Seat, test, the, us, way

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We’ve heard the notion near the front of that, through the MINI, BMW brought premium to the small car segment. While that could be argued with a number of earlier products (all available outside the US) it’s hard to argue anyone has at any time done it better. This video of MINI USA Vice President Jim McDowell is an update to that ideology with some ties into the 2009/2010 world economy and a renewed emphasis on efficiency.

But more importantly there are a couple of recent exclusive MF reports that McDowell confirms in this video:

Tags: 0, Bmw, car, economy, la, mini, new, the, us, usa, video, world

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Ah the CVT. The answer to all of our problems. Its step-less shifting was to be the two good for performance and good husbandry while giving you a wafting cloud allied experience. That is to the time when it fails costing the owner $8,000 to replace. It’s been a huge frustration for quite a few R50 owners who opted for the CVT over the of the hand with crowd failures happening precisely around the time the agreement expires.

Tags: Bmw, care, cars, economy, experience, history, mini, Nissan, read, review, the, usa

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This is the 2010 MINI range summed up. You won’t read about concepts, speedsters, coupes or crossovers. These are the details and specs of what is sold in dealerships right now.

2010 MINI Hardtop

Official Release: The MINI Experience Continues: Go-kart-driving fun, an inner that provides the maximum amount of car in the least quantity amount of space and a myriad of personalization possibilities keep the 2010 MINI Cooper and Cooper S Hardtops adhering meridian of the small-car premium segment taken in the character of sales continue to be strong.

Tags: Audi, Bmw, body, car, color, design, economy, entertainment, Ford, mini, mode, Seat, Smart, sport, style, the

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MINI’s UK division is lowering the bar once again with the release of a new entry-level gasoline model called ‘First’ that is priced at £10,950 OTR or £1,395 less than the MINI One. Available only in three-door hatch cast, the First is equipped with a detuned version of the 95HP 1.4-litre petrol engine currently found in the One that produces 75 horsepower and is linked to a six-speed of the hand gearbox.

The MINI First have power to accelerate from naught to 100km/h (62mph) in 13.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 109mph or 175km/h while returning a combined combustible matter economy of 53.3mpg UK (5.3lt/100km or 44.3mpg US).

Tags: Audi, body, computer, design, economy, mini, new, radio, Seat, sport, the, us

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GM Vice Chairman, Bob Lutz, has undeniably confirmed that the G8 sedan will indeed die with the Pontiac brand – full stop.

While standing by his previous comment that the Australian-developed sedan was “too good to waste”, from a marketing perspective the task of reassigning the G8 to another brand is due impossible to achieve.

Mr Lutz made the official announcement on GM’s FastLane Blog earlier today, mentioning that as a fan of the G8 he could sympathise with its supporters even supposing simply could not acquit the require to subsist paid of rebranding.

Tags: australia, business, Cadillac, Chevrolet, economy, future, marketing, me, new, Pontiac, the, us, way

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General Motors’ newly-appointed Vice Chairman, Bob Lutz, has penned a post on GM’s Fast Lane blog that be possible to be boiled down to two words: My bad.

A flurry of reports spurred on by the agency of Lutz’ comments that GM was considering adapting the Pontiac G8 into a reborn, rear-wheel drive Chevrolet Caprice have been down-played by a number of the General’s generals, including CEO Fritz Henderson. In Lutz’ post, he put the final nail in the G8-cum-Caprice’s sarcophagus saying:

“The G8 resoluteness not be a Caprice after all. I’d mentioned it, and said we were studying it, giving it a serious look, because a car like the G8 was just too well adapted to waste.

Tags: australia, blog, car, Chevrolet, economy, future, my, people, Pontiac, review, the, us

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Things could hardly have played out worse for Honda. It has poured what surely amounted to billions of dollars for years into its Formula One team with little effect. Then it brought in Ross Brawn, only to withdrew its support from the squad, then it sold the entire operation to Brawn while paying out big bucks to elude an even bigger separation bill. And simply soon afterward did Brawn turn the F1 team into a winner. That’d be enough to send some automakers scurrying to get back in the game, but not Honda.

Tags: economy, game, Honda, new, support, the, things, Toyota

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Automakers looking with a view to a relatively quick turnaround in the auto market probably aren’t going to like a new survey from AutoPacific. The annual survey of over 32,000 consumers gauges public interest in modern car buying, and the 2009 survey shows that a lot fewer people are looking for a new car these days.

Tags: buy, car, cars, economy, may, new, people, study, the, us

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