Mini

BMW decided to make it a little easier to for us test its many vehicles by creating the BMW Test Fest, a day-long event at the BMW Performance Center in Thermal, California. With over 80 cars from BMW, Rolls-Royce, and MINI, here’s a taste of what we experienced.

The sickest looking MINI ever. It sports an aggressive new grille, a carbon fiber aero kit, awesome Union Jack taillamps, and a stripped down interior with a roll cage and racing seats. No word yet on power or other performance improvements, but it’ll surely pack many.

French company Lazareth says that it’s selling Mini Mokes modified to be amphibious. The mod is mainly based on a propeller that lets it go up to 7 knots on water. On land, you get 4-wheel drive and a top speed of 56mph.

David Brown Automotive’s remake of the original Mini. Limited to 50 units, the Mini Remastered also takes cues from the coachbuilder’s own Speedback GT. It’s also equipped with modern comforts such as an infotainment system and a remote key.

The new MINI John Cooper Works Countryman gets a zesty new engine with 228hp and 258 lb-ft. of torque, as well as standard AWD, sport suspension, Brembo brakes, and 18″ alloy rims. Inside there’s more space than ever, with seating for five, and sweet JCW sport seats.

The computers have won. Cars with automatic transmission are more efficient and consistent than manuals. But if you believe that owning a high performance vehicle is about having fun, Carfection has for you a bucket list of cars with “a proper gearbox.”

The latest addition to MINI’s John Cooper Works lineup is this amped up version of their compact crossover, packing a twin-turbo engine that makes 228 hp and 258 lb-ft. of torque, an all-wheel drivetrain, sport suspension, Brembo brakes, and bold JCW body styling.

We’ve already seen skiing on sand dunes, so why shouldn’t sand snowboarding be a thing. Snowboarder Wojtek “Gniazdo” Pawlusiak took to the desert to shred some slopes with a little help from rally driver Kuba Przygoński and his Dakar-outfitted MINI. Photos by Marcin Kin.

MINI recently revamped its Clubman more spacious for passengers and cargo. The ALL4 variant gains the ability to handle a variety of terrain, thanks to its AWD system that can dynamically allocate power to front or rear wheels, and enhances cornering ability.

Han Yue broke his own Guinness world record for tightest parallel parking. This time he was able to fit a Mini into a space only 8cm (3.15″) longer than the car. In other news, a man wore a race suit just to park his car.

Is there anything that Rob Scallon can’t play? Here he is in a tiny closet, playing a concert with the smallest bass on the market – a tiny ukulele-sized bass thumping out the jams – and the smallest amp and pedal set up too.

Guerlain Chicherit recently attempted to complete the world’s longest ramp jump. After solid test runs, his final run went catastrophically wrong. Go behind the scenes of the jump and see the horrific crash from his point of view.

BMW might be considering changing the Mini’s brand to Medium. The new Mini 5-door has three rear seats and 67L more trunk space than the 3-door model. It will be available in four engine variants, from 116hp to 192hp.

MINI and coachbuilder Touring Superleggera knocked it out of the park with their collaborative concept roadster, blending the best of British and Italian automotive design. The tailfin and Union Jack tail lights are priceless. More on 95octane.

Guerlain Chicherit is no stranger to performing stunts in a MINI. Unfortunately, during his attempt to break Tanner Foust’s record for longest jump, things went horribly wrong on touchdown. Fortunately, Chicerit is doing okay.

As if parallel parking wasn’t difficult enough, watch as Han Yue crams a Mini in-between two others leaving a space just 5.91 inches longer than the car in one fell swoop, blowing away this guy’s record.

To promote the 2012 Mini Coupé, Mini asked fans to describe what they think would be the best test drive ever in just six words. Here’s the winning entry, starring its submitter, Mathew Foster.

We first saw the MINI Roadster in concept form, and now it’s going into production. We dig this go-kart inspired 2-seater soft-top and the available 211HP 1.6L turbo in the John Cooper Works edition.

Just when you thought the MINI couldn’t get any smaller, BMW revealed their tiny $22k two-seater, which tops out at a zippy 149mph in an upgraded 208hp, $32k John Cooper Works version. Vid here.

While they’re known for their subcompact cars, Mini now has their own subcompact urban bicycles. The 24-pound bike folds neatly and is small enough to fit in the back of – you guessed it – a Mini Cooper.

To be unveiled at the Geneva Auto show, the MINI Rocketman concept car clocks in at about 3 meters long; it features carbon construction, chassis gliding doors, 18″ wheels and wrap-around glass roof.

Ah, one of life’s great questions… What would happen if you put a jet turbine engine from a helicopter into a Mini Cooper. Uh. This. More footage of this good little car gone bad here.

No, we don’t mean Mini Pac-Man. Mini’s 208-hp AWD coupe concept looks like a Countryman with 2 doors ripped off. More details to be revealed at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

Mini’s Scooter E Concept is powered by an integrated electric motor in the rear wheel and features a smartphone adapter which operates as vehicle key, display and central control element.

Cummins has creatively crammed a 3500 hp, V18 diesel engine (you know, the kind they put in dump trucks) into an original Mini; it has more than 10,000lb/ft of torque and uses 12 turbochargers.

The Mini just bulked up. Set to debut in the US next year, the Mini Countryman is 161.3 in long and has a wheelbase of 102.2 in, combining space and flexibility with the classic Mini look.

Love it or hate it, but you have to give MINI props for having the cojones to show off this Beachcomber Concept; it strips out the doors and adds AWD for a decidedly non-urban vehicle.

A topless version of the MINI Coupe Concept, the MINI Roadster loses two seats from the current convertible but gains 8.8 cubic feet of trunk space and a new multi-function display.

Celebrating the 50th birthday of the original MINI, the MINI Coupe Concept is a hot little two-seater; it packs a 211 hp, turbocharged 1.6L and an Overboost mode good for 206 lb-ft.

The John Cooper Works MINI Cabriolet boosts low-end torque, good for a 0-62 time of 6.9s; also upgraded are the suspension and brakes, along with a piano-lacquer trim and aero kit.