Back in October, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating certain turbocharged Mini models for vehicle fires. The investigation came after reports of at least 12 vehicles lighting up, and now the investigation has officially lead to a recall.

NHTSA has announced on its website that Mini will recall 88,911 turbocharged models built between November 2006 and January 2011 for a water pump problem that could result in a fire. The government agency says on its website that “the electronic auxiliary water pump that cools the turbocharger has an electronic circuit board that can malfunction and overheat.” If that happens, the board could smolder and result in a vehicle fire. Read More »

Well, this certainly brings quite literal meaning to the word ‘minivan’. According to Auto Motor und Sport, sources within BMW have reportedly confirmed that a new Mini-branded panel van – possibly dubbed Mini Cargo – will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Read More »

Mini and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced an investigation into certain Cooper S models after reports of engine fires on at least 12 vehicles, five of which resulted in a total loss. Interestingly enough, Bloomberg reports that in eight of those cases, the fires occurred while the vehicles were parked and turned off.
Read More »

Car and Driver is reporting that the Mini Paceman has been given the go-ahead for production. The news comes courtesy of company chief Kay Segler, who said that the high-riding three-door is headed to the States. Read More »

If you thought Mini had strayed far from its raison d’être with the Countryman crossover, consider the following: while the original Mini was diminutive in size, it was all about maximizing interior volume against a compact exterior shape – a ratio, if you will, of cabin size to overall dimensions. The rumored upcoming Mini minivan, then, might seem like another step too far for the brand, but could very much fit the bill in its size-bending capacity.
Read More »

Few tuning houses are as quintessentially Italian as Romeo Ferraris. Just say the name out loud and you’ll want a glass of Chianti to go with your Risotto. Most of the garage’s products have been Italian – Fiat 500s mostly – but there have been a few foreigners in the mix as well, including the Chevrolet Corvette, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and Land Rover Defender. And this is their latest. Read More »

Mini has established a pretty successful formula for its lineup. The party gets started with a base model, followed by a slightly more athletic S variant. But at the very top of the heap, the John Cooper Works trim delivers gut-punching performance with a serious suspension, easy-breathing exhaust and beefy brakes. Judging from a handful of spy photos dredged up by our crafty shooters, it looks like the high-riding Countryman will get a taste of the JCW action, too. The more menacing baby crossover was spotted lapping the infamous Nürburgring in anger ahead of the car’s public debut. Read More »