A new breed of Mini has been announced that will be aimed solely at track usage. The car will be called the Mini John Cooper

Works Challenge, or Mini Challenge for short.

This special performance model will be a modified Cooper S fitted with a full race interior and with increased power output and traction. It's set to increase the top speed to 149mph with 280Nm torque with Overboost.

The Mini Challenge will be unveiled at the IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt and will be available to race teams from March 2008. The Mini will be aimed at the Mini Challenge race series, which has been running since 2004.

It will be possible for private buyers to purchase one of the cars although they can expect a later delivery date of June 2008. Road-going conversions will not be possible. The Mini Challenege is expected to be sold for €49,900 inc VAT (£33,762).

For more information or to place an order visit www.mini.com/challenge-car

"I'm just keeping quiet at work, knuckling down and supplying the manufacturers. We've got the Works warehouse where we have accounts and that's our distribution centre. All the rest is engineering and going around different companies including Ricardo and Prodrive.

"If a manufacturer wants a tuning kit for their car, like we've done with Mini, we come up with the concept. They give us the parameters of how far we can go to be safe and we say what we can produce. So with the latest New Mini kit it's air filter, exhaust and engine calibration. Then we put together prototype parts and testing. We then produce the parts and get them shipped down to East Preston, put them in a box and send them out to their suppliers. For the manufacturers it's a one-stop shop. When we work for other manufacturers they will have their own brand - nothing else will be badged as Cooper.

"Regarding the new Works kit for the Peugeot-engined Minis: if you buy a Cooper S, you will go to your dealer and ask for the Works kit. They will order it as a kit of parts and will get it fitted. It's not as complicated as the first kits, which was a cylinder head and supercharger. This is just an air filter, exhaust and engine calibration so it makes lots of noise, goes well and ticks all the boxes.

"Bhp increases from 172 to 195, but that's not really the telling figure. The telling figure is the torque which has gone up from 220/230 NM to 260/270 Nm which is a tremendous amount of mid-range power."

See more at: http://mini.co.uk/html/model_range/john_cooper_works/home.html

The 64-page eBook is for all car enthusiasts and claims to be the ultimate driver's handbook. It covers a variety of driving information from techniques to driving philosophy.

The book is available to download for just $2.50 from www.drivewithpassion.tv.

Also, for just $1.50 you can download "Minirockets Book 1", a colouring book for kids of five of the maddest Fireballed Minis.

Find out more information about Fireball Tim at www.fireballtim.com.

A front-end grip problem became apparent during the practise session causing Blyth to start 14th position, much further down than his usual starting position.

Blyth tried to make the most of the first short sprint of the day. He raced his Advent Motorsport prepared S Class Mini up into 10th place. Yet he later found out he had be disqualified from the final results after he overtook a car when the yellow flag was out.

To make up for his loss, Blyth tried to secure a victory in the second race. Yet two large accidents resulted in the race being shortened. Blyth struggled to raise his position but only managed to finish in 11th place.

Despite two disappointing finishes Blyth still managed to walk away in the lead of the Novice Class and Second in the S Class.

The Twelfth and Thirteenth rounds of the Mini Challenge will be held at Croft, North Yorkshire, on 25 - 26 August.

For more information visit www.jamesblyth.com.

The door is located on the right side of the new model. This is ideal for left-hand-drive versions of the model as it allows the driver to stay seated while rear passengers enter and exit the car.

However, in countries where right-hand-drive cars are a necessity, it means that the driver will have to get out first for passengers to gain access to the rear seats.

This is because only one bodyshell is being made. The design will be kept the same across the range due to the cost of moving the fuel filler that is located on the left side at the rear.

There was a report that a shell with a reverse-opening door on the left would be made for Britain, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. However the report noted that BMW have confirmed this is not true.

The reverse-opening door is often known as a suicide door as it opens rearwards. Yet BMW would prefer it to be called a Clubdoor as 'suicide' implies safety issues.

The Clubman will make its official debut at the Frankfurt motor show this summer. It will be available from the 10 November across the UK and will come equipped with similar specifications as the standard Mini.

To read the full article visit www.nzherald.co.nz/section/9/story.cfm?c_id=9&objectid=10455520.

Mini has joined forces with Japanese trainer brand Onitsuka Tiger to create a Limited Edition range of fashionable footwear.

The range will be available for both men and women. The first shoe will be released on 1 December and will be available in chocolate and cream (as seen here), black and silver or cream and British Green.

The launch of the new range is due to coincide with the release of the new Mini Clubman, on sale in the UK on 10 November.

The shoes will be sold in Onitsuka Tiger stores, selected fashion outlets and Mini dealers across the UK.

Mini has also joined forces with Finduck to create a range of luggage cases and bags, available in November.

For more information visit www.mini.com/shop.

The website has a forum, technical page and a video gallery. This can be accessed at www.newminiclub.hu .

For more information contact Orsolya Kormendi at ujminiklub@gmail.com

The model has taken on its own interpretation from the classic Mini Clubman Estate, Traveller and Countryman. It includes all the same famous driving dynamics and low-slung look as with previous Mini models, but with much more space - especially in the rear.

An inventive new rear-opening clubdoor is the key feature of the model. It provides easier access to the rear seats by opening up besides the front door, but in the reverse direction. It's hinged on the inside and doesn't include an outside handle to prevent ruining the smooth exterior bodywork. For safety reasons it can only be opened when the front door is open too.

The rest of the exterior is identical to the design of the Hatch model up until the B pillar. One unique difference however is the split doors at the rear, which are in keeping with the traditional Mini models.

The Clubman replicates the interior design features found in other Second Generation Mini models. Yet the body is 24cm longer than the Hatch, meaning rear passengers can relax with an extra 8cm of legroom. Extra space is also present in the boot, which can hold 260litres of storage with the seats up or 930litres with the rear seats down.

It will be sold with five seats as standard. But customers can opt to add another two seats in the rear for no extra cost.

The Clubman engine will also host the same high-performance features found in other Second Generation models, which maximise fuel economy and emission management.

It will be available to buy as either a Cooper, a Cooper S or a Cooper D. Customers will be able to choose from 12 body colours. One of which is Hot Chocolate, a new and exclusive option for the Mini Clubman.

The new Mini Clubman will finally go on sale in the UK on Saturday 10 November 2007. Prices will start at £14,235 for the Cooper, £15,400 for the diesel and £17,210 for the Cooper S model.

For more information www.mini.co.uk.

The show involves cars from different nations that have been modified to the highest standards, and filming has already begun. Entrants must compete for the best interiors, exteriors and most horsepower.

The team will be customising a Mini Cooper S and have invited companies to sponsor their car for just $30, 10% of which will be donated to charity. They are hoping that this will result in much interest from potential sponsors due to the worldwide audience for the show.

The Fireballed team will also be offering a 'Behind the scenes' DVD showcasing the step-by-step build of the R56 Mini as it gets ready for the show. Prequels to the show will be streamed on the Fireballed website.

For more information visit www.fireballtim.com/blog.

Swift's display of impressive driving took place Gratton Stadium as part of the Bradford Classic Car Show on 21 July.

Swift praised the agility and driving feel of his standard Cooper S, which was used to handbrake turn into tight spaces and drive on two wheels. He expressed that it is a 'fantastic car' that is 'brilliant fun to drive'.

"It's just a standard Cooper S with no modifications other than some sticky tape on the handbrake and some extra pressure in the tyres," said Swift. "It's a great testimony to the car and what it's capable of that I can do these stunts in it."

The Bradford Classic Car Show was organised by Bradford Council and included rare Minis from all generations.

James Blyth had a successful weekend for the eighth and ninth rounds of the Mini Challenge held at Thruxton.

This was Blyth's first appearance at Thruxton, but he put on an impressive display. The first sprint race saw Norwich-based Blyth start in pole position. But a tough battle from Arthur Foster and Carl Bradley ended with Blyth finishing in Third place, his third podium win in a row.

The second heat provided more close racing action. Blyth started Fifth on the grid before quickly fighting for Third place. Unfortunately Blyth's Advent Motorsport Mini suffered a puncture towards the end of the race. He lost his position in the race but managed to regain pace to take tenth position.

Blyth now sits in Second position in the S Class Championship after the weekend's results.

The next Mini Challenge round will be on the 4-5 July at Donnington Park. Anyone arriving in a Mini will be able to get a two-for-one ticket offer and can take their Mini on the track.

To view photos of Blyth's latest races visit www.jamesblyth.com.

The BMW Group has transferred its shares in the Brazilian engine manufacturer Tritec Motors Limitada to the Chrysler Group.

The transfer took effect from 11 July 2007. Neither company will disclose the details of the transaction at present, which is required to gain regulatory approval.

Tritec Motors produces 1.4 and 1.6 litre four-cylinder petrol engines for both BMW and the Chrysler Group. But it will no longer be the sole supplier of engines in the new Mini models, which could be why the transfer took place.

Up until the transfer, both BMW and the Chrysler Group owned 50 per cent each of the shares in Tritec Motors. The Chrysler Group will now become solely responsible for the future of Tritec Motors and will explore its long-term options.

All the latest Fireballed! products and cars will be on display at Fireball Tim's studio shop in Torrance, CA, along with a crazy car show.

A double seminar will be held on Fireball Tim's colour study secrets and Dr. Fuh's performance tips. There'll also be some pinstriping and graphic demos for you to watch.

About 150 Mini enthusiasts are expected to attend with a raffle and free food! The event will run from 12.30pm - 5 pm.

For more information visit www.fireballtim.com/blog.

The series will visit eight of the most exciting driving circuits across Australia's States and Territories. And as normal to the Mini Challenge, the race between the grid-full of Mini Cooper S hardtops will be broadcasted across the country on television.

Drivers will be picked for their ambition from go-kart and open wheel formulas to experienced competitors across the country. Each will race one of Australia's Mini Challenge cars, which will be built in Germany later this year to global racing specification.

Each Mini will feature an identical highly charged twin scroll turbocharged 1.6-litre Mini engine, LSD-enhanced Mini go-kart handling and drilled and ventilated John Cooper Works brakes.

There are plans to schedule the Mini series on the V8 Supercars calendar. The Mini Challenge Category Manager is currently in talks with V8 Supercars Australia to negotiate plans.

"Mini Challenge is the most exciting new international series to reach Australian Motorsport for several years," said Justin Hocevar, National Manager Mini.

The sixth and seventh rounds of the Mini Challenge took place at the famous Spa Circuit in Belgium. James Blyth, the 19-year-old from Norwich, raced admirably over the weekend and finished Second and Third in the two races held.

Blyth was worried about getting a clear run in qualifying. But his determined attitude paid off securing him two pole positions. The first race was quite hectic as Blyth slipped down to fifth place, but managed to fight back and finish the race in second position overall. He then had another chance to grace the winning podiums when he finished Third in the second race, despite the engine mount breaking 15 minutes in.

Blyth is now second in the S Class Championship. His next event will be 22 July at Thruxton.

From 19 - 22 October a gathering of Mini clubs throughout New Zealand will meet for their annual weekend of fun. This year it will be hosted by the Minis of Wellington Owners Group (MOWOG) at the city of Lower Hutt.

Below is the programme of events planned so far:

Friday 19 October
Scrutineering for speed event

Saturday 20 October
Show 'n' Shine
Amazing Mini Race
Evening BBQ

Sunday 21 October
Speed Event
Tiki Tour
Dinner / Prize Giving

Monday 22 October
Breakfast.

If you're thinking of attending please book travel and accommodation early to avoid disappointment. For more information or for registration visit the MOWOG's website at www.mowog.co.nz.

The festival will take place from 22 - 24 June at Circuit Park racetrack in Zandvoort, near Amsterdam. The festival holds the motto of 'Friends, Festival, Challenge,' and will provide impressive programme of events to entertain the international Mini community.

People will be able to drive their Minis round the track and party along with famous DJ's and live acts. But the highlight of the event will be the European Mini Challenge race meet that will take place o the same weekend.

Zandvoort is a regular host to motor racing events. But it's also a favourite beach venue and has a huge party scene, making it an ideal venue for the next Mini United festival.

The first Mini United Festival took place in Misano, Italy, in 2005 and was a huge success. Around 6,000 Mini fans from 40 different countries attended, making the 2007 festival a long-awaited event.

For more information on the event, registration and booking accommodation, visit www.mini.com/miniunited.

The wheel has been designed using the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence. Microcomputers allow the wheel to make 4000 calculations per second so it can actually think and learn for itself.

The suspension, steering and braking is all controlled by the Artificial Intelligence. It teaches the wheels to adapt their performance and adjust the car's reaction each time the car encounters a bend, pothole or hazard. The information is then saved to memory so it will remember and learn how to perform next time a similar situation occurs.

"Traditional suspension means the vehicle dips when the wheels detect poor road surfaces and you get a bumpy ride, while a tight corner means the drag will slow the vehicle down," said Dr David Brown. "Electronic traction control and suspension will counterbalance this kind of drop and drag effect, but the driver won't even know it's there. It means a faster car but a safer one."

Artificial Intelligence has never been used to replace the basic mechanics in a motor vehicle before. Yet it's important to note that the driver will still be able to stay in control of the car.

This new development is a result of a £200,000 Department of Trade and Industry-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership with a company called PML Flightlink Ltd, who designs specialist electronic motors. The scientists at Portsmouth are using the new Artificial Intelligence wheels on the company's prototype eco-friendly electric super-car.

The super-car, the Mini seen here, has been converted into an electric vehicle (EV). It hosts a small 250cc petrol engine that charges the battery while the car is in use. This enables the car to run up to 900 miles before needing to re-fuel or 200 miles if used in the eco-friendly EV mode. This is an improvement on previous electric models that could barely reach 100 miles.

PML Flightlink Ltd believes that 25 per cent of all cars in production will be EV by 2012.

With this new development, Mini will become one of just two automotive manufacturers to offer HD radios to its customers. HD Radio technology provides listeners with improved audio digital quality and reception.

The radio will include an FM multicasting capability and can be bought by itself or as part of Mini's audio package. The audio package includes an upgraded Hi-Fi radio and Sirius Satellite radio, which comes with a lifetime subscription that stays with the car.

The HD Radio receiver option will retail at $500.
The audio package option retails at $1,400.

The Life Ball, held on 26 May in Vienna, raises money to fight against HIV and AIDS. Mini has been supporting the event for several years. This year's theme was a 'Celebration of Life' and Mini teamed up with fashion photographer Mario Testino to produce a New Mini Cooper finished in Astro Black and decorated with exploding fireworks.

All the chrome parts of the Mini have undergone a sophisticated process to give them a black finish and Mario Testino badges have been fitted to the outside to give the Mini an unmistakeable look. The driver and passenger interior side have also been fitted with special entry bars.

"I feel that fireworks are a celebration of life," said Testino. "I wanted to convey a very positive message as the whole work against AIDS reflects that life is a valuable thing worth fighting for."

Mini raised €38,150 last year with its Diesel designed Mini Cabrio. This year's Mini will be auctioned on eBay from 31 May to 10 June 2007 and all proceeds will go to the Life Ball.

ibuyeco invests money and works with The Carbon Neutral Company to help develop more resourceful and renewable energy projects. If you sign up for a new insurance policy, ibuyeco promises to offset 100% of your carbon dioxide emissions until your policy expires.

Even with the additional amount you have to pay to offset your carbon emissions, you can still save money with ibuyeco compared to other insurance companies. This is supported by independent research from Consumer Intelligence.

For more information visit www.ibuyeco.co.uk

Fireballed! has been involved with various TV channels and media outlets to produce a number of Mini race programs in the past. Mini USA is looking to expand the Mini brand in the sport compact market, so the chance to renew its current partnership with Fireballed! was a perfect opportunity.

Fireballed! is actively involved in many different race and performance, entertainment, design and promotional activities. Its success will allow the Mini to continue being a dominant presence in these areas.

"The growth of our relationship between Mini USA and Fireballed! allows both partners to reach further out to the enthusiast tuner and racing audience in a way that is unique, creative and very Mini," said Richard Steinberg, head of Mini USA product strategy and aftersales development.

For more information visit www.fireballed.com.

The event took place at the circuit in Cheshire from 26 - 28 May. Oly Mortimer from Scotland continued his winning streak by winning both races in his Mini Cooper S. This means Mortimer has won all five races of the season so far.

It was also a winning weekend for Jenny Ryan from Ireland who became the first woman to ever take a poll podium finish after the first Club class race of the day. She extended this victory by finishing second in the second race of the day.

Non-racing Mini owners were also given the chance to drive their Minis on a parade lap around the circuit. The showground also held a special display of some of the most supreme road and race Minis in the UK to celebrate the iconic car.

The next Great & British Dunlop Festival will be held at the Belgian Spa circuit from 15 - 17 June.

For more information visit www.driversknow.co.uk.

When the revised models start production, all will receive technological modifications and high-tech engine alterations. As a result, the cars will produce minimal carbon dioxide emissions with no effect to the driving performance.

The Mini Cooper D is already Mini's cleanest car. But with the new advancements it will be able to return an impressive 72.4mpg and produce as little as 104g/km of carbon dioxide emissions. It carbon dioxide emissions were previously 118g/km.

The new hatch models will also feature various other benefits to improve performance and efficiency.

Brake Energy Regeneration uses an Intelligent Alternator Control, which only engages when it needs to charge the battery so reduces drag on the engine. It also recycles lost energy to save fuel.

An Auto Start-Stop Function switches the engine off when the car is stationary and put into neutral to save energy. As soon as the clutch is engaged again the cars then starts automatically. This is only available in manual cars.

Lastly, with the Switch Point Display the Mini will judge what speed you're driving at and on what road conditions. It then assesses what gear you should be driving in and displays its suggestion to improve economical driving.

Mini currently leads the new car market for making significant improvements in clean engine manufacturing.

A large variety of Minis ranging from first-generation hatchbacks to convertibles will be on display. All Minis in the scheme have to pass rigorous and detailed checks. Therefore customers will be confident that they're making a sensible financial purchase.

A Cherished Mini comes with 12 month's unlimited mileage warranty, Emergency service cover and MOT. Independent mileage, history check and full service history is also included.

"The award-winning Mini Cherished scheme offers assurance to customers that they're buying a Mini in the best possible condition for their driving adventures," said Andy Hearn, Mini UK General Manager.

Customers will also be given the chance to win a weekend away worth £300. You can also receive 25% off Mini insurance.

A total of 23,746 Cherished Minis were sold in 2006 and sales were up by 25% at April 2007.

For more information visit www.minicherished.co.ul

The programme is being run by Money By Mini and every time you buy one of their selected products you'll instantly be put forward for the Rewards By Mini monthly prize draw. Prizes include a variety of Mini experiences such as a weekend at the Edinburgh Fringe festival or a Mini challenge weekend at Donnington.

The Mini card by American Express offers no annual fee and a typical 9.9% APR on all purchases. For more information visit www.americanexpress.com/uk/mini

Snows Mini in Portsmouth is sponsoring a new healthcare service to be launched in the UK where a Community Health Practitioner will travel around in a New Mini.

The new Community Health Practitioner (CHP) service is a new ambulance role developed by the South Central Ambulance Service. It plans to provide a community-based service to patients, local businesses and communities.

It is the first concept of its kind to be launched in the UK and Portsmouth is the first city to trial the service. A solo response unit will be used to attend emergencies and be a useful health information point in the city. And what better way to drive about than in a New Mini?

Snows Mini is sponsoring the response vehicle, which has been designed to clearly stand out wherever it goes and will carry the same equipment as frontline ambulance response cars.

"This is a tremendous new service in the city and we are delighted to have been able to support South Central Ambulance with its new venture,'' said Mark Trapani, Managing Director of Snows Motor Group, seen here with Tim Churchill from South Central Ambulance Service.

The service will expand across Hampshire if the scheme is successful.

This weekend will see a record amount of Minis turning up to race at the first three rounds of the 2007 Mini Challenge.

The races will take place at Snetterton, Norfolk, with a massive 36 drivers signed up to race. The increased numbers of drivers is due to fifteen new 'rookie' drivers joining the Challenge. 32 Minis signed up in total but there will be four reserve Minis at the larger circuits such as Thruxton, Donnington and Croft.

The Mini Challenge is entering into its seventh year and with so much new blood entering the Challenge it looks set to be an entertaining season.

Martin Depper from Birmingham and Gary Kounnis are tipped to be the ones to watch as they battle it out for the winning title.

Fireballed! Racing partner Bob Scheer, from Canyon Motorsport, has broken the all-time lap record at Spring Mountain Motorsport Ranch in Vegas.

Scheer, who partnered with Fireballed! Racing to design a new technical advisory program, travelled to Vegas to take part in the North American Mini Cooper Challenge where he qualified in pole position.

Scheer has a long-standing driving history and together with Fireballed! Racing they look set to become one of the top Mini competitors. Together they are testing their consumer products in a professional racing environment to improve endurance and performance.

"We're very excited about this partnership with Bob and his team," said Hubie Fuh, Fireballed! EVP. "It's perfect, as it follows suit with our desire to expand into other racing venues and to continue our enhancement of the MINI marquee."

The results showed minimal injury risk to occupants in head on and side on pillar crash tests. Thirteen out of 16 points were achieved by the new Mini Cooper for deformative behaviour in a head on collision and 16 from 18 points in the side on and pillar collision. Excellent results were also achieved in child safety testing.

Four thousand individual welding points help to optimise structural safety on the new Mini Cooper body shell. This was evident in the offset frontal crash test in which the passenger cell structure was maintained.

To coincide with pedestrian impact regulations, the Mini Cooper is 60mm longer than the previous model and comes with six air bags, three point inertia reel seat belts on all four seats and ISOFIX child seat fastening systems in the rear as standard.

Mini UK will also see its biggest monthly sales record since the car went on sale in July 2001. Initial figures show 7854 sales in March, with the previous record month being March 2006 with 7687 sales.

The sales figures shows the successful launch of the second generation Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S in November 2006 and a number of orders have been placed for the second generation Mini One and Mini Cooper D which went on sale on 14 April. 2007 also sees the launch of the new Mini Clubman, the third model in the Mini range.

Since the launch of the new Mini, the car has enjoyed growing popularity worldwide with 80% of Minis exported and built to specific customer requirements.

Mini USA has announced that all Mini Coopers and Mini Cooper S hardtops produced from the beginning of June 2007 will be available with a Sirius satellite radio as a factory installed option.

The Sirius satellite radios will come with a lifetime subscription at a price of $950. The Sirius radio and lifetime subscription will also be available as part of the upgraded Audio Pack, which contains a Mini Hi-Fi sound system, at a price of $1,400.

Doug Wilsterman, Senior Vice President and General Manager OEM Division for Sirius claims the Sirius satellite radio has over 130 channels, providing listeners with the 'ultimate' choice in radio. "By including a 'lifetime' subscription, owners can listen to Sirius for as long as they own their Mini," he said.

Tonight will see 250 Mini Coopers attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest Mini convoy in history.

The convoy will take place in Blackpool tonight in order to raise money for Comic Relief. The organisers are hoping that if every car donates at least £5 they will be able to raise over £1000 for charity.

The Mini convoy is open to both classic and New Minis. The organisers have contacted the Guinness World Records to check all the rules and can confirm the Mini Cooper convoy will be completely legitimate.

If you want to take part and become a Guinness World Record holder call Alison Lamb on +44 (0)1253 607 600 or email alison.lamb@derekwoodman.bmw-net.co.uk to register you name, address, telephone number and car registration.

Eighteen-year old Sarah Parsons has recently just signed up to race in this year's BMW Mini Challenge. But what's interesting is she'll be lining up on the grid against her dad.

Sarah only passed her driving test last year so will be entering the season as a novice, although she has taken part in three different races outside of the challenge last year. She'll be racing for Advent Motorsport in the BMW Mini Challenge.

Sarah has been following her dad Graham, who has taken part in the challenge in the last few years, around the racing circuits since she was 12 but now she'll be racing against him herself.

For more information on the BMW Mini Challenge visit www.minichallenge.co.uk.

Over 300 people were entertained by Mini spinning and two-wheeled driving at the launch of the New Mini in New Zealand last night.

The event took at the ex-America Cup's Alinghi team's headquarters in Auckland, which was turned into a Mini garage for the evening. UK Mini stunt driver Russ Swift amazed the crowds with his driving skills while previous stunt driver Rodger Anderson and 1960s Mini Cooper racing driver Peter Levet applauded with the other guests.

On display with the New Mini were two previous Mini models as well as a Classic 1980 Mini.

To watch a video from the evening's events visit http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/NationalNews/tabid/184/ArticleID/23212/Default.aspx.

Finding reasonable insurance quotes for your Mini is a rare thing. But Herts Insurance Consultants (HIC) is offering lower insurance policies specifically designed for Mini owners.

It's been almost 50 years since the first classic Mini was produced, yet because there as so many different variants of the model and Limited Editions it can often be difficult to find a sensible quote.

HIC is a specialist Mini insurance company for both classic and New Minis. Modifications aren't a problem and even the staff are all Mini lovers or owners so you'll always be put through to someone who understands the various models.

HIC offers customers tailor-made policies for each individual person and model as it works with a panel of insurance providers. It also offers up to 20% discounts for limited mileage, second car policies, security precautions, female drivers and club memberships.

For more information call +44 (0)8451 290 290.

The North American Mini Cooper Championship (NAMCC) will start its second race season on Friday 23 March 2007 at Spring Mountain Motorsport Raceway in Pahrump, near Las Vegas.

To celebrate the return of the championship the opening race will be attended by 40 of America's top models sporting 'Mini' skirts in honour of the event. MavTV, NAMCC's television partner, produces a reality TV programme title "Bikini All Stars", which needed some scenes that included Mini racing as a backdrop. The two partners decided to join forces and as a result the race season will definitely have an impressive start.

"The addition of the 'Bikini All Stars' is a fun addition to the racing scene," said Phil Wicks, NAMCC organiser. "What other series would get an offer to host some of the world's most beautiful models?"

Wicks also commented that he wants the NAMCC 2007 to be the "most entertaining and cost effective form of racing in the United States."

For more information visit www.minidriving.com or for more information on 'Bikini All Stars' visit www.mavtv.com.

Since it's first run in 1990 The Italian Job has raised almost £2million for children's charities. The elected charity at present is National Children's Home (NCH), which invest 90% of their proceeds into actual children's services.

First-time jobbers Chris and Jackie Keighley, owners of this Mini GP, actually got married on the 2006 Italian Job and have already signed up to take part in the 2007 event. Each entry requires the participants to raise £1,500 each, all of which goes to charity.

Chris and Jackie drive a Limited Edition John Cooper Works GP, which is very rare as only 2000 were ever made and there are only 459 in the UK. It receives a lot of attention wherever it goes and they are offering you the chance to use their Mini as advertising space to promote your company in exchange for sponsorship money.

If you choose to donate the Mini will display your corporate logo. The Mini GP is used on a daily basis and attends numerous events throughout the summer where your logo will be displayed. Suggested donations are between £20 and £100

If you're interested in sponsoring the Mini email j.barnett940@ntlworld.com or call Jackie on 0781 015 4 924.

Round six of the New Zealand Mini Challenge saw all 17 of the Mini Cooper S's in the series race around the 2.57km Teretonga Circuit for the very first time. It was the second to last round in the series so the pressure was on for all the drivers to hold their positions.

The first race was on Saturday 10 March and Anthony Pedersen successfully managed to scoop his second win. He closely followed Brent 'Bones' Collins up until lap seven where Collins made an unfortunate gear change and Pederson managed to overtake and pass the chequered flag in first position on lap eight.

Mini Challenge Race One results
1) Anthony Pedersen
2) Kevin Cantwell
3) Brent Collins

Sunday 11 March saw the start of race two with Gavin Dawson in pole position who managed to successfully hold onto this position all the way to the finish. Peter Sharmach was in second place on the staring grid but made a vital mistake early on in the race, allowing the climbing Pederson to overtake him and take second place.

Mini Challenge race two results:
1) Gavin Dawson
2) Anthony Pedersen
3) Peter Sharmach

Race three ended with a victorious result for Anthony Pederson who again finished the race in first place in his J A Russell Mini, securing two wins and one second place in round six.

"It's been the best round of my racing career so far, without a doubt," said Pederson. "I am stoked and elated".

Mini Challenge race three results:
1) Anthony Pedersen
2) Gavin Dawson
3) Eddie Bell

Fireballed! Racing amazed the crowds at the LA Auto Show as it unleashed its latest project 'The Widow', currently the world's most powerful street Mini.

The Widow is Fireballed!'s vision of what the ultimate Mini should be. It has been built and designed using the concepts and performance of car designer Fireball Tim and Sport Compact Genius Hubie Fuh.

The Widow's modifications focus on the Fireballed! Mad Mod V Turbo Conversion Kit, which can produce almost 500hp out of the standard 1.6l engine. The engine's strength has also been increased with the help of custom designed JE Pistons, ARP hardware and a CNC Stage 2 Race Head.

Fireballed! also worked with Exedy Racing to construct a Hyper Single Clutch and flywheels assembly which "handles all the abuse, while maintaining exceptional drivability," explained Brian White, Head of Fireballed! operations.

Visually Fireballed! state that The Widow has a "clean and business like theme" with blacked out lights and chrome components, painted aero side skirts and a carbon fibre splitter. Axis Widetrach wheels with 90mm polished lips enhance the Mini's visual strength and it's also been fitted with a rare JCW GP carbon fibre wing for aerodynamic support.

For more information on Fireballed! Racing visit www.fireballed.com.

We mentioned back in February how Mini USA was launching its very own online film series, Hammer & Coop, to coincide with the release of the new 2007 Mini.

Each webisode promises to deliver action and adventure with the star of the show clearly being the sidekick 2007 Mini Cooper S "Coup". The websiodes have been directed by Todd Phillips, director of Old School and Starsky & Hutch, and also stars Bryan Callen.

Yet the webisodes are only a small part of the huge media campaign being rolled out for the 2007 Mini. Alongside the promotional US billboards, which create unique adverts to entice individual viewers, the 2007 Mini will also be gracing the pages of many widespread magazines.

Rolling Stone's first ever flip-issue will feature the 2007 Mini on the front and back cover, as well 10-pages of coverage within the magazine. Maxim, Stuff and Blender will all feature an 8-page fashion spread on the Mini and the US version of Men's Health will also incorporate the Mini campaign into its monthly workout-poster.

As of March, Hammer & Coop will also be appearing on MySpace, YouTube and Second Life. There are also a selection of fun products such as t-shirts and lunchboxes available to buy online.

The films will be released over the month of March on www.hammerandcoop.com.

Brent Collins from Pareora held second place for the entire race after his PDL Mini wheelspun at the start and he fell behind Pederson. Gary Johnstone battled it out to hold on to 3rd place during the race with Wayne Timms and Peter Sharmach on his tail. Sharmach fell back as the race went on after his gear lever broke.

Series leader Eddie Bell only qualified 10th fastest after a fault with his tyre temperatures, but managed to climb up to 6th place at the finish.

MINI Challenge race one results:
1) Anthony Pederson
2) Brent Collins
3) Gary Johnstone

Eddie Bell made a miraculous comeback on Sunday 4 March, winning round five of the New Zealand Mini Challenge with Brent Collins second and Auckland's Will Selles third at Timaru International Motor Raceway.

Bell had a bad start to round five after tyre pressure problems resulted in him qualifying 10th fastest. He managed to finish in 6th place on Saturday with a 2nd place on the first race on Sunday and a win in the final race round five.

MINI Challenge race two results:
1) Peter Sharmach
2) Eddie Bell
3) Brent Collins

MINI Challenge race three results:
1) Eddie Bell
2) Will Selles
3) Richard Moore

For more information about MINI Challenge 2007 visit www.minichallenge.co.nz.

If you're a fan of Dunlop Great and British race action, you will soon be able watch the highlights on Sky Sports and Motors TV thanks to a new television package for the 2007 season.

Sky Sports will be showing at least six of the eight Dunlop Great and British Motorsport Festivals reaching over eight million homes in the UK and Ireland.

90-minute highlights from some of the biggest UK championships including the Mini Challenge, the Radical Biduro Championships, the Radical Enduro Championships and the Playstation2 Ginetta Junior Championships will be shown on the channel. Plus new for 2007, the BARC/Dunlop Sport Maxx Cup.

Motor TV will be broadcasting a 30-minute show of each championship round to over 15 million homes across Europe.

Lisa Davison of Dunlop said: "British racing drivers and teams are part of a race program guaranteeing spectators non-stop race action at each Dublop Great and British weekend."

The announcement was made yesterday at the International Automobile Salon in Geneva. There are no photos of the actual Clubman as yet, but it will be based on a concept that was unveiled at Frankfurt in 2005 (concept photo seen here).

The new model will be released by the end of 2007 and has been styled and designed on the famous Morris Mini Traveller, which was an extremely popular classic Mini model in the 1960s.

The development model continues to embody BMW's aim to break the boundaries in car design, whilst maintaining the character of previous Mini models. It takes on a traditional 'shooting-brake' design with its two-door design and added interior space.

It aims to be an individual model that will provide more flexibility for those with an active lifestyle, without detracting from the successful chassis of the current hatch models.

The new Mini One and Mini Cooper D were also unveiled at Geneva, alongside the display of the Mini Convertible Sidewalk. All models will be on sale from 14 April 2007.

Prices for the model are as follows:
Mini One Sidewalk £16,910
Mini Cooper Sidewalk £17,960
Mini Cooper S Sidewalk £20,235

The first two episodes went online on the 17 February, with the remaining four being released over the next month. Vice President of Mini USA Jim McDowell said: "Mini is so much more than a brand; it is a lifestyle. Mini enthusiasts embody the same sense of creativity, passion, fun, and lust for life that went into the making of these films. Mini owners are also a highly interactive online community, so we are looking forward to the reaction from people around the country, who will undoubtedly enjoy these films and share them with friends."

The UK dealerships were judged on a number of factors including new and used sales, Andy Hearn Mini UK General Manager said: "To win this once is a tremendous achievement, to win it two years in succession is remarkable and shows the results of hard work, passion and commitment in providing the best customer experience." He added: "This level of commitment is reflected across the dealer network with an investment figure close to £40 million in the last two years. Dedicated Mini dealerships means the ability to show more of the huge choice of models, options and accessories at the dealership, including Mini Cherished models."

Seven regional winners were also announced including: Dick Lovett of Bristol, Chandlers in Brighton, Sytner of Solihull, Fairfield in Southend, Bateman in Langdale, Preston Hall of Stockton-on-Tees and Harry Fairbairn in Irvine.

Round four of the New Zealand Mini Challenge Race series took place at the Manfield Autocourse on the 17 and 18 February. Race one on the 17 February was a close call but Eddie Bell won with Motorsport Services teammates Kevin Cantwell and Jeff Hogg coming second and third respectively. Hogg was pleased with the result saying: "We decided we would drive defensively to avoid incidents, it's been a good strategy so far this weekend but we have three more races to finish on Sunday."

MINI Challenge race one results:
1) Eddie Bell
2) Kevin Cantwell
3) Jeff Hogg

Race two on Sunday 18 February saw Peter Sharmach start in first position with Gavin Dawson second and Jeff Hogg in third place. Eddie Bell and Gavin Dawson had a clash on lap five placing Bell in second position but he later withdrew from the race in lap six after suffering damage.

MINI Challenge race two results:
1) Peter Scharmach
2) Jeff Hogg
3) Gavin Dawson

Jeff Hogg started off from position two on the grid in Race three but managed to get ahead of Peter Scharmach on turn one taking the lead for all 12 laps. Scharmach was kept in second position by Hogg and Gavin Dawson took up third place ahead of Brett Collins. 15-year-old Richard Moore gained fourth place in lap six after getting past Collins and held the position for the rest of the race.

MINI Challenge race three results:
1) Jeff Hogg
2) Peter Scharmach
3) Gavin Dawson

Jeff Hogg once again had a great start, getting ahead of Peter Scharmach in race four. Richard Moore managed to get passed Scharmach on the eighth lap but couldn't get ahead of Hogg.

MINI Challenge race four results:
1) Jeff Hogg
2) Richard Moore
3) Peter Scharmach

The points for the fourth round racing saw Jeff Hogg take first place followed by Peter Scharmach and Gavin Dawson in second and third respectively. Hogg said: "I've always done well at the Manfield track before in other Motorsport classes. It's about who makes the first mistake and this weekend I managed not to, I'm stoked with the outcome."

The remaining dates for the New Zealand MINI Challenge series are as follows:

Round five: 2-4 March 2007 at Timaru

Round six: 9-11 March 2007 at Teretonga

Round seven: 20-22 April 2007 at Pukekohe

Mini drivers in the USA can now expect a personal greeting when they drive past advertising billboards. This latest advertising campaign by MINI USA is using advanced technology to communicate directly to its customers through a pilot programme launching in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Miami.

The Mini Motorboards feature a range of constantly changing personal, playful and unexpected messages spelled out in lights aimed at Mini owners. Mini USA is using Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID), which is used in passports, credit cards etc to communicate with its customers.

All Mini owners need to do is visit the Mini Motorby website and answer a few questions about themselves and their Mini. Then an electronic key fob with built in authentication mechanisms will be sent to the owner. The key fob then communicates with the Mini Motorboard as the driver approaches resulting in a personal message to greet them.

The RFID tags maintain customer privacy by using cryptographic protocols and do not hold any user data. The Mini Motorboards are standard LED displays and can be programmed to show content in a number of formats. The key fobs can be used at any one of the four Mini Motorboards across the USA.

Kate Alini Marketing and Communications Manager of Mini USA said: "We are excited to be the first to use the RFID technology to communicate directly with our owners in a customized and unexpected way. And, even though the messages are individually personalised, we still expect them to elicit more than a few smiles from all motorists who witness the Motorboards."

Milltek Sport has produced an exhaust system for the new R56 Mini Cooper S Turbo that has the capability of increasing power dramatically while enhancing the appearance of the car.

The stainless steel exhaust system can be bought as a cat-back or as a complete turbo-back system. The cat-back system provides a deeper, sportier tone than a standard system, while maintaining a comfortable volume inside the car. It consists of a front pipe, centre section, connecting pipe and a rear silencer with twin oval tailpipes boost the appearance of the rear.

The full turbo-back system has a large-bore downpipe and hi-flow sports catalyst in addition to the cat-back system. This has the advantage of reducing backpressure and increase gas flow. Emission levels remain within the legal limits due to the use of a high-quality platinum-coated stainless steel catalyst.

For more information visit www.millteksport.com/r56.

A much calmer second race was held on saturday 20 January in comparison to the number of collisions on Friday. Eddie Bell started in pole and retained the position throughout the race to successfully win the race, despite being closely tailed by Brent Collins. "After a disappointing practise and qualifying session, today's win is a very pleasant turnaround and a little unexpected," said Bell.
Mini Challenge race two results:
1) Eddie Bell
2) Brent Collins
3) Peter Sharmach

The final race of the Round Three was held on Sunday 21 January and it looked as if Eddie Bell was going to repeat his winning victory from race two. Yet he missed a gear change on the hairpin, causing him to lose his pole position to former Toyota Racing Series champion Brent Collins who went on to victoriously pass the chequered flag in first place.
"After passing Eddie, I came around the final corner onto the straight and the chequered flag was out, which was a bit of a surprise," said Collins. "The game plan was to overtake Eddie on turn two of lap one, which I did, but then he came back on turn five and led from there. So it was a very good race and the track was mint."
MINI Challenge race three results:
1) Brent Collins
2) Eddie Bell
3) Peter Sharmach

Round for of the New Zealand Mini Challenge will be held on 16-18 February 2007 at Manfeild.

Adding to the BMW range, the new Mini One and first ever Mini Cooper D are due to be unveiled at the International Geneva Motor Show on 8 March 2007.
The Cooper D, with new 1.6-litre 11bhp turbodiesel powerplant, has been designed to be the most fuel-efficient and cleanest Mini to date. The new Mini One also has greater fuel-efficiency but has a fun new 95bhp 1.4-litre engine.
Both models feature the same new body shape as seen on the new Mini Cooper and Cooper and also feature the same new suspension set-up to provide a go-kart driving experience. Black finish on the radiator grille bars, door mirrors and tailgate handles are exclusive to the Mini One and a larger air intake than other Mini models is featured on the Mini Cooper D. They both come with a standard six-speed manual gearbox with precise shift control yet the Mini One will also have the option of an automatic transmission. Yet each has its own list of new highlights.
The Mini One can reach a top speed of 115mph and features a 1.4-litre engine, designed from the 1.6-litre engine in the Cooper. It can achieve 95bhp at 6,000rpm, a 5bhp increase than the previous model, and uses fully variable valve control to achieve smooth power delivery and efficiency.
The Mini One also features a pioneering powertrain to enhance the driving experience while achieving improved fuel economy and lower emissions. The average fuel consumption is 49.6mpg, which results at a 15 per cent efficiency increase than the previous model.
The Mini Cooper D features a brand new turbocharged diesel engine that can reach 110bhp at 4,000rpm and has an extra 20Nm of torque to match the new Mini Cooper S.
A turbocharger system with turbine geometry creates improved smoothness even at low engine speeds. The size and shape of the combustion chambers have been designed to eliminate unwanted turbulence and a multiple-injection process is used to refine the combustion process.
The Mini D is also one of the most environmentally friendly engines in its class due to a diesel particulate filter that extinguishes exhaust emissions.
The models will be on sale from April 2007. The Mini One is priced at £11,595 and the Mini Cooper will be £14,190 on the road.

Not only is the Sidewalk model available on the One, Cooper and Cooper S, it has a number of exclusive and additional options including a choice of four paintwork colours, Malt Brown English Leather upholstery, 17" Night Spoke light alloy wheels, bi-leather steering wheel and gear knob. As well as unique 'Sidewalk' interior trim, floor mats, badges and door inserts.

A five-speed manual gearbox comes as standard for the Mini One and Cooper a six-speed transmission for the Cooper S Convertible Sidewalk. Optional extras include a CVT transmission for the Mini Cooper Convertible Sidewalk and six-speed automatic transmission for the Mini Cooper S Convertible Sidewalk enhancing performance.

On the road prices are:
MINI One Sidewalk £16,910
MINI Cooper Sidewalk £17,960
MINI Cooper S Sidewalk £20,235

Both companies already have a cooperation agreement for the development and production of a group of 1.6 - litre turbocharged petrol engines using fully variable valve drive and direct injection, with power ranking from 55 kW (75 hp) to 128 kW (175hp).

A Mini club in Madrid has successfully made it into the Guinness Book of Records for the highest amount of people they managed to cram into a New Mini.
The Mini 10 Pulgada Sport Club (Spanish Mini Club of Aragon) took the title by managing to fit an amazing 22 people into a New Mini. The event took place on 11 June 2006 but the club has only recently announced their victory after receiving the official certificate from Guinness World records Limited.
The club was inspired to take part in the challenge when Club President and engineer Ignacio Sanchez Diaz-Calderon and fellow member and engineer Daniel Monge Gonzalvo were challenged to give it a try.
The Guinness Book of Records requires that all participants are over the age of 18 and measure over 5 feet in height. All 22 Mini crammers remained in the Mini for a total 5 seconds with all the doors tightly closed.
For more information on the club visit www.mini10pulgadas.com.

North American Mini Cooper Champion Waylen Hunsucker has become the first driver to enter into a transatlantic competition between two international series.
By winning the North American Mini Cooper Championship, Waylen Hunsucker has been granted the chance to compete in the UK Mini Challenge series at Donington Park on October 21 - 22. The two race series have also now finalised plans allowing drivers from either series to be able to compete in both championships.
Hunsucker was provided with a TotalTrack prepared full-race JCW-spec Mini Cooper S in which he underwent a thorough practice session to get used to the right-hand drive and learn the track. Both US series owner Phil Wicks and UK Mini Challenge chief Alan Maynard were extremely impressed with the quick progress Hunsucker made in the new UK car. 'He drove consistently faster and was not overwhelmed by the steep learning curve. He did an amazing job' said Wicks.
Hunsucker qualified in 15th position out of 35 and after a steady race he managed to finish in 10th place. The second race caused all the cars to be fitted with rain tyres due to the torrential weather, which caused another challenge for Hunsucker. Yet he took his time and settled into the race before making any advances and managed to overtake a few eager drivers who lost control in the weather before finishing in 8th position.
Due to the new agreement between series, UK Mini Challenge Champion Gareth Nixon has also been awarded the opportunity to race in the 2007 North American Mini Cooper Championship. Announcements will shortly be made to confirm the 2007 schedule of events.

Compomotive Motorsport wheels has recently released a new lightweight 8x18in CXT motorsport wheel.
Compomotive Motorsport Wheels has been manufacturing wheels for 33 years and has used the same Primary Heat Treated Aluminium technology as its MO motorsport wheels for these new CXT wheels. They are also said to have increased Brake Caliper clearances to make them appropriate for large brake upgrades.
The wheels are available in three, four and five lug fitments and comes in white, silver, grey, gold or black. The wheels have been priced at an introductory offer of £850 including VAT for a set of four.

Halfords has announced a new alloy wheel-fitting service that offers customers the chance to sit back and relax while professionals jazz up their motors with some new alloy wheels.
For £39.99 customers can have their newly purchased alloy wheels fitted for them at home, work or any Halfords store across the UK.
Halfords product manager Nicola Finch said: 'the offer is perfect for the customer who wants all the benefits of alloy wheels, but doesn't want the hassle of having to fit them themselves. The service is available for all wheels in store, and is a convenient and cost effective way to bring bling to your motor'.
Trained advisers are in store to suggest the best wheel and tyre package for each customer from the vast range available. Halfords is also running a 20% discount on selected wheels at the moment as well as other deasl such as the new Ripspeed alloy wheel and tyre package for just £299.99.
For details of your nearest store telephone 08457 626625 or visit
www.halfords.com.

Freddy Nordstrom successfully won the 2006 Mini S Class Championship at the season's finale at Donington Park.
Seventeen-year-old Nordstrom and his James Villas backed Mini Cooper S needed just one point from the last two races of the season to win the title. He started the first race in fourth position and after battling it out with Carl Bradley managed to maintain his position by finishing fourth and easily scoring enough points to win the title. Yet David Shephard was forced to step put of the race after clashing with race winner Arthur Forster, promoting Nordstrom into third place.
The second race was undertaken in terribly rainy conditions. Many cars swerved off the track but Nordstrom remained firm and finished third, winning him two podium positions and the championship title.

After the event Nordstrom said it had been an amazing season and thanked many people for their support including the Advent Motorsport Team. This season Nordstrom has finished in a podium position 14 out of 16 races, three of those being wins. He's planning to take a short break but his mind has already switched onto 2007. 'I have a number of very interesting offers for 2007," said Nordstrom, "so over winter I will be looking to secure the essential backing to make sure I can move forward with those exciting opportunities.'

Further details of the models are as follows:

Model: Mini Cooper
Power hp: 120
Torque Nm: 160
0-62mph: 9.1
Top speed mph: 126
Combined mpg: 48.7
Emissions: 139g/km

Model: Mini Cooper S
Power hp: 175
Torque Nm: 240
0-62mph: 7.1
Top speed mph: 140
Combined mpg: 40.9
Emissions: 164g/km

Both models are due to go on sale in the UK on Saturday 18 November 2006 in 12 different body colours

The high-specification Chilli model has been particularly popular with fans of the Mini hardtop and now Mini is adding another model to the range. The Always Open Mini Cabrio will also be given the Chill treatment with the first ones due to appear in showrooms in December.

Buyers will now be able to obtain both the 85kW Mini Cooper Cabrio and 125 kW Mini Cooper S Cabrio variants in the Chilli specification alongside the models being replaced by the new engine upgrade. The Chilli package gives buyers the choice of two cloth and leather seat facings for the sports seats, 16in light alloy 'Fin" design wheels, a leather-wrapped sports steering wheel, a Cockpit Chrono Pack, a Chromelight exterior highlight package, front fog lights and velour floor mats.

The supercharges Mini Cooper S Cabrio has the extended options in its package of 17in light alloy 'Bullet' wheels, Xenon headlamps, Automatic Climate Control as well as a Harman Kardon HiFi. An optional John Cooper Works Tuning Kit is also available on Chilli-spec cars to increase the engine output of the 1.6-litre supercharged engine to 154 kW.
The Chilli cooper Cabrio is priced at £21,850 and the Chilli Cooper S Cabrio is £26,634.

On a recent trip to Vienna, NewMini reader Rob Goldsmith was lucky enough to see this amazing New Mini Countryman.

He'd never seen anything like this before here in the UK and despite the rain this picture shows we've got quite a lot to look forward to! Thanks Rob.

On the 9 July Mini hauled an exciting new attraction into place at the London ExCel to be ready for the British International Motor Show.
Mini has been known for setting high standards at the show in the past with its stunt-driving performances in 2002 and 2004 and this year is no exception. A 45 tonne floating hospitality area called the Mini BARge has been specially designed for all Mini owners to relax in. The BARge took four months to build and hosts three sundecks, three bars and a games den. Mini UK's General Manager, Andy Hearn, said: "We really wanted to push the boat out this year and make use of the natural setting while giving Mini owners some extra TLC." Mini owners simply have to show their key fob to get into the BARge.
Mini will also be displaying a full model line-up on their stand including the Mini Concept and Mini GP 0001.

Five years ago the first new Mini rolled off the production line and went on sale. They have taken the world by storm racking up 100 awards and selling over 800,000 around the globe.

Haynes International Motor Museum will be hosting an "Italian Job" Mini stunt show on the 28 August 2006.
Known for his thrilling stunts on TV shows such as Top Gear, You Bet and Fifth gear, Russ Swift will be putting his car spinning into action to please the crowds. Reverse spinning, handbrake parking, two-wheel driving and even some fancy car dancing will be performed in a Mini Cooper to relive the fantastic stunts in the film.
Performances will be held at 11.30am and 2.30pm and run for 25 minutes. Admission costs £4 for adults and £3 for children. For more information visit www.haynesmotormuseum.co.uk

The next highly anticipated issue of NewMini will be hitting the shelves later on this year and with it will be another selection of some of the finest cars on the scene today.
We'll be keeping you up to date with all the latest New Mini news and reviewing the essential ways of how to make your Mini the best it can be.
We know how much New Mini owners like to customise their cars and here is your chance to show it off to all the other fans out there. We'd love to hear from you so send us in any pictures you have of you and your Mini and we'll try and get it in the mag. Or, if it's good enough to feature, send us in some information of the work you've done to your car with some some pics to katie_power@ipcmedia.com.

The first race of this brand new championship was held on 21 March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Randy Webb of Webb Motorsports took first place, followed by Caelin Gabriel in second. It's similar to the successful MINI Challenge in the UK and the winner of the USA series can compete in one event of the UK series and vice versa. The next event will be at Sebring International Raceway on 2 April. See www.minidriving.com for more info

Management of the John Cooper Challenge has now passed from John Cooper Works (JCW) to Total Track and it has been renamed the MINI Challenge. JCW will now turn its attention to its tuning products and accessories. This is a new era for the Challenge with a new racing package and upgraded technical spec. See www.minichallenge.co.uk for more info

Get a 200bhp conversion for your Cooper S for a discounted price of £699.13, including VAT and fitting. Call Graham Goode on intl +44 (0)116 2440080 or see www.grahamgoode.com

The new GP Kit won't arrive until July but three quarters have been ordered before it has even been launched. It will be the most lightweight, powerful Mini we have seen yet with a massive 218bhp to play around with. If you want one you better get in quick

BMW and Garmin have launched a range of competitively priced satnavs available from selected BMW and New Mini dealerships. See your dealer for more info

It's confirmed. Sometime in the next three years the New Mini Traveller will grace our streets. It was announced at the Detroit Motor Show where MINI Concept Detroit enjoyed as much success as the Tokyo and Frankfurt concept cars. The Traveller will be a more practical option for Mini fans with all the charm and personality of the hatch back plus some extra quirky features.

The Detroit concept has a winter sports theme including fixings for skis, snowboards and mountain bikes. Click here for more photos or scroll down to see previous concepts

You can now get a John Cooper Works tuning kit for your automatic Cooper S. This will give you a cool 203bhp to play around with, sprinting from 0-62mph in just 7.3 seconds. The kit is available from all New Mini dealerships and costs £2999 (excluding fitting).

Make your Cooper sound like a race car with the John Cooper Works sound kit. The kit features a new air filter, which creates a powerful, sporty sound. It provides a direct acoustic connection from the engine to the interior. This has been done by reducing air flow resistance in the air filter element combined with modified engine electronics and a stainless steel exhaust that runs from the manifold pipe down to the rear silencer. Price is £645 (excluding fitting). John Cooper Works engine badge and boot lid emblem are included in the price

It is rumoured that a sequel to The Italian Job film will be released by Paramount Pictures in 2006. It will star Mark Wahlberg and will be called The Brazilian Job. Take a look at http://www.film-releases.com/movies/film-information/movie-4574

Over 600 performance and racing cars will be displayed at this event at NEC Birmingham, 14-15 January. Brand new models will be unveiled for the first time in the UK by Subaru, Mitsubishi, Alfa Romeo, Connaught, Radical and more. There will be racing in the Live Action Arena, Motorsport Safety lecture, rally stars in attendance and lots of traders. Tickets cost £25 for adults, £17.50 for concessions and £31 for a paddock pass. See http://www.autosport-international.com/ticketsandprices.asp for more info

Original Mini Radford was a hit in the 60s and was owned by many celebrities. It is now making a come back and Harold Radford Coachbuilders is creating a New Mini version, hand-crafted according to customer preferences. You can now make your New Mini really individual and unique, combining luxury with performance to your own personal requirements. Prices vary depending on requests but the New Mini pictured would cost around £30,000 to build. It has a supercharged 265bhp engine, adjustable suspension, colour coordinated bodywork, fully retrimmed Alcantara interior, deep pile carpets, 18-inch Konig alloys, additional instruments and more. See www.radford-coachbuilders.com for details

Autocar named New Mini 'Car Manufacturer of the Year 2005' at its annual award ceremony in London. Fantastic

Glass' Guide has estimated that the New Mini TLC package has saved UK owners an astonishing £30 million. The TLC package gives new owners 5 years/50,000 miles worth of servicing, including parts and labour, for just £150 and can be passed onto the second owner free of charge. TLC has been so successful that a new Mini TLC XL package is available when your TLC has run out. This lasts for three years/30,000 miles and costs £300.

When your Mini reaches the end of its life BMW will take it back free of charge. It will be disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner by autogreen and 85% of the vehicle will be recovered and recycled. To find out more about this process go to www.autogreen.org

6000 Mini fans and nearly 2000 New and classic Minis flocked to the Santa Monica racetrack, Misano, for the Mini United festival. This fab event happened 28 - 30 October and was jam-packed with entertainment including stunt shows, karting, live music, dance acts and loads of track action. Mini owners showed off their skills on the circuit and the Mini Challenge races were held later on. There was also a sneak preview of the New Mini Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit that will go on sale in July 2006. If that wasn't enough, ex-Formula One drivers, Touring Car champions and Monte Carlo winners took to the track in 210bhp Cooper S'. It looks like a top event and next year's event is already being planned. Click here for more photos

Coming soon to our streets is the new Cooper S with John Cooper Works GP Kit. It is 40kg lighter than standard but faster than ever before with a huge 218bhp. Only 2000 of these awesome machines will be built with 20% staying in the UK. They will be available in July 2006 so now's the time to start saving. The guide price is £22,000 but this has not yet been finalised.

Weight has been lightened with mods to the chassis and engineering tweaks. These include aluminium longitudinal control arms on the rear axle, no rear seats and less sound-deadening material. The GP Kit also features high performance JCW brakes with red lacquered brake callipers on the front and 18-inch alloys that are specially designed to reduce weight. It will come in grey-blue metallic paint with Pure Silver roof, bonnet scoop and front apron scoop and Chili Red wing mirrors. Aerodynamics have been improved with front and rear aprons, a wing-shaped spoiler, underbody panelling and lower side sills. The interior will boast two Recaro seats, CD player, air conditioning and multi-function steering wheel as standard. Sounds amazing, roll on July.

Check out this second concept of New Mini Traveller. It will be launched at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, 19 October to 6 November and will have a funky green interior, new alloy design, unique Union Jack indicators and other unusual features. The roof system will house a table and chairs plus there's a rear cargo box that attaches to the side window for use as a table. This quirky concept is set to be just as attention-grabbing as the first and excitement is mounting with anticipation of the finalised version. What will they think of next?

Get down to the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, on 4 December for this Mini bash. The theme is to dress according to the year your Mini was made. Gates open from 10am to 4pm and cost is £5. For more info call intl +44 (0)1684 575902 or e-mail ukcarshows@aol.com

New additions to the Mini range are now available and already over 1600 orders have been placed. If you want a New Mini One Seven, Cooper Park Lane or Cooper S Checkmate you better get your order in soon.

The sexy New Mini Traveller concept car rocked the Frankfurt Motor Show when it was unveiled just a few days ago. It's still just a concept but unique styling touches combined with practicality means it's likely to be another Mini success on the roads soon. Click here to read more...