MINI Motorsport – The Dakar Stages

Things are heating up in the final stages of the rally and MINI is hanging in there with the hopes of another win, keep checking in or stop by MINI of Tampa Bay to find out more

MINI Motorsport.

via MINI Motorsport – The Dakar Stages.

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MINI Looks Back at the Most Successful Year in its History

You might think us a little biassed here at Ferman MINI of Tampa Bay, but we can totally understand why more and more drivers are deciding to Motor down the Avenues of America in a Cooper, Clubman, Countryman, Convertible, Coupe, Roadster and soon to be Paceman. Talking of the Paceman join us on Superbowl Sunday for a sneak peak at the newest addition to MINI’s line up in the USA. Hotdogs and Hamburgers will be served 11am – 2pm look to www.MOTB.co for more information

Official Release: The British premium small car manufacturer MINI can look back on an eventful year marked by new sales records, successful model launches and expansion into new markets worldwide. 2012 once again served up a wealth of highlights for brand aficionados, as well as being the most successful year to date for MINI. Not only has the vehicle line-up been extended to seven models, meaning more choice than ever, but MINI is now represented in over 100 markets around the globe for the very first time. Worldwide sales of the MINI brand totalled 301,526 units last year, more than in any previous 12-month period. The MINI review of 2012 summarises the year’s most important, most extraordinary and most astonishing events.

The full story here at this link  MotoringFile » Archive » MINI Looks Back at the Most Successful Year in its History.

Houston – We have a Problem..

We’re lucky enough at Ferman MINI and http://www.MOTB.co  to have plenty of parking space even with the construction going on but the dust from all the work could drive you up the wall..

 

 

MotoringFile » Archive » City of Houston Tickets MINI …Parked on a Wall.

via MotoringFile » Archive » City of Houston Tickets MINI …Parked on a Wall.

MINI and BMW to Dramatically Expand Model Ranges

Will someone give me a heyyyooo…the future looks bright at

Ferman MINI of Tampa Bay!

In various interviews over the past few months, BMW executives have hinted at grand plans for the UKL platform. Reported by both MotoringFile and BimmerFile, the UKL platform will spawn an onslaught of FWD models. This will make MINI more long-term viable and will drive the BMW Group to greater economies of scale. Yet just how far BMW is willing to go with FWD, and how big the MINI brand will get hasn’t really been understood until recently.

BMW has plans — BIG plans — for such a small automaker. According to several sources (and recently coraborated by “Scott27″ — our favorite inside source), the BMW board has given approval for a number of front wheel drive models in both the BMW and MINI lineups. Surprisingly, this even includes a MINI four door sedan. According to those who’ve seen the proposal, it’s an extremely attractive car that leverages the MINI floating roof and wrap-around glass. Apparently, the rear is similar to the Paceman, with sculpted front lines reminiscent of the 2008 MINI Crossover Concept. However, this variation of the MINI design language will be unique to this sedan, letting most of the rest of the lineup continue to follow the visual lead of the F56 hardtop hatch.

MotoringFile » Archive » MINI and BMW to Dramatically Expand Model Ranges.

via MotoringFile » Archive » MINI and BMW to Dramatically Expand Model Ranges.

The MINI sedan is just the start of further model expansion. There will be several crossovers and utility vehicles, as well as sporting coupes and convertibles. Here’s the list for both BMW and MINI as we currently understand it, keeping in mind some of the details may change.

1. BMW 1er Urbanic Compact 3/5dr – Upcoming City hatch based on the next MINI, making it BMW’s Audi A1 rival.
2. MINI 3/5dr hatch – Increased demand for utility leads to the next generation MINI, due next year, to feature available five doors for the 1st time.
3. BMW 1-series Sedan – Baby sedan based on the UKL architecture and aimed at global markets for small five seaters.
4. MINI Sedan – A sporty four door MINI aimed at further growing the market for MINIs. Could potentially be MINI’s best seller worldwide, overtaking the Countryman.
5. BMW 1-series Active Tourer – Production version of Active Tourer Concept launched at IAA 2013.
6. MINI Traveller – MINI’s version of the Active Tourer. It’s designed to show how both cars can co-exist with individual style and flexibility.
7. BMW 1-series Urbanic Roadster – BMW’s open top version of the City Car will inherit two seats and will feature a rear deck with layered butresses like the BMW 6-series Cabrio and BMW i8. These are designed for clip on roof panel.
8. MINI Convertible – The F56-generation version of the popular 4-seat, open top MINI.
9. BMW Z1 Sportster – To provide greater economies of scale, The Z1 will be BMW’s equivalent to the MINI Coupe and Roadster. It will be FWD and powered by more powerful three cylinder engines than what we’ll find in the MINI range. The design is derived from the well-received 2011 Vision ConnectedDrive concept car.
10. MINI Roadster – The next Roadster and Coupe will launch with a sportier look completely separate from the standard MINI. MINI design language will remain but the bodywork will no longer be based on the hardtop hatch.
11. BMW Z1 Sport Coupe – A coupe version of the Z1 will complete the BMW Z twins.
12. MINI Coupe – Coupe version of Roadster, and as mentioned above, more individual in appearance than the standard hardtop hatch.
13. BMW X1 – Next generation of BMW’s highly successful SAV moves to the UKL architecture to offer more flexibility, including xDrive.
14. MINI Countryman – Next generation of the global MINI juggernaut, the Countryman will finally share its underpinnings with BMW X1.
15. BMW X2 – Sport Activity Coupe variant of the next BMW X1 , FWD with optional xDrive and the first BMW SAC to appear as both a 3dr and 5dr. Think of it as the BMW version of the MINI Paceman.
16. MINI Paceman and Paceman XL – Next generation of newest MINI member will be offered with the current 3-door version, as well as a 5-door.
17. BMW Family Activity Sports Tourer – BMW’s hybrid of an SAV and MPV, the FAST will feature a “touring” bodystyle and aim to sew up the small, luxury people carrier segment.
18. MINI Clubman – Current car revisited with more style and more flexibility. Anticipated as more of a Shooting Brake with dynamic raked roof and forward looking proportions.
19. Next Generation BMW 1 Series Sedan – Due in 2017 and is expected with both front and all wheel drive available.

However, for all this FWD, BMW isn’t giving up small rear wheel drive cars. In fact BMW and BMW M have big plans for the 2 Series range. Specifically BMW M will base a car on the 2-series with a Gran Coupe variant of the 2-series Coupe. Adding two extra doors to a slightly longer wheelbase and roofline, the Gran Coupe will set itself apart. This car will be BMW’s answer to the Mercedes-Benz CLA, but in a more enthusiast friendly RWD form. The 2-series Coupe will also form the foundation of what will effectively be the second generation 1M. Here’s the full rundown of future small, rear wheel drive cars from BMW:

• BMW 2-series Coupe – Coupe version of the 1-series hatch. Unique front and rear style, with a sleeker, rounded roof. Yet still in compact proportions. Premieres at IAA 2013.
• BMW 2-series Cabrio – Soft top version retains the unique appearance of the 2-series Coupe.
• BMW 2-series Gran Coupe – A 4-door addition of 2-series Coupe with slightly lengthened wheelbase and roof line. It’s aimed to position BMW’s RWD as dominant over the Audi A3 Sedan and Mercedes-Benz CLA.
• BMW 2-series Gran Sports Tourer – A Hyundai Veloster-type, asymmetrical touring coupe inspired by the classic BMW 2002 Touring variant. This car has many admirers in Munich.
• BMW M2 Coupe – Successor to the BMW 1-series M Coupe, the M2 Coupe continues the same formula that made the last car so memorable. While no huge competitor in the HP race, four cylinder will bring less weight, which matters most in a car of this type. More driving enjoyment and overall feel is considered of higher priority than who has the biggest horsepower numbers.
• BMW M2 Gran Coupe – The baby Gran Coupe inherits a lot from its four door big brother: 340 HP, Four doors and RWD. It will be a direct competitor to the Mercedes-Benz CLA 45AMG.

Image courtesy of Autocar

MotoringFile » Archive » MINI and BMW to Dramatically Expand Model Ranges.

via MotoringFile » Archive » MINI and BMW to Dramatically Expand Model Ranges.

MINI USA NOT NORMAL | GIRL AND KNIGHT – YouTube

MINI USA NOT NORMAL | GIRL AND KNIGHT – YouTube.

via MINI USA NOT NORMAL | GIRL AND KNIGHT – YouTube.

Such Awesomeness!

Some first rate MINI marketing for you folks today. For all the things MINI does well, and for all the ways they sometimes come up short, we can’t deny that as a brand, MINI and  Ferman MINI of Tampa Bay are consistently focused on having a lot of fun. In this latest video, we’re all encouraged to escape the ordinary …in a MINI.

A MINI Sedan

A MINI SEDAN

se·dan

noun

an enclosed automobile body having two or four doors and seating four or more persons on two full-width seats. Now this just doesn’t make sense any more but interesting definition and MINI of Tampa Bay likes redefining the ordinary.

In our recent comprehensive piece about the upcoming F56, we spent quite a bit of time talking about the 5-door variant, the F55. Basically to the hardtop MINI hatch what the four door Golf is to VW. The F55 will take the standard MINI platform and inject it with a healthy dose of practicality without growing its sporting footprint. Is the “sedan” Inside Line is talking about actually the F55, or are we talking about something more fast-backed like a traditional sedan? What comes to mind is the image of a four door MINI with a back end more akin to the Coupe or Roadster — with a traditional boot lid. But like the idea of a stretched Countryman, that’s purely conjecture on my part. Most likely of all is what we reported on back in January:

Code-named “Spacebox” and known as the Traveller (or even the MINI Activity Tourer) the car will be based on the front wheel drive BMW Compactive Sport Tourer or ‘FAST’. The idea (for both but especially the Traveller) is all about increasing practicality and flexibility for a customer who would have had to to move to another brand because they’ve simply run out of space. Both but especially the Traveller will be the most utility oriented of all of BMW or MINI’s upcoming products based off of the UKL1 platform.

What’s unclear is just where each of these rumors and internal MINI concepts overlap. Is this three cars or just one? Either way, we know MINI is working on four and/or five door variants of the traditional MINI Hatch — the flagship platform for MINI.

Expansion means profitability

We’re as tired of repeating it as many of you are of reading it, but the reality is that in order for MINI to be sustainably profitable, the brand and the lineup has to grow. The hardtop hatch will always be the center of that, as will the MINI’s British heritage. In fact, Inside Line is reporting that BMW is yet again considering the presence of a MINI design center in the UK — a facility to anchor the brand’s character right in the heart of its cultural heritage. A London BMW design center was shelved earlier this year, but perhaps that was just a postponement. Regardless, the changes we’re seeing in both platform (the F56) and continued model variations are essential to MINI’s long term growth and financial health.

While not every MINI fan is going to love every new model (where my R60 haters at?), we still think the correct perspective on a ten car MINI lineup is one that ultimately favors driving enthusiasts. For a company as small as MINI, the catch 22 of profitability comes hand-in-hand with market compromise. But in the end, the enthusiasts actually have the most to gain. The criticisms of bloat and un-sporting character that one might level against the Countryman certainly don’t apply to MINI’s most rarified models like the Coupe or the JCW GP. Truth is, though, we wouldn’t have one without the other. MINI wouldn’t be able to offer low volume, performance oriented cars like the Coupe without the highly profitable, albeit less aspirational Countryman. It works the other way ’round as well. Without the sporting character and performance cheek of the Hatch, the Coupe and the Roadster (not to forget the JCW GP), there’d be little MINI family appeal for a car like the Paceman — a car that aspires to even more performance than it will likely deliver.

In that sense, MINI is expanding into a more complicated organism. Those interdependencies and new models are ultimately going to strengthen the MINI bottom line, and I believe, strengthen the MINI brand.

via MotoringFile » Archive » More Talk of MINI Model Expansion.

via MotoringFile » Archive » More Talk of MINI Model Expansion.

Entire inventory of Microcar Museum to be auctioned

LOADS of CUTENESS!

Bruce Weiner’s Microcar Museum in Madison, Georgia is said to be the largest collection of little cars in the world, and they’re all rolling over the RM Auctions block February 15-16, 2013. Weiner spent 15 years assembling the 200-strong bounty, and beyond the size of the collection RM Auctions says many of ladybug-sized vehicles are of exceptional rarity or in the best condition or the most unusual, and are headed to auction for the first time.

The BMW Isetta is practically a base commoner compared to the rare nobility in the collection, like the 1957 Messerschmitt – yes, that Messerschmitt – KR201 and Messerschmitt Tiger, the Goggomobil Transporter, Voisin Biscooters and the world’s single Mivalino. Nevertheless, there are some special Isetta’s in the fold, including a German police version, a pickup and an Isetta turned into a Hot Wheels build called the “Whattadrag” with a 502-cubic-inch Chevrolet engine boasting 730 horsepower.

Alongside the hundreds of cars will go hundreds of collectibles from the 1940s to 1960s, like neon signs, kiddie rides, scale models, vending machines and candy dispensers. There’s a press release below, with a video on the auction and a clip on the museum from the History Channel’s Modern Marvels.

MINI of Tampa Bay has lots of colors to choose from!

Entire inventory of Microcar Museum to be auctioned.

via Entire inventory of Microcar Museum to be auctioned.

W have a variety at Ferman MINI of Tampa Bay!

The Surreal September Sunday

Join MOTB at The Dali on September 16th

WANT!! The Mac Daddy of MINI