1974 Morris Mini Cooper on 2040-cars

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Porsche tops JD Power APEAL study for 12th time

JD Power's 2016 Automotive Performance, Execution, and Layout (APEAL) study hasn't changed much this time around with Porsche coming in at No.1 for the 12th consecutive year, while BMW was close behind in second. Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz tied for third with Land Rover, Lexus, and Lincoln tied for No.5. The APEAL Study, according to JD Power, measures owners' level of excitement and emotional attachment across 77 parameters. Brands and cars are rated on a 1,000-point scale. The study found that new cars with modern safety features including low speed collision avoidance and blind spot monitoring have higher APEAL scores than vehicles without the features. The overall industry score increased from 798 to 801, which JD Power claims was helped by the launch of a variety of new vehicles. This year, 22 out of 30 new or redesigned cars received a higher score than the vehicle's respective segment average. Porsche is once again at the top of the list as the automaker's score increased by three points to 877. BMW outscored Jaguar to take second place with a score of 859, while the British automaker dropped three points from last year with 852 points. Volkswagen overtook Mini to become the top-ranked non-premium brand with 809 points, while the latter automaker trailed behind by one point. At the end of the scale, Smart came in at the very bottom for the second year in a row with a score of 745 points, which represents an increase of 62 points over last year. Fiat's score increased by six points to 755, but still confined the automaker to second-to-worst place for a consecutive year. Mitsubishi's score increased to 770, up from 755, to become the fourth-worst brand, while Jeep fell to third-worst with a decrease in seven points to 756. General Motors received six segment-level awards, followed by Hyundai with five, and BMW and VW earning four apiece. Surprise segment victories include the Chevrolet Camaro, which outscored the Dodge Challenger, and the Lexus RC which ranked above the BMW 4 and 3 Series. For more information on how the automakers ranked, check out the official release on the 2016 APEAL Study below or visit JD Power's website to analyze the graphs. Related Video: Porsche Ranks Highest in APEAL for 12th Consecutive Year; General Motors Receives Six Segment-Level Awards, Hyundai Motor Company Receives Five DETROIT: 27 July 2016 — Popular driver-assist technologies help make vehicles considerably more appealing to their owners, according to the J.D.

Mini Paceman Adventure photos arrive by the trucklette-load

Yesterday, we brought you the news of the existence of this Mini Paceman Adventure tiny truck, and the story of how it came to be. Long story short: it was a lighthearted collaboration between apprentices and instructors at parent BMW plants in Germany. The mini-sized pickup bed and off-road kit may not make the Paceman All4 actually practical, but we'd argue that they do make the one-off fairly loveable.
Apparently the Mini photographers agree with that "loveable" part. We'd heard that there were some better, higher-resolution images of the Paceman Adventure on the way, but we didn't expect there to be hundreds of them. But as you can see, the shooters went out and thoroughly documented the pickup, shooting it in several locations, still and moving, and documenting some of its construction as well. Find your favorite in the massive gallery of images, above.

Mini recalls 86,000 hatchbacks, convertibles from 2002 to 2005

Mini is recalling 86,018 cars built for model years 2002 through 2005 over concerns about the power steering system. The affected vehicles include both R50 Cooper and R53 Cooper S hatchbacks as well as convertibles (where applicable). Mini's public communications with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the issue are decidedly oblique and simply pointing out owners could "experience temporary or permanent loss of the electro-hydraulic steering assistance." Worryingly, Mini claims it's aware of 20 accidents and five injuries due to the power-steering issue. This isn't the first time Mini has had problems with the power steering systems on these first-gen Coopers. The automaker had so many claims of bad power steering pumps and cooling fans that it upped the warranty on those units to 13 years or 150,000 miles for the same 2002 to 2005 models being recalled here. This author's personal 2006 model is on its third fan and second pump, though that year has never officially been investigated or recalled. A slight drop in steering assist and a low-battery warning at engine startup are the main signs your car needs recall work. Owners of the affected hatchbacks and cabrios will be notified by Mini and asked to report to their local dealer to have the electrohydraulic steering system's wiring and components inspected. Any repairs will be done free of charge. Read on for the official NHTSA bulletin. Related Video: Report Receipt Date: OCT 15, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V660000 Component(s): STEERING Potential Number of Units Affected: 86,018 Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC SUMMARY: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2002-2005 MINI Cooper and Cooper S vehicles and 2005 Cooper and Cooper S Convertible vehicles. The affected vehicles may experience temporary or permanent loss of the electro-hydraulic steering assistance. CONSEQUENCE: If the vehicle experiences a loss of power steering assist, extra steering effort will be required at lower speeds, potentially iincreasing the risk of a vehicle crash. REMEDY: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the electro-hydraulic power steering system, replacing the components and wiring, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 1, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.