2011 Mini Cooper Countryman S All4 Hatchback 4-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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Mini's Super Bowl ad stars Serena Williams and Tony Hawk

Everyone seems to have an opinion about what kind of car a Mini is, and what it says about its driver. For many, it seems, buying one is as much a fashion statement and lifestyle choice as it is anything else. And Mini is out to face those notions head-on in its latest Super Bowl ad. Set to air during the third quarter of the big game on the 7th, the spot brings in a star-studded list of celebrities. Tennis great Serena Williams, soccer player Abby Wambach, hip-hop star T-Pain, major-league pitcher Randy Johnson, skateboard legend Tony Hawk, and actor Harvey Keitel all feature in the 30-second spot dubbed "Defy Labels." The ad was produced by Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners and shines a spotlight on the new Mini Clubman. But you don't have to wait until Sunday to see it: you can watch it right here, and scope out the additional behind-the-scenes video below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. MINI DECLARES DEFIANCE IN STAR-STUDDED GAME DAY AD Woodcliff Lake, NJ – February 1, 2016... As more than 100 million viewers around the world prepare to tune into the big game on February 7, MINI USA is unveiling its star-studded 30-second spot today, set to air in the third quarter of the year's biggest night in television advertising. The ad, created by Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners (BSSP), embraces many of the labels the brand has experienced over the years with a very powerful message: it doesn't care what you call it. "Defy Labels," has its roots in the fact that everyone and everything is labeled but how you handle those labels is what matters. With defiance at its core, the campaign inspires people to shed the labels society has placed upon them and instead define themselves. "Ever since the first Mini was built in 1959, it has been labeled as one thing or another. It's small. It's cute," said Tom Noble, department head, MINI Brand Communications. "This campaign acknowledges those labels in a very authentic way while simultaneously showing people MINI is more than that. With the launch of the new Clubman, our brand is growing up, our products are more sophisticated, and its time to reset the conversation." The brand worked with an ensemble cast of athletes and celebrities to help start that conversation.

How Mini shacked up with John Cooper

The late Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, Alec Issignonis to his Internet friends, designed a car that was sold as the Morris Mini-Minor, the Austin Seven and later the Austin Mini. Go to the Mini USA website and check out the models, though, and every one of them is called a Cooper of some sort, e.g., Mini Cooper Paceman or Mini Cooper S Roadster. So who is Cooper?
It's probably obvious that it's the same Cooper we get in "John Cooper Works," those JCW Minis that always make up the top of the line. But many probably don't know that that John Cooper, founder of John Cooper Cars, is the same man who accidentally got the motorsports world to switch to rear-engined race cars and the same Formula One constructor who won two titles in 1959 and 1960 and who fielded drivers like Bruce McLaren and Stirling Moss.
On its way to driving the Mini John Cooper Works GP II, XCAR goes back to the beginning to find out when Alec met John, and how the first Mini Cooper came out in 1961, two years after the first Mini. You can watch the story and the car review in the video below.

2020 Mini Cooper SE Drivers' Notes | Two editors, two cities, one electric car

The 2020 Mini Cooper SE is Mini's first electric car that it's actually selling widely to the public, rather than a quasi-experimental product a select few could lease. While in most respects, it looks like a plain Mini Hardtop or Cooper S, it instead has a BMW i3 electric motor under the hood. The SE makes 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque. Between the front seats and under the rear seats are battery packs that give the Mini an estimated 110 miles of range. The new powertrain means the electric Mini sits ever so slightly higher, but it has a lower center of gravity than other Minis, and it has a perfectly even weight distribution front to rear. To get an idea as to what it's like to live with this spunky little commuter, Managing Editor Greg Rasa in Seattle and News Editor Joel Stocksdale in Detroit each spent a week with one. Both cars were the top shelf Iconic trim, bringing the starting price to $37,750 after the $850 destination charge. The SE is also eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit, making that high price sting a bit less. Check out their thoughts in the discussion below. Joel Stocksdale: Want to talk Mini? Greg Rasa: Sure. So, how to begin ... Fun car. Way fun. JS: So much fun! I took it out for pleasure cruises at least every other day just because it was such a blast. GR: I took mine on some long outings and was pleased with it in every respect. Some background: I drove a 2013 Leaf as a commuter for a couple of years, so that's kind of my baseline for an EV — utilitarian, basic, purpose-built for commuting. And of course I have driven other EVs quite a bit, Niro, etc. The difference with the Mini is apparent from the first impression. Stepping into it, there's a wow factor. Nice interior, quilted seats, yellow racing stripe in the carbon fiber-look dash, goofy space-age sounds. Everything screams fun. JS: What really got me fired up about the driving was the handling. Minis are already great in corners, but this one feels particularly good, and I think a lot of it has to do with the weight balance. It's an even 50/50 front/rear distribution, and you can feel that in turns. It's very neutral and has loads of grip despite the low-rolling-resistance tires. I desperately want to take one to an autocross event. GR: Yes, very grippy. All EVs tend to handle well, I think, given how planted they are with the battery weight down low, but the Mini is the best yet. You're in a John Cooper Works (JCW) now, right?