2008 Mini Cooper S Clubman Wagon 3-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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Watch this Chinese stunt driver parallel park with only 3 inches to spare

Whenever this writer thinks of fancy parking jobs, we go straight to Buddy Love singing Strokin' in a red Dodge Viper he slides into a tiny space in The Nutty Professor. But after watching the video above, we might have to start thinking about Han Yue, who broke the world record for getting into the tightest parallel parking space. The previous record was set in July 2013 by Alastair Moffatt, who had 3.4 inches to spare between his car and those around. Yue used a Mini Cooper at the China Drift Championship in Chongqing, China, to shrink that gap to 3.15 inches. That gave Yue two world records at the same event: the day before, he used a BMW M4 to set the world record for doing the most donuts around a car driving on two wheels. Which, frankly, we didn't even know was a competitive thing... Related Gallery 2014 Mini Cooper: First Drive View 47 Photos News Source: Guinness World Records via YouTubeImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Jeremy Korzeniewski / AOL MINI Hatchback Guinness World Records parallel parking

BMW, Mini to offer Amazon Alexa in all models beginning next year

Voice recognition has been available in cars for years now, but the technology has improved, and found its way into our pockets and our homes. With applications like Siri and gadgets like the Amazon Echo essentially acting as digital personal assistants, the ways we interact with technology through our voice have advanced significantly in recent years. BMW plans to take advantage of the evolved voice technology, and will offer Amazon Alexa in every BMW and Mini model beginning in the middle of 2018. Drivers will be able to use the usual Alexa features (or "skills" in Amazon speak) to get the latest news and weather, provide entertainment, or remotely control their smart home gadgets. Alexa will also perform car-specific duties, such as navigation or locating nearby businesses. Users can also check on movie times, request specific playlists or even order products from Amazon through Alexa. View 5 Photos It's the logical next step for BMW, which has allowed owners to check the status or control features of their car through Alexa's BMW Connected skill since last year. Users won't need to bring their smartphone along for the Alexa to work, as BMW and Mini models will be equipped with their own SIM cards. Alexa will be available in cars in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany. As our friends at Engadget point out, the timing is important, as Amazon risked being left behind by the likes of Apple and Google, which offer their technology in vehicles via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Amazon would do well to expand access beyond the three markets in-car Alexa will launch in, for exactly the same reason. Check out the video above for how BMW envisions users interacting with Alexa. We really hope some lucky M4 owner does, in fact, actually order a pizza while drifting on the deck of an aircraft carrier. That's a future we want to live in. News Source: BMW, Engadget Auto News BMW MINI Technology Videos Amazon Amazon Alexa alexa

2020 Mini Cooper SE gets a range estimate for America, and it's not great

After getting output and pricing details on the 2020 Mini Cooper SE electric hatchback over the past few months, we now get the critical range part of the equation, and it's disappointing. Mini only estimates 110 miles on a charge for the SE. That number isn't final, as the EPA hasn't published its official number, but we wouldn't expect it to go up or down by much. This number is also lower than the European estimate of 146 to 168 miles, but we were expecting a lower range for the States, if not quite that low. This means that the Mini Cooper SE will have a significant range disadvantage against similarly-priced competitors such as the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Ioniq Electric. Both have base prices only a few hundred to a thousand dollars more than the Mini. The Leaf has a range of 150 miles, and the Ioniq's range has been boosted to 170 miles. Both cars are significantly less powerful, though, with the Leaf making 147 horsepower, and the Ioniq making 134 horsepower. The Mini Cooper SE's electric motor sends 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels. Besides the range estimate, Mini has revealed more details about trim levels and equipment. The base trim is called Signature and starts at $30,750. It includes a 6.5-inch infotainment display with Apple CarPlay, heated seats, LED lights and a new instrument panel screen, instead of an analog dial. In the middle is the Signature Plus at $34,750, and it adds parking sensors, sunroof, power-folding mirrors, extra ambient lighting and an upgraded sound system. Both of these trims are available in five colors including black, white, gray, red and green. The top level is the Iconic, which starts at $37,750 and further adds some interior trim and a larger 8.8-inch infotainment system with navigation. It gets a sixth color option of a dark blue, as well. The Mini Cooper SE will be eligible for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit, as well as local tax incentives, so that will of course bring the final price down.