2009 Mini Cooper S Hatchback 2-door 1.6l on 2040-cars

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2014 Mini Cooper interior spied uncovered in China

As we approach the November 18 debut of the new Mini Hardtop, the trickle of news is starting to increase. We've already shown you the exterior of the new hatchback, and now we can show you the interior. These images, captured by Car News China, show a cabin that maintains a few key Mini styling items, but is a fairly progressive evolution of the current R56 model.
Mini's most iconic interior treatment, its center-mounted speedometer, is now gone. The new speedo sits atop the steering column, flanked by a (too tiny, in our opinion) tachometer. In the speedometer's former position are the radio controls. Our friends in China put it best when they say, "The large dial is much uglier than before." There's a mass of buttons and unfriendly black plastic that, at first glance, look far cheaper than the rest of the cabin. Of course, we'll wait to see how this is all ironed out for the production-spec car.
The other parts of the interior, however, look quite good. There's a small bank of toggle buttons at the bottom of the center stack, and the checkerboard dash insert looks clean as well. The seats sport extensions for the bottom cushions, meaning there'll be the option of more support for drivers with longer legs. GTI fans might also notice the plaid bolsters on the seats. Mini's treatment is a bit more subtle than what you'd see on a Volkswagen, though.

2020 Mini Clubman makes many mini changes

The mid-cycle refresh for the 2020 Mini Clubman brings small-scale cosmetic alterations from front to back. The new grille dominates the front end. It's no larger than before, but by getting rid of the black bumper shape for six horizontal bars optionally dressed in chrome, the opening looks bigger. Clubman S models still fit hexagonal mesh into the opening, smaller hexagons on the new model set off by the single chrome accent of the previous model. New standard halogen headlights house larger reflectors and a black shield, the fog lights in the lower bumper illuminating as DRLs. The first set of optional LED headlights are arranged in a new design and employ LEDs for high and low beams. On these, an LED ring lights up to act as the primary DRL and the turn signal. A more feature-filled LED option includes adaptive headlights that can turn and adjust their brightness and throw automatically, and auto high-beam dipping. If we get that latter option in the U.S., it won't be with full functionality. The new rear LED taillights come standard and illuminate in a Union Jack pattern. Three new colors join the palette: Indian Summer Red metallic, British Racing Green metallic, and Mini Yours Enigmatic Black metallic. Optional Piano Black exterior trim replaces chrome with the glossy black stuff, and an optional sport suspension lowers the ride height by 10 millimeters. Extra wheel choices come in 18-inch Multiray Spoke two-tone and MINI Yours British Spoke two-tone flavors, along with 19-inch John Cooper Works Circuit Spoke two-tone rims. The Mini Yours program collects a suite of new personalization possibilities such as a sports steering wheel and a Leather Lounge Carbon Black interior leather treatment with a perforated Union Jack pattern on the seat headrests. Mini Yours ambient lighting treatments highlight the door bezels, cockpit bezel, cockpit and center console trim in hues to match three themes: Piano Black illuminated, Frozen Blue illuminated, and Fibre Alloy illuminated. A Union Jack emblem on the side windows marks the choice. A Leather Chester interior in Malt Brown, Indigo Blue, or Satellite Grey provides a different kind of flair. The infotainment gains a permanent 4G-LTE SIM card for always-on connectivity and over-the-air updates. After debuting at Auto Shanghai, we await pricing before the model goes on sale later this year.

Street Glory Mappers turning cars into dynamic billboards like this

A French marketing firm with the impenetrable name of Street Glory Mappers is literally turning cars into billboards. Of course, we've all seen vehicles painted up for promotional use, but this company is taking that concept even further by including video.
Street Glory Mappers equips the vehicles with a large video screen behind the windshield to play whatever is being advertised. According to the company's promo, it may even be possibly to sync up the vehicle's lights with the show, as well. The firm claims that it's a great form of temporary, mobile marketing because the car can arrive at the location, play the video and then go away when the prospective audience leaves.
While it doesn't necessarily seem any more effective than other forms of advertising, the firm's idea is at least unobtrusive. After all, it's easier to ignore a stationary car than a person handing out flyers. However, vehicle flashing its lights and playing video could certainly distract other drivers.