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Mini to skip 2016 Detroit, Geneva Auto Shows

Following a report from the team at MotoringFile, rumors have been swirling that Mini will join Jaguar Land Rover and abandon this year's North American International Auto Show. We can officially confirm that the BMW-owned brand will be passing on not only next month's Detroit show, but also Europe's flagship Geneva Motor Show. It all has to do with positioning. See, auto shows can be two things – they can be news events, or they can be consumer events. On the consumer side of the equation, we have the sprawling Chicago Auto Show, while both Geneva and Detroit lean heavily towards being a source of breaking news. Based on Mini's official statement, it looks like it was that positioning that led the brand to pass on two of the world's most important auto shows. "The BMW Group confirms it has decided Mini will not be represented at the shows in Detroit and Geneva. This decision reflects Mini's new product and brand strategy, which was presented to the public on June 24, 2015," Mini USA spokesperson Mariella Kapsaskis told Autoblog in an official statement. "Part of the new brand strategy is focusing on selected auto shows and an increased engagement with events that increase MINI's access to other relevant target groups." Max Muncey, PR manager for NAIAS, corroborated the statement from Mini. "The North American International Auto Show is one of the few shows to carry the international moniker. As such, we focus on making news with global media outlets rather than serving as a consumer show," Muncey told Autoblog. "Mini's decision reflects this positioning." According to Muncey, Detroit hosted 5,000 journalists last year, while its media coverage was roughly double that of LA, where Mini held the world debut for the new Convertible and the US debut for the Clubman last month. In our opinion, with both those debuts out of the way and not much else coming down the pipe in the near future, prioritizing auto shows based on consumer attendance rather than media attendance seems like a sound strategy. Here's hoping Mini returns to the frigid wastes of Detroit for the 2017 installment of the North American International Auto Show.

Mini Seven Special Edition looks back to the days of Austin

Mini is back at the game of special editions with the Seven, the first of its kind for the third-generation Hardtop. Named after the original Austin Seven – one of the two original Mini models, alongside the Morris Mini Minor – the new style pack is available on both the two- and four-door and the Cooper and Cooper S models. But where past Mini special editions have been largely homogenous, the new Seven has a surprising array of options, especially as it relates to colors and upholsteries. Owners can choose from four different paint schemes – Lapisluxury Blue (shown above), Pepper White, Midnight Black, and British Racing Green. The options continue in the cabin, where owners can select the Seven-specific Diamond Malt Brown fabric/leather upholstery, or they can go with straight leather in Cross Punch Carbon Black, Lounge Satellite Grey, or MINI Yours Lounge Carbon Black. There are four dash trim options, too, with standard Piano Black, and optional Dark Cottonwood, Fibre Alloy, and Off-White. Below the trim strip, owners can have either a Malt Brown color line or Carbon Black. A set of 17-inch, two-tone alloys are standard, and regardless of which exterior paint you opt for, you're stuck with a Melting Silver roof. The decreasing-width stripes match the roof and have what Mini claims are Malt Brown rules, but we're seeing red trimmings in these photos. Heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, Comfort Access, a Harmon/Kardon stereo, park-distance control, power-folding, auto-dimming mirrors, and a 6.5-inch Mini Connected system are all standard features as part of the Seven package, while additional options will be available, like on any other Cooper or Cooper S. Mini's press release, for example, specifically calls out the larger 8.8-inch Mini Connected XL and adaptive dampers as available options. Mini will announce prices for the Seven package nearer to its late summer on-sale date. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Driver in the UK moves an ambulance just to free up a parking space

Finding a parking spot in a populated area can be a huge hassle. Drivers will circle a parking lot or a street a half dozen times, sometimes following a pedestrian like a lion hunting its prey in the hopes that that person will free up a spot. That said, there is no excuse for the guy who allegedly moved an ambulance in order to free up a parking space. According to Yahoo News, a driver in the UK got behind the wheel of an ambulance while paramedics were treating a victim in the back so he could park his Mini Cooper in a space that was being blocked. According to the paramedics, they didn't communicate at all with the Mini driver. The patient suffered "distress and discomfort" but was otherwise unaffected. Unfortunately, police are still trying to find the driver. While we can't do much from Michigan, we can provide a brief description. The suspect is a white male with dark hair in his 50s that stands about 5 feet 10 inches tall. The Cooper had a license plate that starts with RJ60. If you have any information, call the police in the UK at 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Related Video: News Source: Yahoo! NewsImage Credit: Getty Read This MINI