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New Zealand SPCA teaches rescue dogs how to drive a Mini

No, this isn't an April Fool's joke or some sort of wacky car commercial. It's the SPCA Auckland (located in New Zealand) coming up with an innovative way of proving that it's possible to teach a rescue animal new tricks. Monty, Porter and Ginny are all dogs rescued by the SPCA Auckland, and each was taught the ability to drive a Mini Countryman around a track.
After being strapped into the driver's seat, the dogs are able to use their paws to start the car, steer it and work the gas and brake, which have been modified similar to a car setup for a special-needs driver. These dogs aren't being trained to drive on the street as any sort of driving-eye dogs, rather it is just a demonstration of how smart and docile rescue dogs can be regardless of how they ended up there. Porter was found wandering the streets, Ginny was abused by her owners and seized by the SPCA and Monty was surrendered by his owners to the rescue. Ironically, Porter and Ginny initially got carsick during the exercises, but have since gotten over this.
Think it's a joke? Scroll down to watch four videos showing the dogs in action and another to see what mods were made to get the Mini ready for canine duty. In the first video, you can also see that Porter does a better parking job than most humans!

Mini John Cooper Works Convertible gets a belated show debut

Mini originally introduced the new John Cooper Works Convertible way back in January. But since the German-owned British outfit wasn't attending the Detroit Auto Show, we were stuck waiting to see it until today at the 2016 New York Auto Show. The JCW Convertible is something of an anomaly, lacking any real competitors, but that doesn't make it any less enticing. Like the standard JCW Hardtop, the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder is good for 228 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The cab will hit 60 in 6.4 seconds, which is slower than perhaps its closest competitor, the Mazda MX-5. The trade off here, of course, is a lot more space, style, and optional extras than the cozy MX-5. Mini's hugely diverse options catalog is present and accounted for with the JCW Convertible, giving interested consumers a degree of customization that every automaker short of Porsche and hand-built exotic brands will have trouble matching. Of course, it comes with a frankly absurd sticker price – Mini's top-end droptop starts at $36,450, including the $850 destination charge. That figure swells fast. Expect at least $40,000 for a decently equipped example. You can play with the JCW Convertible's configurator, or just check out our first round of live images of Mini's latest high-performance model. Related Video: EXTREME DRIVING FUN, INTENSIVE OPEN-AIR PLEASURE: INTRODUCING THE NEW MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS CONVERTIBLE Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 14, 2016... When passion for motor racing is the driving force and intense open-air pleasure the goal, the new MINI John Cooper Works Convertible takes the ideal line from the word go. The second John Cooper Works model of the latest generation combines engine and suspension technology optimized for use on the race track with distinctive design and equipment features as well as the extensively refined qualities of the new MINI Convertible. This lends even greater fascination to the vehicle concept of an open-top 4-seater with outstandingly sporty performance properties that is still unique in the small car segment. The latest version of the MINI John Cooper Works Convertible offers the most exclusive way of enjoying extreme driving fun. With its spontaneous power delivery and highly emotional sound, the most powerful engine in the British brand's portfolio with 228 bhp is strikingly impressive. The fully electrically operated textile top is particularly low-noise, open or closing in just 18 seconds at the press of a button.

Mini considering sports car replacement for Coupe and Roadster?

The next-generation Mini lineup could see some big changes, according to a report from Australian site CarSales. Starting with the debut of the third-generation Mini Hardtop at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show, we could see a regular string of Minis on the stages of the world. But the bodystyles we see might not be what we've grown used to.
A four-door sedan could eventually arrive, while the polarizing Mini Coupe and Roadster are likely to be replaced by a dedicated sports car with unique sheetmetal and uprated engines. While the rest of the line is switching to three-cylinder, turbocharged engines, the new sports car, which will be available in both soft- and hardtop variants, will use some version of BMW's 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder. The Aussie site also claims that the interior treatment could take inspiration from the Mini Vision concept car, while showing off the know-how BMW gained when working carbon fiber into the i3. The new model(s) would likely arrive in late 2015 or early 2016.
According to CarSales, we'll see the three-door Hardtop at the 2013 LA Show, along with a five-door hatch that is different from the Clubman at the 2014 Paris show. The Clubman, meanwhile, will arrive in Geneva in 2015, while the Convertible is slated for later that same year. The current Countryman and Paceman are expected to be around for some time, before being joined by an MPV. Eventually, the larger Minis will share their architecture with the BMW X1.