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This Mini just set a very long Nurburgring lap record

The video above is 45 minutes long. You probably won't watch the whole thing. It documents what is possibly the least visually exciting and most impressive Nurburgring record ever, with a Chinese driver keeping a Mini Cooper on two wheels for the entirety of a Nordschleife lap. That's 12.9 miles at a blistering average speed of 17 mph. The number of support vehicles seen on track, some of which pass the Mini at various points, highlights just how nonstandard this lap is. A Mercedes van trailing behind stops at one point and then catches back up shortly after. This is an endurance run more than anything. Credit of course goes to the skilled driver, who had to balance the car on its left wheels while enduring the pain of leaning at a steep angle. For 45 minutes. The car was specially prepped, with things like a welded diff and an airless left front tire (it looks like something off a fork lift) helping it steer, propel, and support the car. Bridge to Gantry's Dale Lomas was there to witness the leisurely event, and he has all of the details, including what was done to the car and what it was like to travel from viewing location to viewing location to witness the same lap. The driver, Han Yue, is an expert at manhandling Minis. He's the guy with the Guinness record for the tightest parallel-parking job (not to be confused with the tightest reverse parallel park) and also set with a driver in an M4 doing donuts around his up-on-two-wheels Cooper. We find it extremely fitting that the car for this latest record was plastered with Red Bull decals. You know, the wings? News Source: Bridge to GantryImage Credit: Nurburgring / Facebook Motorsports MINI Hatchback Racing Vehicles Performance nurburgring record

Paul McCartney's Aston sells for $1.8M; Ringo Starr's old Mini goes to a Spice Girl

The Bonhams Bond Street auction in London was the place to be for fans of both The Beatles and automobiles as two cars once owned by former members of the band were up for auction. The first was an Aston Martin DB5 owned by Paul McCartney, and the second was a Mini Cooper owned by Ringo Starr. Both went for substantial sums, and the Mini went to an interesting owner. The Aston brought the big bucks, or pounds, since it was a British auction. The final price with premium was barely over $1.8 million, which fell smack in the middle of Bonham's estimate. It's an impressive price on its own, but more so when compared with its sale back in 2012. Back then it was painted in the same blue it had originally, and it only sold for $495,000, making this new sale more than three times higher. View 22 Photos The Mini went for much less, at just under $137,000 with premium. But the car went to an interesting owner, Geri Horner, nee Hollowell, whom you may know better as Ginger Spice of the Spice Girls. The Mini itself is interesting, too. Each of The Beatles owned a classic Mini at some point, but Ringo Starr's was unique because the flip-down tailgate was converted to a modern-style lift-up hatch incorporating the rear window. Reportedly the reason was so Starr could easily fit his drum kit in the back. It also featured a custom grille, driving lights, hood vents, and soft sunroof among other things. It even appeared on " Top Gear" in 2001. And before we forget, McCartney's DB5 also has " Top Gear" history in that it was owned by former host, Chris Evans. Related Video: Featured Gallery 1964 Aston Martin DB5 owned by Paul McCartney View 13 Photos Image Credit: Bonhams Celebrities Aston Martin MINI Auctions Coupe Hatchback Classics aston martin db5 the beatles

Mini Clubvan axed after just 50 sales

Well, that didn't last long. According to Green Car Reports, Mini has discontinued the Clubvan from its model range in the United States.
Nathalie Bauters, Mini's US communications manager, cited "relatively low demand and the effect of an excessive 25-percent tax on vehicles for commercial use (known as 'the Chicken Tax')" as the key reasons for axing the Clubman from our market, GCR reports. The 2013 Clubvan launched in the US earlier this year, and to date roughly 50 examples have been sold.
The Clubvan, based on the Clubman model, features a flat load floor behind the two front seats, with blacked-out (well, body-colored) side windows. This nifty little cargo wagon could carry up to 33 cubic feet of goods, which while useful, pales in comparison to more capacious offerings like the Ford Transit Connect van.