We Finance! 54830 Miles 2009 Mini John Cooper Works Turbo 1.6l I4 16v Premium on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Mini fesses up to Countryman clutch issue, plans fix

Aside from the general lack of snow in the Midwest earlier this year that hampered our ability to properly play with our Blizzak-equipped Mini Contryman long-term test vehicle, the biggest problem we had with this crossover during the year we spent with it was the transmission. On four different monthly updates (September, October, November and June), all in the hands of different Autoblog editors, the Countryman's clutch was called out for being too finicky, leading to many stall outs. Apparently, we weren't alone in our assessment of the Countryman's clutch woes.
According to MotoringFile, Mini has updated the Countryman with a different clutch material and improved software. This much-needed change is being implemented starting this month, but Mini hasn't said what it is doing about existing 2011 and 2012 Countryman models that are afflicted with this problem.
Head over to MotoringFile to see the full official statement from Mini USA on this issue.

The 2017 Porsche 911 RSR goes mid-engine, purists be damned

Porsche unveiled its World Endurance Championship and IMSA WeatherTech Championship competitor with the 2017 911 RSR. And this 911 is different from the rest, as the 4.0-liter flat-six engine powering this beast is in front of the rear axle, not behind it. That's right, this 24 Hours of Le Mans competitor ditches the iconic rear-engine layout. Porsche isn't talking specifics on how exactly things are arranged back there. The engine is new, now based on the 991 911's block instead of the previous Mezger motor that's been used for years. The transmission design is new as well – it would have to be to accommodate the new location relative to the engine. The racecar has been engineered to meet the LM-GTE class, where it will go up against other mid-engine cars like the Ford GT and Ferrari 488 GTE. Moving the engine to the middle has given Porsche the ability to fit the 911 RSR with massive bits of aero, like the humongous rear diffuser that looks like it would be more at home on a machine of war. The only thing that can compete with the diffuser for size is the top-mounted rear wing, which shares a similar design to the one found on the 919 Hybrid. Going back to the engine, the direct-injected boxer motor, depending on the size of the restrictor, generates as much as 510 horsepower and sends all of its fury to the rear wheels. The engine is paired to a six-speed sequential gearbox, which drivers can employ through paddles on the steering wheel. The new engine doesn't have a lot of weight to push around as the 911 RSR, as required by regulations, weighs 2,740 pounds. Speaking of weight, the engine layout isn't the only change for the 911 RSR. For 2017, the car ditches its steel body for one that's made out of carbon fiber. The body attaches to the chassis via quick-release fasteners, making the vehicle easier to service as exterior elements can be removed with minimal effort. The racecar also gets a radar-based collision system – aptly named the "Collision Avoid System" – which is meant to limit the 911 RSR's encounters with faster LMP prototypes. Only time will tell if the new layout and aerodynamic components help the 911 RSR beat its competition. But there will be plenty of opportunities to see the racecar in action as Porsche plans to run the 911 RSR in 19 races during the 2017 season, the first of which will take place at the IMSA opener on January 28th at Daytona, where the racecar will make its track day debut.

2016 Mini Convertible puts the tanning salon on wheels

Here's a basic tenet of the Mini product schedule – a new generation Mini Hardtop debuts and then, within a year or two, it's followed by a convertible variant. Considering this, the debut of the third-generation Convertible – less than two years after the third-gen hardtop – is right on schedule. Slated to arrive in dealers right in time for the start of the 2016 convertible season, the latest Mini Convertible doesn't really shock. It takes the same basic look below the beltline, and pairs it to a power-folding softtop that does a much better job of maintaining the Hardtop's iconic silhouette. That said, the size of that "C-pillar," for lack of a better phrase, is immense. We doubt this new model will do anything to improve on the last Convertible's awful blind spots. Mechanically, the soft top can be raised or lowered in just 18 seconds and at speeds of up to 18 miles per hour. Like the two generations of Convertible that came before it, this latest droptop uses the same engine lineup as the three-door model. For the standard Cooper, BMW/Mini's 1.5-liter, turbocharged triple is still offering up 134 horsepower, 162 pound-feet of torque, and a 0-60 time of 8.2 seconds with the automatic and 8.3 seconds with the manual. For the Cooper S, the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder dishes out 189 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque, along with 0-60 times of between 6.7 and 6.8 seconds, depending on the transmission. Those gearboxes have also been plucked from the Hardtop models, with standard six-speed manuals and optional six-speed automatics, regardless of engine. Yep, that's right, the excellent eight-speed auto from the Mini Cooper S Clubman isn't being offered on the Cooper S Convertible. We've got a huge array of photos of the new Mini Convertible, which puts a particular emphasis on the handsome, droptop-specific Caribbean Aqua of the base Cooper. Check out the photos, and then scroll below for the official press release from Mini. Related Video: OPEN DRIVING EXCITEMENT: INTRODUCING THE NEW MINI CONVERTIBLE Open Driving Excitement: Introducing the New MINI Convertible Newest member of MINI lineup goes on sale in U.S. in March 2016 First open top MINI powered by BMW Group engine technology and architecture Woodcliff Lake, NJ – October 22, 2015 – MINI USA introduced today the newest addition to its iconic product line, the new MINI Convertible.