S 1.6l Cd Turbocharged Front Wheel Drive Keyless Start Power Steering Fog Lamps on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Lego Mini Cooper coming in August [w/video]

Lego isn't just for kids anymore. A while back, the company cleverly realized that adults liked its connecting blocks as much as kids but wanted a more sophisticated project to take on. It offers a whole set of Expert models, including a wickedly cool Volkswagen Bus from a few years ago. Now, it's taking aim at automotive enthusiasts again with the recently announced classic Mini Cooper set due to go on sale on August 1 for $99.99.
This is a seriously cool Lego model. At nine inches long, five inches wide and four inches tall, the car is certainly compact (as a Mini should be), but it contains 1,077 pieces. It's finished in the classic Mini look with a British Racing Green body with white roof, hood stripes and mirror caps. The doors, hood and trunk all open up, and there's even a little, simulated engine. The interior includes features like a turning steering wheel and movable gearshift and handbrake. In the boot, there is a cute picnic set, and even a spare tire hidden under the floor. If you want to show off your handiwork after it's built, the roof is removable to peer inside.
Expect dads around the world to be unwrapping these when the holidays roll around. Scroll down to watch one of Lego's designers detailing its latest set and read the full release about it, below. The gallery shows the Mini off from all of its blocky angles, as well.

2016 Mini Cooper S Convertible First Drive

Is there a better place to launch a roofless Mini than Los Angeles in the middle of winter? Temperatures during the drive event for the new 2016 Mini Cooper S Convertible hovered in the mid-80s, and (a begrudging thanks to CARB here) there was only a thin haze to attenuate the sun. Moreover, the sprawled-out and uniquely Californian metropolis doesn't seem to hem in the longer, broader, ever so slightly taller Convertible. Even if you don't necessarily enjoy vehicles that inherently make a statement, driving a Cooper S Convertible around this style-conscious town at least attunes your sensibilities to the Mini norm. Since there isn't much mechanically or stylistically to differentiate the new Convertible from its Hardtop fraternal twin, we can cover the basics quickly. The exterior sheetmetal is, for better or worse, not much different. That means the large proboscis – a nod to pedestrian impact standards and a variety of other engineering and safety concerns – and longer rear overhang carry over. The jutting underbite and slightly walleyed headlight stance exaggerate how bulbous the front end has become with each subsequent generation. Taken in isolation, the Mini Convertible is still undeniably cute, but the English bulldog vibe is slowly being pushed out of the corporate design language as each new Mini is gently inflated. At some point, we'll hit the bursting point. The Mini Convertible is still undeniably cute, but the English bulldog vibe is slowly being pushed out of the corporate design language. Even in the space-compromised Mini Convertible, total cargo area increases by 25 percent to a useful 7.6 cubic feet maximum. The Easy-Load function, which props up the back edge of the soft top on a pair of spindly plastic struts, is a bit fussy but helps get awkward items in and out of the surprisingly deep cargo area. Smaller or soft luggage should go in without issue. Larger items might be better suited for the back seat. If you're buying a four-seat convertible, you should be prepared for these compromises ahead of time. Speaking of time, the top's operation is reasonably quick. It takes 18 seconds to raise or lower the top, at up to 18 mph. It was fast enough for a stoplight change to test out the situation with the lid on. If you've ever been in a last-generation Mini 'Vert, it's about the same – big blind spots mar the view, but it's remarkably quiet.

2016 John Cooper Works Clubman is torquiest Mini ever

Mini fancies its latest Clubman as more an executive car than a typical premium compact. Think BMW 5 Series to the regular Hardtop's 3 Series. With that in mind, you can think of the new John Cooper Works Clubman as a Mini M5 of sorts. The new JCW Clubman boasts a number of features not offered on its little brothers. Mini engineers are squeezing 228 horsepower out of the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder, just like on the Hardtop model. But the bigger John Cooper Works gets a significant bump in torque, up from 236 pound-feet of torque to a more robust 258 lb-ft. And with a standard All4 all-wheel-drive system, the JCW Clubman maximizes the ability to deploy that extra power. View 15 Photos Regardless of transmission, the new Works model hits 60 in 6.0 seconds and runs up to 147 miles per hour, 0.9 seconds quicker and five miles per hour faster than the S model we drove last year. A sportier suspension, meanwhile, drops the ride height 0.4 inches, so expect at least slightly better handling from Mini's newest Works model. Exclusive two-piece sport seats should keep drivers in place while exercising the newfound handling ability. But beyond the extra power, all-wheel drive, upgraded suspension, and neat seats, the JCW Clubman is largely a mishmash of parts we know and like. It uses the same standard six-speed manual and optional eight-speed automatic as the regular car, while the polarizing six-doored body wears the usual JCW tinsel – 18-inch wheels and a more aggressive body kit that promises better engine and brake cooling. And it still has a weight problem – the new car weighs in just under 3,500 pounds to the standard car's 3,300-pound curb weight. Mini hasn't published pricing, but if the trend set by the Hardtop and Convertible continues, we'd wager the new JCW will start around $35,500, tacking $6,000 onto the S model's $29,450. Well, at least Mini has the executive-level pricing down. The John Cooper Works Clubman should hit US dealers in December. Related Video: Related Gallery 2016 Mini John Cooper Works Clubman View 18 Photos News Source: MiniImage Credit: Live photos copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / AOL MINI Wagon Luxury Performance mini clubman