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Car Club USA: Minis On Top

Car Club USA heads to New Hampshire for Minis On Top, an annual Mini owner event at the base of Mt. Washington. Owners meet, greet, and compete for best of show honors, and then make the thrilling ascent to the top of Mt. Washington. "You get about halfway up the mountain and all the sudden you can't see," remarks one driver of the sometimes treacherous conditions. Events like Minis On Top have been bringing together this tight-knit automotive community for years. "When I bought it, I really... didn't know it was a car that came with friends," said Eric Ruiz, one of the event coordinators. "I have no idea where my life would be had I not bought that Mini off the dealership floor," said Emily Martian, who struck up a long-distance relationship with fellow Mini driver Steve Nikitopoulos at another owner event. "So, yes, technically Minis brought us together." Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog. MINI Driving Ownership Car Club USA Videos Original Video

Mini Rocketman back on the table, might go aluminum

Mini just doesn't want its Rocketman concept to die. It unveiled the truly mini model at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, and since then, there have been countless on-again, off-again rumors about the possibility of it going into production. If the latest talk proves true, a smaller vehicle like the Rocketman might make it into the automaker's lineup after all, as competitor to other stylish city cars like the Smart ForTwo.
According to the company's head of design, Anders Warming, speaking to Auto Express, Mini likes the idea of having a smaller model in its lineup, but it has to figure out a way of actually making it work. Warming is clear that the next iteration of the Rocketman concept (or whatever it's called then) won't be seen until a design is ready.
There are still plenty of challenges keeping a production Rocketman off of the city streets of the world, and chief among them continues to be finding a platform. But Mini is at least considering it. "At the moment, we don't have the right tech solutions, but we are working on it. We don't yet have a final solution, you could say," said Warming to Auto Express. He also thinks the final version would drop the concept's carbon fiber in favor of more aluminum components.

Mini 're-evaluating' relationship with Abby Wambach following DUI arrest

Mini USA is "re-evaluating" its relationship with former US Women's National Soccer Team star Abby Wambach after the 35-year-old was arrested for driving under the influence on Sunday morning. Wambach was just one of the athletes that joined Mini's recently launched "Defy Labels" campaign. She was driving a 2014 Land Rover Range Rover – not a Mini – at the time of the arrest. "We're obviously concerned about the alleged DUI attributed to Abby Wambach. This behavior is against the values we promote as an organization and the safety of everyone on the road is a priority here at Mini," the company said in an official statement obtained by Automotive News. "Because of this, we are re-evaluating her association with the brand and are pulling content that individually features Abby from our marketing. We will continue to assess the situation and weigh our options." Wambach was arrested in Portland, OR after running a red light in her Range Rover. Her blood alcohol content was not released by the Portland Police Bureau, although she was described as "polite and courteous" throughout the affair, according to a statement. You can see the Super Bowl ad featuring Wambach below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.