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BMW restores classic Mini as it revives production in Netherlands

Mini will be kicking off production in the Netherlands, a country that hasn't built a Mini-badged machine since 1966. In honor of this event, BMW Group Classic, the team responsible for all the cars in the BMW Museum, as well as being a spare parts and restoration company in its own right, revived a classic 1959 Austin Seven. That particular car, number 983, was one of the first Minis to be built in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands' JJ Molenaar's Car Companies built 4,000 Austin Sevens and Morris Mini-Minors between 1959 and 1966, although we imagine Dutch Mini production will be much bigger when it starts up again in summer 2014. A five-person team from VDL Nedcar, the group handling production of new Minis, took to the job of restoring the diminutive British car from nose to tail.
The 34-horsepower engine and the transmission were both completely rebuilt, while the door panels were redone by hand. Help from the Mini community aided the VDL Nedcar team in finding authentic replicas or original parts where possible. All told, the new classic Mini is a striking example of what a good restoration can do to a car. The Seven was repainted in its original Farina Gray, adding to the car's sense of authenticity.

Mini recalls 30K Hardtops to improve side-impact protection

Mini is recalling 30,456 units of its two-door models because they don't conform to federal side-impact requirements for the rear seat passengers. According to the documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (here as a PDF), this includes 15,653 examples of the 2014-2015 Mini Cooper Hardtop, 14,782 units of the 2014-2015 Mini Cooper S Hardtop, and 21 of the 2015 Mini John Cooper Works Hardtop (pictured above). Those with production dates between December 2013 and March 2015 are affected, the automaker reports in a statement to Autoblog. According to NHTSA, the agency tested a 2015 Cooper and Cooper S Hardtop on July 1 and 2, but the S didn't meet one of the impact requirements. The analysis showed that rear passengers in these vehicles were potentially in greater danger in a crash. Upon further research, the government and Mini found more models potentially affected. The automaker isn't aware of any reports of accidents or injures from this problem. To rectify the situation, dealers will add more energy-absorbing material in the space between the rear interior panels and the exterior of the hatchbacks, which will take around four hours. The campaign to fix them will begin on Sept. 12. RECALL Subject : Side Impact Crash Worthiness/FMVSS 214 Report Receipt Date: JUL 17, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V450000 Component(s): STRUCTURE Potential Number of Units Affected: 30,456 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) MINI COOPER 2014-2015 MINI COOPER S 2014-2015 MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS 2015 Details Manufacturer: BMW of North America, LLC SUMMARY: BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door vehicles and 2015 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop 2 Door vehicles. The affected vehicles do not meet the side impact performance requirements for the rear seat passengers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection." CONSEQUENCE: If the side impact performance requirements are not met, rear seat passengers may be at a higher risk of injury during a crash. REMEDY: MINI will notify owners, and dealers will install additional energy absorption material between the rear interior side panels and the exterior vehicle body, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 12, 2015. Owners may contact MINI customer service at 1-866-825-1525.

Remember that world-record jump crash? Here's every angle, including the human one

While there are those who watch automotive exploits hoping (secretly or otherwise) for a spectacular crash, most of us are happy when everything goes smoothly. But at the end of the day, a daring stunt wouldn't be a daring stunt if there weren't some element of danger. And make no mistake about it, Guerlain Chicherit's recent long-jump record attempt was a daring stunt if ever there was one.
Chicherit, for those unfamiliar, is a French athlete who made the rare transition from "conventional" sports to motor sports. An accomplished professional skier, these days Guerlain drives a specially-prepared Mini Countryman in off-road events like the Dakar Rally and in death-defying stunts. Last year he managed to backflip his Mini and land in the record books, and this past winter he went after Tanner Foust's record by attempting a 360-foot jump at a ski resort in the French Alps. Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.
Despite several practice jumps at closer distances, the final attempt ended in a massive cartwheel crash in front of the gathered crowds. Several spectators published footage of the crash soon after it happened, but now GoPro has released a more comprehensive compilation showing the lead-up to the event and the jump itself from every angle - inside, outside and away from the vehicle. It's guaranteed to make you cringe, but remember that Guerlain miraculously escaped with minimal injury and will live not only to tell the tale, but likely to take another crack at it. Whether you're the kind to gawk at such a crash or not, the video below is worth watching.