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Mini Hardtop Four-Door Carbon Edition breaks cover [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Mini USA sent a announcement with official details and pricing for the Carbon Edition, which is available below. After an $850 destination charge, the models cost $37,100 with a manual gearbox. Mini doesn't offer the John Cooper Works trim on the Hardtop Four-Door, but a handful of US customers can now order the next-best thing. The new Carbon Edition satisfies the needs of enthusiasts wanting extra power to go with the two additional doors, but Mini will only offer 150 of them here. The Carbon Edition starts with the Hardtop Four-Door Cooper S and then layers on the John Cooper Works Pro Tuning Kit to create a 208-horsepower hot hatch. An upgraded exhaust with Sport and Track modes also comes with that package, according to MotoringFile. For extra style, they all wear a JCW body kit in Midnight Black, and there's a heap of carbon-fiber trim to fit the name. Matte black stripes amplify the menacing look and feature a little Carbon emblem cut into the ones on the sides. Additional improvements include LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, a navigation system, and JCW interior trim. The array of improvements don't quite take the Carbon Edition to the full 228 hp from the JCW Hardtop Two-Door, but Mini spokesperson Mariella Kapsaskis tells Autoblog that the US product team handpicked these parts to get as close as possible. If this limited-edition, four-door hot hatch intrigues you, get on the phone with a dealer soon. According to Kapsaskis, the first examples are already at dealers, and the Carbon Edition might not last long with just 150 of them on the road. Related Video: MINI Carbon Edition: The fastest, loudest, and most powerful MINI Hardtop 4 Door we make. The Carbon Edition combines the already powerful MINI Cooper S Hardtop 4 Door model with the new John Cooper Works Pro Tuning Kit, valve exhaust system and high-grade carbon fiber accessories. The result is 208 horsepower and an ultra-aggressive exhaust note with Sport and Track Mode*. The exhaust flap is operated wirelessly via two clicks of the Bluetooth controller and unleashes devilish backfire pops and crackling sound on the overrun. Genuine carbon fiber mirror caps, air intake trim, and tailpipe finishers are offset against Midnight Black metallic paint and exclusive matte black sport and side stripes accented by a red pinstripe.

Driving the Toyota Tacoma, BMW 430i and Chevy Corvette Convertible | Autoblog Podcast #671

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by West Coast Editor James Riswick and Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. First, they talk about driving the Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road (equipped with a TRD Lift Kit), Mini Cooper S Hardtop 2-Dor, BMW 430i xDrive, Chevy Corvette Convertible and Chevy Suburban with the Duramax diesel engine. They discuss the news, including Toyota's desire to differentiate the 86 from the BRZ, the new Jeep Magneto concept and Greg's opinion piece on why Stellantis needs Chrysler. Last, but not least, they dig into the mailbag to help a listener figure out how to replace their Honda S2000 and Honda Fit. Autoblog Podcast #671 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars We're Driving 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road 2021 Mini Cooper S Hardtop 2 Door 2021 BMW 430i xDrive 2021 Chevy Corvette Convertible 2021 Chevy Suburban Duramax diesel News Toyota 86 reportedly delayed to differentiate it from Subaru BRZ Jeep Magneto: Electrifying the Easter Jeep Safari with a Wrangler EV Why Stellantis needs Chrysler Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video: Podcasts BMW Chevrolet Chrysler GM MINI Toyota Truck Coupe SUV Diesel Vehicles Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance

KBB 2013 Brand Image Awards has some obvious and oddball winners

The sixth edition of the Kelley Blue Book Brand Image Awards have crowned a wide range of winners - in a couple of cases the recipient of the laurels might say more about KBB users than they do about the actual winner. Compiled from the responses of more than 12,000 shoppers on KBB.com over the past year, there are 13 categories broken into non-luxury, luxury and truck segments "representing the combined wisdom of the American car-buying public."
The award categories have been revamped this year, with some dropping off, some new ones appearing and at least one other given a new term. What isn't surprising is that Honda won Most Trusted Brand for the second year running, Best Value Brand for the third year in a row and took Best Overall Brand, which wasn't on last year's list of awards.
On our own shores, in the non-luxury categories Chrysler got Most Refined Brand and Buick took Best Value Luxury Brand. Neither one of those marques won anything in last year's Brand Image Awards, while Cadillac, which won Best Interior Design Brand and Best Comfort Brand last year - those awards disappeared this year - went home without a single accolade.