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Mini attempts first-ever backflip in a car

Not too long ago, the idea of doing a backflip seemed almost impossible on two wheels let alone four, but now the stunt is routinely performed using everything from dirtbikes to monster trucks. Now Mini is getting into the game by attempting to perform a backflip with French stuntman Guerlain Chicherit behind the wheel of a highly modified Countryman, which it claims is the first-ever attempt at doing so with a car.
Another unique element of the jump that Mini is claiming is in regards to the ramp. Past automotive backflips, including Rhys Millen's 2009 jump to ring in the New Year, have used special ramps that help rotate the car, but the ramp Chicherit uses is "unassisted" and the backflip is attempted using only "a gas pedal and a prayer" according to a Mini spokesman for the event.
The video posted below is only a teaser showing the car launch up into the air, but while we have to wait until February 10 to see the final result, it sounds like the landing was a success. According to the Chicherit's Facebook page, practice for the stunt took 18 months of work with "lots of crashes."

BMW warns profits will fall, plans $13.6 billion in cost-cutting

FRANKFURT, Germany — BMW said Wednesday that profits in 2019 will be "well below" last year's, and it will cut 12 billion euros ($13.6 billion) in costs by the end of 2022 to offset spending on new technology. The company said profits would be eroded by higher raw materials prices, the costs of compliance with tougher emissions requirements and unfavorable shifts in currency exchange rates. The Munich-based automaker also faces increased uncertainty due to international trade conflicts that could lead to higher tariffs. "Depending on how conditions develop, our guidance may be subject to additional risks; in particular, the risk of a no-deal Brexit and ongoing developments in international trade policy," said Chief Financial Officer Nicolas Peter. The company forecast a profit margin of 6 to 8 percent for its automotive business, short of the long-term strategic target of 8 to 10 percent, which it said still "remains the ambition" for the company if given "a stable business environment." BMW said it had no plans for layoffs even as it outlined cost saving measures that include dropping half of its engine variants as it seeks to reduce product complexity. The BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands are to get a single sales division. Peter said that given the headwinds to earnings, "we began to introduce countermeasures at an early stage and have taken a number of far-reaching decisions." The company said the measures were needed "to offset the ongoing high level of upfront expenditure required to embrace the mobility of the future." Automakers around the world have faced heavy up-front costs for technology expected to change how people get from one place to another in the next decade. Those include electric cars and renting cars through smartphone apps. Yet the returns from such investments remain uncertain and auto companies face competition from tech firms such as Uber and Waymo. BMW made 7.2 billion euros ($8.2 billion) in net profit last year, down 17 percent from 2017, when it booked a gain of $1 billion from U.S. tax changes. The company faced headwinds from increased tariffs on vehicles exported to China from the United States. It also suffered from turmoil on the German auto market when companies faced bottlenecks getting cars certified for new emissions rules. BMW faces uncertainty from U.S.-China trade tensions that could result in new tariffs if talks do not result in an agreement. U.S.

Oscar Mayer plumps up Wienerfleet with Wienermini, Wiener Rover, Wienercycle and Wienerdrone

Contrary to popular belief and the song that's now going to be stuck in your head the rest of the day (you're welcome), not everyone loves an Oscar Mayer wiener. But everyone, bar none, loves the Wienermobile. And that's why we're so happy to see that Oscar Mayer has expanded its fleet of wiener-inspired vehicles to include a downsized wiener car, a scooting wiener, a radio-controlled wiener, and, perhaps most inspiring of all, a wienerdrone. Can a wiener-shaped Power Wheels be far behind? Before we get to the hovering coup de grace, let's dissect the other wieners on wheels. The Wienermini, quite obviously, is built atop the chassis of a Mini Cooper. It can surely go places the larger OG-Wienermobile simply can't due to its massive dimensions. Then there's the Wiener Rover, which, despite its name, was not built to introduce Martians to the joys of processed meats. The third new wiener is a Vespa in orange and yellow with a wiener-shaped sidecar. Here's hoping those wieners don't stink of two-stroke. And finally there's the Wienerdrone. In retrospect, it's amazing that it has taken this long for someone to invent the world's most perfect hot dog delivery system. We imagine hundreds of these wiener-shaped copters autonomously delivering wieners at sporting events all across the country. Make it so, Oscar Mayer. Only then will everyone truly love an Oscar Mayer wiener. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.