Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

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Sabre
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by Sabre »

It looks even better IRL!!!
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by complacent »

my god that is perfect. i would drive it around town, as-is.

:bowd:
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by Cereb Daithi »

I find it very interesting the way they used the membrane buttons for most everything. I'm not sure I agree with that. Wearing nomex gloves bouncing down the road, it might be tough to hit a barely raised surface exactly where you want.
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by PGT »

not the WRC car, but the backseat of the production model. thought it was interesting.

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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by PGT »

and, news from the launch event by MINI USA.....well optioned Countryman S with AWD will be under $30K. So, 1.6L direct injected turbo AWD and not as expensive as once thought. That said, its a MINI and if you're not judicious in holding off on options, it could easily hit $40k.
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by complacent »

PGT wrote:and, news from the launch event by MINI USA.....well optioned Countryman S with AWD will be under $30K. So, 1.6L direct injected turbo AWD and not as expensive as once thought. That said, its a MINI and if you're not judicious in holding off on options, it could easily hit $40k.
kick ass. paint me interested!
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by Mr Kleen »

I'll be curious to see how many $30,000 well optioned Countryman S with AWDs actually make it to a dealer's lot.
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by PGT »

Mr Kleen wrote:I'll be curious to see how many $30,000 well optioned Countryman S with AWDs actually make it to a dealer's lot.
being that MINI's business model has always been very little stock held on dealer lots and customers ordering their cars as they'd like them built, I'd say slim-to-none.

I ordered my R53 with the precise options I wanted and waited the eight weeks (did the same on the wife's R53 Cabrio...she wanted Cool Blue/Blue Top). There are something like 100,000 variables possible so this has been MINI's MO since day one.
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by complacent »

there's a new article on autoblog that has updated pics and video. :hitit:

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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by PGT »

I see its using five bolt hubs, not the 4x100 that comes on all MINI's. <checks pics of production Countryman to be sure>
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by PGT »

2013 BMW 328i M Sport with 8sp in Estoril Blue II
2012 Chrysler 300C SRT8 - Always bet on black
2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Edition, otherwise known as the MW3 (and badass)
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by PGT »

note the non-MINI motor and north-south placement in the engine bay
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by complacent »

PGT wrote:note the non-MINI motor and north-south placement in the engine bay
whoa. they really raided the beemer parts bins, didn't they?
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by Mr Kleen »

don't the Dakar racers usually share about as much with their road-going counterparts as the average NASCAR entry does?
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by Sabre »

Might not be much Mini... but it looks like a TON of fun!
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by PGT »

Mr Kleen wrote:don't the Dakar racers usually share about as much with their road-going counterparts as the average NASCAR entry does?
yep. this one is MINI in name and body panel only. tube frame + BMW longitudinal four and there isn't much MINI but the badging
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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by scheherazade »

What top end race cars DO share much with their road-going counterparts?

GT1 vette resembles a z06 to me. But I'm sure every detail is different.

But yeah, nascar, v8, GT1, supergt ... more changed than stayed the same.

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Re: Mini to Compete in the 2011 World Rally Championship

Post by Sabre »

Which is honestly a shame... If they spent as much time making the cars we drive every day stronger/lighter/etc we would be drving very different cars. Saftey you ask? Have them put in roll cages just like all of us do.
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Good choice putting $4,000 rims on your 1990 Honda Civic. That's like Betty White going out and getting her tits done.
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