Go Kiss a MINI

Leave it to MINI to do something different! At the New York Auto Show last week, MINI announced a partnership with rock icons KISS. Three of the KISS band members were on hand to make the announcement in full costume.

MINI displayed four of the new (slightly) larger Countrymans wrapped with graphics bearing the likeness of KISS band members.

The MINI/KISS partnership is part of a program to benefit UNICEF’s efforts helping children in Japan and around the world.

Four custom painted versions of the KISS Countryman vehicles will be auctioned off on eBay with the money raised donated to UNICEF. In addition, you can order the KISS graphics as an option on your Countryman and the sales proceeds will to UNICEF.

MINI Countryman - Bigger, but not Big

The MINI phenomenon continues.

As most folks know, the British go-kartlike pocket rocket arrived in 2002 as a new generation of the tiny car beloved in Europe since 1959.

I've been very fond of them and driven several. I especially love the Clubman--an extended MINI Cooper with twin rear doors and a little extra room, handy for bass carrying.

ANYWAY--the new MINI Cooper Countryman has arrived in dealerships now. It looks like a MINI, but is taller, has four full-sized doors and a standard hatchback, and is available in four-wheel-drive configuration. I peeked at one at the San Francisco Auto Show in November, but I decided to go drive one on a quiet holiday weekend afternoon.

My friendly salesman, George Martinez, let me take a white one with black alloy wheels out for a spin. Well, bottom line, it feels like a MINI, but higher and a little softer. The interior looks almost exactly like the one in the regular Cooper and Clubman--fortunately--with its big central speedometer and puffy looking (but hard) surfaces.

The same 1.6-liter engines as found in the Cooper/Clubman are there, with 121 horsepower naturally aspirated or 181 horsepower in S models with turbocharging. What's the difference, besides price? With the turbo the 0-60 is 7.0 seconds versus 9.8 for the regular one. Is that important? I dunno, but I tested an S and it moved pretty quickly.

As a MINI, it has many possible configurations, from 11 colors to contrasting roof and mirrors to different wheels, interior surfaces and colors, chrome accents, and on and on.

Prices start at about $23,000 including shipping, but can easily top $30K in a hurry when you get happy with the order book.

I'm liking True Blue with a white roof. Manual six speed. Not much else.

George told me that 85 percent of the cars sell with automatics. How disappointing--this is a car that deserves a manual transmission. See Car and Driver's Save the Manuals Facebook page for more on this subject.

See MINI's website for much more detail and amusement.

More MINIs -- Hooray!

I love MINI Coopers--old and and new. Recently, I've heard about a new MINI Cooper Coupe and two-seat roadster coming, and now spy pictures are available, thanks to MC2 Magazine.

The MINI motoring experience already is enriched this year with the new, larger, four-door, offroading MINI Countryman. It's enough to drive one to becoming a MINIiac.

I still favor the Clubman, which is a MINI Cooper with an extra foot of length, a second little "suicide" door on one side and two little doors in back. Perfect for carrying a bass--or whatever else you've got to transport.

Go to MINI's wonderful website to see the whole story.