Thursday, 20 September 2012 09:02
The Paceman is Mini's new wild child
Words by Carl Trocio | Photos courtesy of the BMW Group
What is this Mini Paceman they speak of? Is it the shortest guy to come out of a pace-ship? Nay! This is Mini’s 7th child to come out of their hobbit house. You may ask yourself, “They already came out with 7? But they all look the same!” But like most puppies from the same mother, there are a couple of different variations, each with its own distinct features.
The Paceman first saw the light of day at the 2011 Detroit Motor Show when Mini decided to make the fat kid in the family, the Countryman, suck his tummy in and stuff it in a track suit. So they ended up with a new two-door, “coupe-y”, restyled, closer-to-the-ground member of the family. It's sort of like dressing your brother in drag and introducing him as your long lost sister. Sexy? Maybe...
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Newly Launched
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 08:39
Hierarchy of Wants | 2011 MINI Cooper S Countryman ALL4
Words by Niky Tamayo | Photos by Ken Tamayo
In an early attempt to explain the process of self-actualization, Abraham Maslow famously came up with his “Hierarchy of Needs.” The basic idea is that you aren’t concerned with high-level needs until your more basic needs are met. Thus, you’re not concerned with shelter until you’re fed, not concerned with love until you’re sheltered, not concerned with career until you’re loved, and so on and so forth. High up on Maslow’s pyramid, tackled only after every other need is fulfilled, are self-actualization needs like creativity and spontaneity.
In other words, the only people buying a MINI Countryman are people who’ve achieved Maslow’s equivalent of Nirvana. Unfortunately, most car buyers are stuck at Level 2: Security. Even your typical luxury car buyer falls further down on the pyramid, under Level 4: Self-Esteem (“mine is bigger than yours”). But apparently, there are a lot of self-fulfilled buyers in the Philippines, as the Countryman is selling like hotcakes.
The rest of the world simply doesn’t know what it’s missing.
Published in
Crossover
Wednesday, 21 March 2012 06:44
10 cars making their debut at the 8th Manila International Auto Show
Words by Christopher Kho
The 8th Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) is all set to go this March 29, 2012 at the World Trade Center (WTC) in Pasay City. With 26,000 sq. meters of exhibit space, it promises to be the Philippines' biggest motoring event of the year yet again. And in line with year's theme “Life in the Fast Lane,” we're giving you a quick preview of the 10 new cars scheduled to make their official Philippine debut at the show.
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Newly Launched
Tuesday, 06 March 2012 08:30
Welcome to the Dark Side: The 2013 MINI Countryman John Cooper Works
Words by Niky Tamayo | Photos courtesy of the BMW Group
While purists may be crying foul at the introduction of the "it's-really-not-an-SUV" Countryman, MINI is going full-steam ahead in launching the most powerful iteration of their ubiquitous 1.6 liter engine yet.
In John Cooper Works form, the Countryman develops 211 horsepower and up to 300 Nm of torque. That's nearly twenty horses more than the Cooper S Countryman. And while the quoted 7.5 second sprint from 0 to 100 km/h for the 6AT might not sound that special, considering the 184 hp Cooper S Countryman does it in 7.7 seconds, it's worth bearing in mind that the JCW variant has all-wheel drive. A comparable ALL4 Cooper S Countryman is over a second slower, which is a dramatic difference.
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Newly Launched
Friday, 03 February 2012 08:39
Car names defined
Words by Christopher Kho and Jade Lu
Car makers across the globe name their latest models after elaborate words from the English dictionary (except for the Europeans who use a labyrinth of letters and numbers) to somehow reflect its prominent characteristics and dazzle their patrons over its obscure moniker. But after a multitude of brochures, advertisements, test drives, and car reviews, have we really given some thought what some of these nameplates really mean? Thankfully, the internet - and notably the guys at Dictionary.com - has put together a list of definitions for some of the most prominent and memorable car models ever to grace this planet.
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Features
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 09:13
The MINI Roadster goes soft top sexy
Words by Jade Lu | Photos courtesy of BMW Group
The Cooper used to be a cute little two-seater with an option for two more in the rear; that's if you can manage to squeeze your companions in. But MINI has finally done off with the Cooper’s backseat and chopped its roof off to create the sole top-down two-seater in its model history, the MINI Roadster.
This drop-top MINI is the convertible counterpart of the Coupe launched last June and sits 20 millimeters lower than the standard Cooper. Let's just hope you won't mind closing the manually-operated soft top when the sun doesn't shine.
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Newly Launched
Thursday, 28 July 2011 08:53
MINI makes mods: Introducing the new MINI family members
Words by Jade Lu | Photos courtesy of BMW Group
The distinguished British automobile brand recently launched the latest members of the MINI family at their Fort Bonifacio showroom last July 22, 2011. British United Automobiles (BUA), Inc., the official distributor of MINI cars in the Philippines, lifted off the covers to reveal the newer, sharper versions of the MINI Cooper, MINI Clubman, and MINI Convertible.
The three new models - Clubman, Cooper, and Cooper S - now have upgraded four-cylinder engine variants for greater power and smoother drives. According to BUA, Inc. President Willy Tee Ten, “[The] new Cooper S variants will carry the award winning - International Engine of the Year 2011, which not only offers more power but better fuel efficiency and more environment- friendly at the same time.”
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Newly Launched
