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Electric Mini Cooper SE pre-orders are open in the US
The all-electric Mini Cooper SE will go on sale in the US in March, but if you've already made your mind up about getting one, you can stake your claim now. BMW has opened up pre-orders for the first mass-market EV take on the classic car.
The all-electric Mini Cooper SE will start at $29,900
BMW has revealed the all-electric Mini Cooper SE will start at $29,900, less than the $35,000 estimate the automaker gave when it unveiled the vehicle in July. The car, which is the first broadly available Mini Cooper EV (following a concept model), will go on sale in the US in early March.
GoPro cameras show what it's like to endure a terrifying car crash
GoPro is trying to build a media empire by capturing moments that other video cameras sometimes miss, and it just might achieve that feat if its latest (and arguably most dramatic) footage is any indication. The company mounted its action cams in the car of Guerlain Chicherit hoping to catch a record-setting jump, but instead caught what it's like to survive a horrifying crash. The clip is cringe-inducing, even if you've seen your fair share of in-car replays -- Chicherit can't do much more than prepare for the worst as his modified Mini tumbles end over end. He thankfully escaped with minor injuries, but the resulting movie is an especially stark reminder of just why stunt driving is so dangerous.
Mini Cooper hardtop gets parking assistance and collision warning systems
It feels like the last time we thought about the Mini Cooper, it was pulling bank jobs with Mark Wahlberg. Since then, the diminutive coupe has apparently outgrown its rebellious phase and is now thinking about more mature notions, like safety. At next month's LA Auto Show, the 2014 hardtop will debut a new collision warning system that employs cameras -- instead of the feature's typical sonar tech -- for accident sensing, a video-based adaptive cruise control system and even auto-dimming headlamps. Nothing exactly new for automobiles, but definitely shiny features for the Mini line. For full details on these as well as the new assisted parking system, HUD and more, make sure to hit the PR after the break. Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to shut down the real Napster.
Mini Cooper Connected app adjusts music based on driving style, stops when airbags deploy
We're always looking for excuses to get behind the wheel, so naturally the new Dynamic Music function in the Mini Connected app made us yearn for a chance to hit the road. Version 2.0 brings this headline feature to the iPhone, which includes exclusively-composed music that adjusts based on things like a compatible Mini Cooper's "longitudinal and lateral acceleration." In other words, the faster and crazier you drive, the more exciting the music becomes. So instead of having mom in the passenger seat begging you to slow down, there's music that encourages you to do the opposite. The press release even references a "hallmark Mini go-kart feeling," so you might want to make sure everyone's buckled up before you plug in. Should anyone fail to do so, a new feature called Mission Control will let you know, also nagging about poor driving conditions. How's that for a mixed signal?
Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar pyramids in UAE, Tequila turns to biofuel, and green lamps galore
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Alternative energy projects powered up around the globe this week as Inhabitat showcased a series of solar pyramids designed to energize Abu Dhabi and the Netherlands rolled out plans for a bike path paved with photovoltaics. Meanwhile India announced that it will launch a series of solar-powered cellphone towers this year, and a 19-year-old American teenager created a parabolic solar death ray -- and promptly proceeded to burn down his garden shed. In other news, Tesla jolted the auto world with plans to launch its upcoming Model X in 2013, and a team of researchers from the University of Illinois discovered that the same plant that produces Tequila actually yields a pretty potent biofuel as well. We also learned that Toyota plans to power its upcoming hybrids with lighter, more powerful Lithium-Ion batteries, and we were impressed by the streamlined classic stylings of Mitsuoka's electric Himiko car. Finally, this week we washed away the winter blues by shedding light on 15 green lamps that bathe your interiors in energy-efficient illumination. We also shared 6 green lighting tips that will help you cut your energy bills and 5 tips for home renovations that will keep your house cozy in the worst winter weather.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: the power plant you can ski, and NASA's orbiting Nanosail-D
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week we saw new horizons dawn for green transportation as NASA's Nanosail-D became the first solar sail spacecraft to orbit the earth and President Obama issued a call for one million electric vehicles in his State of the Union Address. We also test drove the recently released electric Mini Cooper and took a look at several transportation breakthroughs that could clean up car emissions - researchers have developed an air pollution-fighting road treatment and Cella Energy claims to have created an emission free gas that costs $1.50 per gallon. In other news, this week Qatar showcased designs for 9 sustainable stadiums for the 2022 World Cup and BIG unveiled plans for a plant-wrapped waste to power plant that doubles as a ski slope. Super cities are on the rise in Asia as China announced plans to construct a mega-city the size of Switzerland and SOM unveiled a masterplan for a cutting-edge green tech city for Hanoi. On the other hand, Dubai's architecture of excess is fading fast as a report revealed that the emirate's world-shaped archipelago of islands is sinking into the sea. We also showcased the latest in portable tech as we brought you a brilliant Fire Department iPhone app that stands to save lives, and we rounded up our five favorite phone-charging green gadgets. And if you're looking for a case to carry it all in, check out these chic quilted iPad bags - just the thing to keep your kit cozy and protected during this month's blizzards.
Mini Cooper Connected with Pandora drive-on
Pandora founder and chief strategy officer Tim Westergren just rolled up to our CES trailer in the new Mini Cooper Countryman with Mini Connected, which features integration with Pandora's iOS app when an IPhone is plugged in. Once you plug the phone in and switch to the app, Connected takes over and you navigate and control Pandora using the Mini's rotary jog dial -- BMW doesn't want you to mess with the phone while driving, so the iPhone essentially serves as a 3G modem. The Connected interface is quite clean -- it's definitely more user-friendly than the BMW iDrive system from whence it sprang -- and we were jamming along to 32Kbps Pandora streams in no time. That's a little better than FM quality, and the Pandora app does a little buffering so any gaps or blips in signal are smoothed over. Phone calls are handled by the Mini's Bluetooth system, so Pandora fades out when a call comes in, and fades back in when you hang up. It's definitely slick -- and Pandora is actually just the first Connected app to launch, with more iOS apps from Mini's partners due to come in the future. Video and PR after the break. %Gallery-113316%
Black smoke coming from underneath your MINI's hood? There's an app for that
Car companies have been trying tap into the iPhone's mojo seemingly since day one, and BMW subsidiary MINI is the latest to take a crack at it -- but this time, it's actually useful. The company's new roadside assistance app was created in partnership with Allstate and provides the usual array of services you'd expect from an OnStar-like system, including service appointment scheduling, troubleshooting guides and tow requests for when you find yourself in a genuine pickle. The phone will automatically submit your location and your car's VIN when you connect, so you spend a minimum amount of time sobbing into the phone. The app's available now for the BlackBerry Curve, Bold, and... yes, of course, the iPhone. Follow the break for video. [Via Autoblog]
Electric MINI spotted in Munich, expected at 2008 LA Auto Show
Check it, Cooper fans -- that electric MINI we've been sporadically hearing about is for real, and we've seen the spy shots that prove it. Car has hosted up a slew of non-blurry (gasp!) snaps of the eco-friendly whip cruising around Munich, and just in case the complete absence of an exhaust pipe wasn't evidence enough, maybe the "Hybrid Test Vehicle" decals will make you a believer. Also of note, we're now hearing that the car is on track for a 2008 Los Angeles motor show appearance, which jibes quite well with the purported summer 2009 US launch. [Via RegHardware]
Electric MINI hitting US streets in summer 2009
Not that electric MINIs are anything new, but unless you were willing to pay for all the mods yourself, procuring one wasn't exactly simple. Now, however, we're hearing that MINI itself will be bringing scads of these buggers to American streets in the summer of 2009. Yeah, like, one year from right now. MINI USA VP Jim McDowell was the source of said statement (so it's pretty much official, yeah?), though he didn't mention whether all of them would be reserved for California or if they would be available sold out nationwide. Hey MINI, we'd say you've got a hit on your hands.
Hybrid Tech building an electric Mini Cooper, will charge a bundle
Those crafty kids at Hybrid Technologies aren't just busy stuffing ridiculous amounts of power into teeny-tiny Mullen GT bodies, they've also set their sights on a more consumer friendly car: the Mini Cooper. Unfortunately, while electric Mini doesn't reach the six figures range like its L1X-75 counterpart, it'll still cost you $59,000 -- a full $40k more than a base Mini costs in its native gas version. The car is rated at about 120-160 miles in range from its lithium polymer batteries, and takes five hours to charge. The desire to build electric cars "that don't look like electric cars" is quite commendable, we just look forward to the day when it doesn't cost so dang much.[Via Autoblog]
MINI USA rolls out RFID-activated billboards
If there was ever a slick way to get folks to willingly carry around an RFID tag, MINI USA has it all wrapped up. Catering to every person's egotistical side, MINI has begun a pilot advertising campaign in Chicago, New York, Miami, and San Francisco, which gives select Cooper owners the chance to get an RFID keyfob in the mail, and moreover, a reason to consistently drive under MINI billboards. Users can select a custom message to be encoded on their RFID chip, and when they cruise near an overhanging MINI billboard, their particular message lights up for the world (or at least nearby motorists) to see. Of course, we're sure messages will be edited before delivery, and you still need to be down with toting a homing signal around with you each time you cruise, but let's face it, the mastermind behind this ad campaign probably got the raise we all wanted, but didn't come close to. So if you're a MINI owner in one of the four lucky cities, keep a keen eye on that inbox, and word on the street is that MINI USA is planning on hitting up more cities if (read: when) this proves to be a smash hit.[Via Slashdot]
Mini Cooper pimped 360 style
For a Singapore contest, now finished, the above Mini Cooper was parked in secret location and those who found the car could play PGR3 and potentially win an Xbox 360 bundle. Sister site Xbox 360 Fanboy found this on their Flickr feed and discovered its origin. The Flickr account in question contains a plethora of pictures from the same car show, but only one of the 360-mobile. The fate of this car is unknown.In the interest of being non-biased, here is a Sony car stereo from the same Flickr account. Sorry Nintendo, you already had your post on themed transportation.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Xbox 360 MINI Cooper FTW!
We just spotted this tricked out MINI Cooper on Flickr, uploaded by a user named Singapore Idler. The car exudes a coolness that defies definition. We did a little searching and found out that it was created for a (now closed) contest in Singapore. The car was driven around Singapore and parked in secret locations. Those who spotted the MINI got a chance to compete in PGR3 and win a nice 360 bundle (but not the car). Judging by the other pictures in the Idler's account, it looks like the MINI was being displayed at a car show (along with some attractive models). We're curious as to what the car's fate will be now that the contest is over. Is it doomed to make the show circuit forever, or will some lucky auto connoisseur add it to his collection?
