MINI the book

Posted on by Ian C.

I received another fine MINI book today (thanks Patrick!). Apparently it will be available on Amazon but I couldn’t wait … and it was worth it – the book is very nicely designed and although it is released for the R56 and talks about the new millenium, it has sections on the original Mini, Alec Issigonis, moving the MINI factory, as well as more recent design & development information … also pics of some of the unique MINI advertising and events around the world, and a great Mini/MINI timeline at the back of the book!

A recommended purchase for any MINI fanatic 🙂

Mini? Minnie?

Posted on by Ian C.

From a NorthAmericanMotoring post I saw a while ago, I had to order this!

Disney pin

Really hard to photograph (at night anyway), hence the picture with and without flash!

Definitely reminiscent of something I’ve seen before 😉 although apparently it’s designed from Australian MINIs (which have the speedometer & tachometer swapped round!) … a nod to the chrono pack too, and a working dial (well, you can move it around).

R56 drive time with Herb Chambers MINI

Posted on by Ian C.

After Fridays meet the R56 at MINI of Peabody, I headed down to Gillette Stadium to join Herb Chambers MINI and their customers/friends for another R56 event – this time, driving was the theme! HC MINI had arranged two autocross tracks in a big parking lot – one was self-driven with a Skip Barber instructor to guide you, the other much more fun was travelling as a passenger with Skip Barber instructors driving! Wild 🙂

Being driven by Skip Barber was excellent! I tried to video the drive but it’s tough holding the camcorder steady while also trying to hold yourself steady, but maybe this will give you a feel for the event.

 

After a while it was just too cold so we headed in to the stadium to warm up, eat, drink & chat – lots of MINI friends again! When the door prizes were called, George won a Hammer & Coop lunchbox for longest drive; he immediately dressed up and it suited him perfectly!

Another great evening, demonstrating the good handling of the R56s … my own short R56 MCS drive left me with only one thought: where’s the clutch! Pressing the pedal down seems to have no feedback at all (although I guessed people will get used to it)

Here’s a heap of pictures from the evening:

Thanks Kerry, Rich and all at Herb Chambers MINI, and also the Skip Barber instructors!