mini-cooper

Every week at CNET, we test dozens of gadgets. Not every device stands out as amazing or wonderful, and we've seen our share of failing storage drives or -- shudder -- candy bar "feature phones." (That's what the industry calls a cell phone that's not quite a smart phone.)

But not a week goes by without at least a few standout gadgets. Sometimes, these gems shine in a crowded field. Sometimes, they break the mold. Occasionally, we review a high-quality device from an older category that does its job so well, we fall in love … Read more

Ten Mini Cooper art cars were part of an event featuring pop surrealist artist Aleloop in Florida earlier this month.

Each of the Mini Coopers featured a theme: Fine Arts, Grunge, Video Game, DJ, Mini Me, Free Hand, Comics, Pattern, Driver, and Nature, and an additional Mini, called Graffiti Mini, allowed event attendees to add their own artwork to the car.

The event took place from Dec. 1 to 4 in Miami and Miami Beach. The Mini Coopers, which traveled in a caravan, stopped at parties, art galleries, and restaurants.

At each stop, 40 performers dressed in Aleloop-designed T-shirts emerged … Read more

On this week's show, a listener asked if it's OK for a man to like the Mini; we help a buyer decide between a Honda and an Acura; and we get a car camera question.

• LOLcars (photos)

Recently, we got a sneak peek at the upcoming Mini Cooper Coupe, the smallest--and possibly funkiest-looking--Mini of them all. However, the interesting bits of the new chopped roof were obscured by camouflage. This week, we've got photos and videos of the undisguised 2012 Cooper Coupe and it looks a bit like we expected it to.

Mini calls the new top a "helmet roof," but I think it looks more like the Coupe is wearing a backward baseball cap. Classy. The new top features an integrated roof spoiler that aids in channeling air over the rear window and … Read more

I generally like Minis (even though I've tired of the Roger Rabbit interior), but the Countryman just takes the formula one step too far for me. I'll take you for a ride, check the tech, and run into a surprising problem along the way!

(You can also read the full CNET review of the Mini Cooper Countryman here.)

In an ad depicting the growing Mini family, the company just announced that the Mini Paceman concept, unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, has been given the green light for full production.

The ad, in a first-ever slow motion 3D (shown here in 2D), features an 1,800-hp monster truck jumping a Mini Cooper Convertible, a Mini Cooper Clubman, a Mini Cooper S, and a Mini Cooper S Countryman in front of a stadium audience. The ad debuts today in movie theaters.

The ad was pretty complicated to shoot, Mini said in a press release. It required a crew of … Read more

The "San Diego Incident" may change the Prius woes; Ford readies a brand new high-tech police interceptor; a black box recorder may be coming to your next car; and we drive the 2010 Mini Cooper S and love it--eventually.

2010 Mini Cooper S review

Needless to say (yet I'm doing it anyway), there were many interesting vehicles being paraded at the (somewhat) recently held North American International Auto Show in Detroit. But perhaps the most curious unveiling came courtesy of the Cooper brand, as the company trotted out its Mini Beachcomber concept in a very strange fashion--with dancers and a driver dressed as a shark (I'm not making this up). All pageantry aside, the Beachcomber still is quite intriguing on its own, and today's video gets the lowdown on this interesting little car.

As seen here, the Mini Beachcomber concept seems … Read more

Effective marketing is all about being remarkable. The new Mini Cooper campaign in Amsterdam is a good reminder of the golden rule: you create brand value when both your product and your campaign are being talked about.

1. Lean into the frame (hijack existing attention capital, in this case the street public);

2. Be disruptive (not necessarily provocative or intrusive). In other words: challenge people's routine by introducing an element of surprise;

3. Highlight your core brand attributes (in this case, and overall in the "age of micro," this actually and literally means making them "smaller … Read more