Top Gear Spotted Filming Christmas Special in India [with Video]

In a recent interview with WitneyTV, Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson let slip out that this year's Christmas special episode will take place in India.

Being that all episodes are filmed several months before they hit the airwaves, it doesn't come as a surprise that the British TV show's crew were snagged in Mumbai this month.

Along with a short video clip showing Richard Hammond and a modified classic MINI Cooper that we found on Youtube, the guys over at IndianAutosBlog tipped us off about a set of pictures they took during the filming of the Christmas episode of Top Gear.

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English Champion Jumps Over 3 MINIS in a Promo for the 2012 London Olympics Edition [Video]

England long jump champion and London 2012 Olympic Games hopeful, J.J. Jegede succeeded in his attempt to jump over three Minis in an event that took place at Potter’s Field, London, to promote BMW’s sponsorship of next year's Olympic games.

If you think it was an easy task because the three Minis abreast measure a little less than six meters, while in ideal conditions, a top-level athlete can manage a seven- to eight-meter jump, consider that a car's rooftop is not as forgiving as a sandbox…

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MINI Takes New Coupé for a Trip Around the World in its First Promo Film

The new two-seat Coupé from MINI has just landed on the internet, but the British firm is already pushing out its new marketing campaign with the release of the first promo clip.

The campaign builds around a new slogan titled “Another Day. Another Adventure.” with the film shot in the style of a movie trailer showcasing the Coupé in exotic locations, such as Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Iceland and Hong Kong.

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MINI Officially Launches WRC Team, Unveils Countryman Racers

MINI's preparations for the brand's imminent return to the World Rally Championship have culminated with the official launch of the team less than a month ahead of its first WRC event, the Rally d'Italia Sardegna (May 5 - 8). At the company's plant in Oxford, England, the MINI WRC Team unveiled its two MINI John Cooper Works WRC cars, the driver/co-driver lineup and its plans for 2011.

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VIDEO: When in New Zealand, Beware of the Most Annoying Mini in the World

Did you ever think about adding on some harmonicas to your car's bodywork? Of course not; you don't want people in your neighborhood to vandalize your car. The folks from Mini New Zealand, however, decided to stick 300 harmonicas on a Mini Clubman, just for the sake of a marketing campaign.

Once the job was finished, they created an interactive app on the local Mini website that allows visitors to combine the different sounds from the Mini Carmonica's adventures and create their own compositions. Creative marketing or the result of boredom? Who knows, but one thing's for sure; many of you will definitely turn off the sound after the first seconds of the video below…

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MINI Shows off New Rocketman at Milan Fashion Week [New Photos and Video]

Only a few days before its motor show debut at next week's Geneva Salon, the MINI Rocketman concept made its first public appearance at a special event on the sidelines of the Milan Fashion Week. The presentation was held at the Istituto Europeo di Design, which is a design school with a focus on automotive and product design.

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VIDEO: A MINI Cooper S Powered by a Helicopter Jet Engine

Rolls-Royce and MINI may have the same owner, but the two iconic British brands have never been intended to cross paths. That was until a Texas-based firm called BMP Design decided to squeeze a Rolls-Royce Allison 250-C20B jet engine sourced from a helicopter in the back of a MINI Cooper S. Yes, that's right, just behind the front seats.

The consequences of this action are easy to imagine: the 420-horsepower, 400 lb-ft of torque RR engine drives the rear wheels, turning the MINI into a 4WD monster. Managing to drive the car is a major achievement, since the driver needs to balance the conventional controls with the separate levers that command the jet engine.

As you are about to see, the speed and the acceleration of this little rocket are mind-blowing. As is the noise coming from the turbine engine. Watch the videos after the break.

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AC Schnitzer Turns All-Electric MINI E into a Police Car [with Video]

In support of the German Automobile Tuner Association’s “Tune it! Safe!” campaign, AC Schnitzer built the MINI E Police Look Concept, which is being showcased at the 2010 Essen Motor Show. The idea behind the campaign is to create a car that can satisfy tuning aficionados and also meet safety standards.

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VIDEO: First Look at the 2011 MINI Countryman Crossover

After details and first shots of the MINI Countryman crossover were released prior to its world premiere at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show in March, the British automaker has now followed up with a pair of videos showing off its latest creation.

The fourth addition to MINI's range after the regular three-door hatch, the Convertible and the Clubman, comes with a more rugged appearance, increased ride height, four doors, four individual seats (or a three-seat bench) and an available all-wheel drive system for the range-topping Cooper S and Cooper D versions. Check out the videos after the jump.

VIDEO: MINI Drops New Teaser for Crossover, Official Presentation on February 7

MINI's love affair with the psychedelic-looking swirly camouflage that it uses to wrap its prototype models during testing is so strong that the British firm decided to employ the same black and yellow design in its latest teaser video for the new Crossover model.

The film doesn't show anything that we haven't seen before, but MINI did announce that the official reveal of the crossover model will take place online on February 7. From what we gather, the automaker will most likely release the first official pics on that date.

The latest member of the MINI family is a small crossover measuring around four-meters in length that will be offered with an optional four-wheel drive system, both a first for the automaker. Sales are scheduled to start in Europe later this year and in the US in early 2011.

Video: 2009 MINI Convertible on the Road

MINI took the wraps off its second-generation Convertible model well ahead of the car's scheduled premiere at the Detroit Show in January 2009. The latest MINI Convertible is distinguished by a range of features such as the new generation naturally aspirated and turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder petrol engines, a newly developed electrohydraulical softop as well as a variety of styling and design components. Hit the jump to watch the video or click here for more detailed information and a high-res photo gallery of the 2009 MINI Convertible.

Video: Mini Crossover 4x4 Concept

The Crossover Concept that will first be presented at the Paris Motor Show in early October is a design study for an SUV type of not-so-mini, MINI. Measuring over 4 meters in length and almost 1.6 m in height, the proposed fourth variant of the MINI gets a four-wheel-drive system combined with an extended road clearance and a typical crossover appearance with plenty of body cladding. Other features include the asymmetric doors and the Centre Globe, a laser-etched display on the centre console that houses entertainment, communication, navigation and vehicle functions. Hit the jump to see the video that includes exterior and interior shots as well as footage from the Center Globe. -Continued

Fifth Gear Video: MINI Cooper S JCW vs Renault Clio RS Cup

In this episode Fifth Gear compares two of Europe’s hottest superminis, the 208HP MINI Cooper S JCW and the 197HP Renault Clio RS Cup to find out which is the most rewarding car to drive. Along with the usual race track lap, Fifth Gear's journalists also perform an unconventional test in a tight circuit. Find out who wins in the video after the jump. -Continued

Via: Autoblog.it