Good times are rolling! MINI’s 50^th anniversary celebrations still ain’t over… yet. The small car company of BMW has just sprung another surprise from under its sleeves.

Presenting the MINI Coupe Concept. What started out as rumors has turned out to be true.

Debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the CC is part of MINI’s eye-candy offerings for its 50^th anniversary bash.

This is a true-blue (forgive the pun), MINI, unlike its older brother, the Clubman, which has a lot more space to fit another couple. It traded in its rear seats to have a more sloped roof plus its upright windshield for a more sleek slanting glass.

You won’t be dragging your feet in this MINI. It has got the performance of a John Cooper Works model. Packing a 211-hp 1.6L turbo, it’ll instantly propel its lightweight body under any circumstances.

It’s also got a lot of room for your cargo – around 8.8 cubic feet – plus a rear pass-through for ease of access.

Aesthetic wise, it still retains the traditional MINI look – a huge tachometer to tell you when to shift plus an integrated speedometer to keep you under the speed limit. You’re going to need them, unless you want to give charity after receiving speeding tickets.

On the outside, it’s a totally new MINI, with a sleeker and lower roof line and gentler color theme. Save for the titanium paint accents which rather look off.

So there you have it folks. No word yet on plans for its productions, but it’s a sure bet MINI’s going to want to bring this one out for public consumption.

Source(s): Sports Car Forums

Let’s admit it. We all are guilty of driving in our flip flops. Not to say that this is wrong but the fact of the matter is – it’s wrong. There are states which ban the use of such footwear while driving.

Not only does it tend to get stuck on the pedals, it also makes you look like you don’t own whatever car you’re driving. If you happen to be driving a Rolls-Royce Phantom, people would be wondering why, or rather, how you can afford to drive a Rolls and yet can’t afford a decent pair of driving shoes.

Blame it on the numb feeling shoes give when driving, or maybe the bulky weight which just makes them so uncomfortable, shoes are definitely second on the list for most drivers’ preferred foot wear. Compared to them, slippers, flip flops and sandals just seem to be the more practical substitute.

Well, here’s something which might help you put aside your love for slip ons – the Honda FILA Racing Shoes. Borne out of the need for a pair of lightweight footwear when behind the steering wheel, these shoes will surely give a new meaning to the term ‘light-footed’.

Available in five unique color designs, these shoes are sure to give you a pleasant time on the pedal. Not only does it promise faster footwork, it also gives you a sharper sense for the pedals.

Some of its features include cupped polyurethane heels to prevent slipping, a “ballistic” mesh material for improved feet ventilation, skinnier outsoles for a better feel of the pedals and less weight for more comfort.

FILA says the shoes embody Honda Racing’s commitment to catering to the needs of each and every racer out there. If you’re on the look out for a decent pair of driving shoes, these may fit you just right.

Source(s): Autoblog

How awesome would it be if your car had a dual-view navigation screen - a screen that allows two completely different, simultaneous displays, depending on who’s doing the looking?

Well, if you live in the US, all you can do for now is wonder.

The 2010 Jaguar XJ is among the first of its kind to feature a dual-view navigation screen. The Jaguar XJ’s navigation screen can show two displays at the same time. For example, the screen could be showing a GPS map for the driver, while allowing the passenger-seat occupant to watch some music videos.

While extremely convenient and entertaining, the avant-garde screen is considered illegal in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) currently mandates that entertainment systems cannt be used in the front of the vehicle while it is in motion. This prevents the driver from being distracted.

Although the driver can’t see the passengers screen, nor access entertainment controls while on the road, Jaguar chief designer Ian Callum admits that the navigation screen’s split-screen feature still violates the NHTSA’s regulations. Jaguar is allegedly hoping that the NHTSA will reconsider and allow the European auto innovation into the US.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed, eh?

Source: Automobile Mag

Production of the rumored partnership sports car by Toyota and Subaru, dubbed the ‘Toyobaru 086A’ (ring a bell?), will proceed, despite reports earlier this year that it will be postponed.

The joint venture was first announced back in April of 2008. Both Toyota and Subaro both issued statements that the plan was to put a new, rear-wheel drive coupe on production by late 2011.

The news has both Toyota and Subaru fans excited. It’s supposedly to relive the legacy put forth by, and to serve as tribute to, the legendary Toyota Corolla Sprinter Trueno AE86, which has reached cult status to this day in the world of drifting.

Drifting is a motor sport which was borne on the mountain passes of Japan. It’s a form of racing wherein instead of using grip to overcome high speed corners, the driver initiates a controlled oversteer, or a drift, to maintain momentum around the corner.

What started as an underground form of racing in Japan is now a major motor sport with a worldwide following. Responsible for raising drifting to sport status is none other than the Drift King, Japanese racing driver Keiichi ‘Dorikin’ Tsuchiya. He is recognized worldwide for his role in bringing drifting to the world of motor sports driving the venerable Sprinter Trueno, or more famously known as ‘Eight Six’.

It’s too early to tell, though, whether the Toyobaru will live up to its legendary predecessor’s status. One thing sure is that a lot of Toyota and Subaru fans are going to be pleased with the new car’s rear-wheel drivetrain.

Sharing the Sprinter Trueno’s FR configuration, plus the immense power of a stock Subaru Impreza’s engine, the new car is like something borne out of Japanese artist Shuiichi Shigeno’s equally famous manga (comic) and anime (cartoon), Initial D.

Initial D is a manga about the racing adventures of a young man using his dad’s Sprinter Trueno. Dubbed as the “Little Hachi that could”, the underdog Trueno and its driver, eighteen year old Takumi Fujiwara, goes on to conquer the world of street racing. Later in the story, Takumi gets to drive another of his dad’s cars, a Subaru Impreza WRX STi, which further improves his skills behind the wheel.

Both the manga and anime rose to fame following the rise of drifting as a sport. Thanks to Initial D, both the Eight Six and the Impreza developed huge and loyal fan bases all over the world. Meanwhile, as the demand for the Eight Six soared in the world of drifting, the Impreza was already a dominating force in the world of rallying, especially in the World Rally Championship.

There is no doubt that the Toyobaru will be expected to live up to both the Sprinter Trueno’s and Impreza’s reputations as race-winning sports cars. It has the best of both worlds – rear wheel drivetrain configuration, unbeaten on the race track, plus a powerful engine.

The question is will fans be able to avail it once it comes into production. There are no reports as of yet whether it will be sold in Europe or America apart from Japan. So all you fans will just have to stay tuned.

Source: World Car Fans

Fate has a way of turning the tables. What used to be Chrysler helping out Lamborghini in times of financial trouble, it’s now the Italians coming to the rescue of what was once Chrysler’s.

The Dodge Viper, now owned by Fiat, is set to get an engine upgrade. The burden of developing its new engine, however, won’t be on Chrysler’s shoulders anymore. Fiat has taken responsibility for its promising sub-brand.

According to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne himself, the Viper will be sporting a new engine which has roots from Ferrari and Maserati.

Reports reveal that the new 90-degree engine will have a modular design all throughout. Ferrari’s V8 version of it will have a flat-plane crank while Maserati will instead feature the usual cross-plane crank. The Viper, sticking to its American roots, will have pushrods in its V10 version.

The exact specifications of the Italian-sourced engine are still unknown, but one thing’s for sure – the new Viper will serve as Dodge’s flagship model in line with Marchionne’s plans. The CEO says Viper will be like what Miate is to Mazda.

Take note, however, that although Lamborghini was once under Chrysler, the Italians already played a big role in the Viper’s development. It was them who helped create the Viper’s former aluminum V10 engine. Thus, the Viper truly has Italian roots.

Its latest version is probably going to be a lot easier to drive than the old models, which were as tricky and peaky as the old Ferrari’s. It sure as hell, though, won’t lack in sheer muscle. All seems well and good.

With the 2009 Dodge Viper ACR holding the unofficial production car record of the Nurburgring race track in Germany, beating the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s 7:26.4 run with 7:22, this latest incarnation has a lot of expectations to meet.

One question still remains though. Will the new Viper be able to defend its predecessor’s Green Hell record, especially with Nissan’s R35 Skyline GT-R coming ever closer to shattering it?

Stay tuned folks. Dodge may be back lapping the ‘Ring sooner than everyone expected, with Nissan and Porsche hot on its heels.

Source: Car and Driver, Jalopnik